Door Industry Journal - Winter 2018

THE door industry journal winter 2018 Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 35 Industry News With many years’ experience working in the automated gate industry, new dhf Automated Gate Group Chairman, Steve Winter, praises the organisation’s continued endeavour to ensure a safer sector. Earlier this year, Steve Winter, took on one of his most ambitious roles to date: Chairman of dhf ’s Automated Gate Group. Having held the position of Vice-Chairman for just six weeks, his induction from ‘member’ to ‘leader’ was certainly swift, but he has hit the ground running. “The ‘handover’ period of just six weeks was not as long as I would have liked, but luckily, I have been involved in dhf’ s Automated Gate Group from its inception, so was aware of its workings,” he explains. Indeed, when the group started in 2011, Steve was an employee at Procter Brothers, and together with now- Executive Chairman, Jeremy Procter, was involved in initial discussions as to the viability of such a sub-group. They both attended the very first Automated Gate Group meetings and were instrumental in its set-up. Today, this is one of dhf’ s most pro-active groups, with Steve, now at the helm. Following his departure from Procter Brothers, Steve worked for other companies that were not so closely linked to gate automation, but three-and-a-half years ago, found himself taking on a role at Tremorfa, where he now holds the position of Physical Security Specialist and is helping the organisation develop its automated gate business. Historically, Tremorfa was an electrical company, but for many years now, has been involved in gate automation, access control and security installations for commercial premises; the most successful - and growing – part of its operations. And of course, central to their processes is gate safety. “At Tremorfa, we are committed to developing gate safety to the very highest level,” says Steve. With such a background and awareness of the need for improved gate safety across the industry, Steve was the logical choice to be the Automated Gate Group’s new chairman and they were shoes he was willing to fill. “Having been involved in the group right from the start, I was happy to step up!” he added. And Steve is keen to praise dhf ’s progress to date. “Both dhf and the Automated Gate Group have been instrumental in driving safe gate installation and bringing the topic of gate safety for specifiers and main contractors, from the margin to the mainstream,” he explains. “Their continuing pro- activity, for example, launching a new one-day Gate Certificate course, will ensure that installers are fully compliant.” In September 2013, dhf introduced an industry-wide training scheme as part of its drive to increase levels of safety in the automated gates sector. As an organisation, it is renowned for its on-going commitment to improving safety and raising standards in this way. And in a continuing commitment to training, dhf moved to much larger premises with extensive training facilities in September 2018, quickly followed by the launch of the one-day Gate Certificate course for installers, thus enabling a more integrated offering. “The UK is very much leading the way in gate safety and at the head of this, is dhf ,” says Steve. “We’ve come a very long way in a relatively short space of time. dhf is all about making gates safe and its on-going activity in developing training and technical documentation is a firm indicator of this continuing responsibility.” In 2014, the organisation started the now revered ‘Gate Safety Week’ campaign. But as Steve correctly states, surely every week should be a ‘gate safety week’ at dhf ? www.dhfonline.org.uk