Door Industry Journal - Spring 2014

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 6 THE door industry journal spring 2014 industry news DHF AIMS TO RAISE THE STANDARDS OF TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE INDUSTRY The imminent appointment of a full time DHF training manager signals the federation’s commitment to expand its training offering. He will be responsible for developing the training schemes already being run and will be introducing new courses to provide training for members across all industry sectors represented by the DHF. The DHF’s longest-standing qualification is the door systems National Vocational Qualification which takes delegates up to a level 2 NVQ. It is of value to engineers who install, service and repair a range of door types, including domestic garage doors, rolling shutters and pedestrian doors. Around 75 candidates have successfully completed the new DHF Powered Gate Safety Diploma training course that was introduced in 2013. Candidates are put through their paces during intensive two-day courses which will continue to be held regularly throughout 2014 at various locations around the country. Candidates complete a number of training modules, covering all aspects of gate safety from initial risk assessment through to force testing, in order to obtain their coveted DHF Gate Safety Diplomas. It will ensure that installers are fully conversant with all relevant safety regulations, can prepare a technical file, and can issue a Declaration of Conformity. It is the industry’s only scheme to offer this depth of training. It is open to installers and to all professionals responsible for assessment, inspection, repair and maintenance of powered gates and powered gate fittings. The DHF is looking to migrate certain elements of the powered gate training course to the industrial door and shutter sector during 2014. The aim of this training will be to further raise safety standards in the sector and levels of CE mark awareness. In addition, a DHF installer training scheme encompassing garage doors and garage door fittings is in the planning stage. Concerns over fire door defects in residential apartment blocks and public buildings have prompted a brand new training course developed jointly by DHF and BRE which covers the inspection, installation, maintenance and repair of fire doors. Those attending the Fire Door Education Programme courses will include building control officers, facilities managers, safety inspectors, insurers, fire risk assessors and other fire professionals involved in the installation, inspection and repair of fire doors. The programme comprises four modules: fire door inspection; the installation and maintenance of timber fire doors; steel hinged fire doors; and fire shutters. Dates and venues for the training courses will be announced during 2014. For more information about the DHF’s training plans, visit www.dhfonline.org.uk SALES SUCCESS AT ALUROLL LEADS TO EXPANSION Aluroll – the Shropshire-based company that is a leading supplier of garage doors and aluminium roller shutters to the physical security market – has moved its manufacturing operation to a larger site. Aluroll is privately-owned and part of a group of construction related businesses that have been manufacturing roller garage doors and security shutters since 1985. The company launched in 2002 and has enjoyed steady growth ever since. Operating through a network of approved distributors and installers, Aluroll now has an annual turnover in excess of £3 million and has outgrown its original factory site. The new building will enable the company to cope with the 80% increase in capacity that is forecast for the next three years, which is due to increasing numbers of installers and distributors turning to Aluroll for doors and shutters. The new base in Oswestry is near to Aluroll’s old site and gives the company the means to both satisfy demand and cope with future growth. The new factory is adjacent to the Steelroll factory – the sister company that manufactures steel roller shutters for the same market – giving Aluroll direct access to the integrated powder coating facility that services both companies. Operating from the same location also offers considerable advantages in terms of logistics and operational efficiency, as deliveries for both companies can now be centralised from one base. “Although the new factory is only two miles from the original site, the move to centralise the Aluroll and Steelroll operations offers many benefits to us,” explains Aluroll Director Mark Evans. “It will speed up the process of production and delivery which will obviously be good news for our customers and the extra space will allow us to deal with the increasing demand for our products. The fact that we have to move simply to cope with customer demand is obviously very pleasing and that is built on our policy of continually reviewing our product offering to match the needs of the market. That’s been so successful that we now have to catch up with ourselves through this move!” Find out more about Aluroll on their websit e www.aluroll.co.uk