fire doors

British composite doorset and fire doorset specialists Unity Group has capped a £600,000 investment in production equipment and technology with the commissioning of a new machine that has doubled output.

Made in Britain members Unity Group, which comprises Unity Doors and JCK Joinery (a bespoke timber door specialist for more than 150 years), chose a fellow British manufacturer, Stuga Machinery, for its latest investment – Stuga’s best-selling ZX5 sawing and machining centre.

The ZX5 separates the machining and sawing functions, and by running both concurrently, Unity meets its daily requirements in one shift, with time to spare, when previously it was two shifts.

When it comes to fire doors, forget the aesthetics – it’s all about the compliance and technicalities of the product. Since launching its fully compliant Fireshel 30-minure fire, smoke and security resistant door in 2020, Birmingham window and door manufacturer Shelforce has been inundated. Here, the company’s Business Manager Howard Trotter talks to Housing Association Magazine about why the testing behind the product is vital for Local Authorities, why they need to understand what they are specifying – and why the Fireshel is proving so popular.

Solar Windows Ltd, exhibiting at CIH Wales (26-27 April, stand number 40), is joining forces with door seal specialist Norseal, to bring a new fire door inspection service for Fire Doors by Solar.  Using Norseal’s Inspect application, Solar Windows will offer a complete fire door supervision programme, helping to maintain compliant installation, management and maintenance of fire doors and maintain the all-important golden thread.

British designed and manufactured, Powermatic controlled, concealed door closers are gaining increasing popularity for use on fire doors in high-rise flats, apartments and HMOs.
The door closers carry the UKCA mark and have been independently tested and proved to meet the requirements for one-hour and half-hour fire doors under BS EN 1634-1.
Totally concealed when the door is closed, Powermatic door closers are less susceptible to damage from vandalism or tampering. This gives them a significant advantage over surface mounted door closers when it comes to reliability of the fire door and maintenance costs, making them the right choice for both tenants and social landlords.
Unlike other jamb-mounted devices, Powermatic door closers facilitate a door’s compliance with the accessibility requirements of Approved Document M, are the only Certifire jamb-mounted door closer and do not have to be removed from the door to be adjusted.

A recent survey into fire safety in social housing carried out by Housing Management and Maintenance magazine reported that 95% of respondents named fire doors as the most important fire safety product and more than half cited broken fire doors as the main reason for properties failing fire safety assessments.
With the Hackitt Review calling for greater care in the specification of fire safety products, door closer manufacturer, Samuel Heath asserts that the type of door closer fitted to fire doors in social housing stock should be given as much consideration as the fire door itself.

Residents deserve unquestionable comfort and safety in the post pandemic era, as do the professionals responsible for providing it.

Many things have changed over the past eighteen or more months since our world was turned upside down. However, perhaps it’s also true to say that some things such as expectations and fundamental living principles have just been re-evaluated and prioritised into what’s important for personal well-being. For tenants and residents living in affordable homes; whether rented or part owned, that can often be distilled into a not unreasonable must have list, which includes: fire safety and security, comfortable and durable surroundings, which demonstrate contemporary design and all of which has real environmental credentials.