Smart door keeps pump manufacturer’s factory secure and efficient

Stuart Turner manufactures and supplies an extensive range of shower pumps, whole-house water pressure boosting pumps, pump solutions for low water pressure problems and waste water removal pumps from its base in Henley-on-Thames. Working with the policy that its products are ‘engineered to excel’, it has a reputation for quality and reliability that covers both its manufactured goods and it customer service.

Its new door is an unusual design, in that the aluminium shutter can be opened and closed at speeds up to 1.8m/sec. This replaces the usual arrangement found in many facilities: a manual shutter door for security which is raised at the start of the day with a second, high speed, PVC curtained door behind it to control access. The chosen arrangement increases security without impeding daily operations, while also helping to retain heat and therefore reducing energy bills.

Keith Bates, Goods Inwards Inspector at Stuart Turner explained that the original door, which was supplied and installed by sara LBS, had lasted a long time. “It had served us well, but we were beginning to worry about the future availability of spares. So we thought a new door was the best long term solution and it was an easy decision to work with sara LBS again. It only took two days to install, which was done over a Thursday and Friday with no disruption to normal operations.”

Both the new door and its 20 year old predecessor were supplied by sara LBS. Alan Ryder, Area Sales Manager for the industrial door specialist, said: “The high speed shutter arrangement is a very smart looking solution, which fits neatly with Stuart Turner’s image for quality engineering.

“It is from our Spiral range of doors designs and serves multiple functions such as keeping warmth in and cold out, while preventing birds and other animals from entering the building. Its metal construction means its security credentials are excellent, both in terms of actually being a robust barrier to potential thieves etc and also psychologically projecting an image of well protected premises.”

The new door is 3.2m wide and 3m high, ample for allowing loaded forklift trucks to pass easily through. Because of the busy nature of the warehouse it’s important that forklift operators are unimpeded by a slow moving door; hence the need for high speed opening and closing.

However there is not a continuous stream of lorries arriving and departing at Stuart Turner, so once a lorry has been loaded or unloaded the door may be closed for some significant time before the next lorry arrives - meaning the door must provide security and thermal insulation. It is here that the use of a single, insulated door is superior to the common two door design.

sara LBS (Loading Bay Specialists) is highly respected throughout the UK for its commitment to supplying, installing and maintaining the best loading bay doors and other equipment. It works with clients in a wide range of industries, from manufacturing, warehouse storage and distribution networks, to cleanrooms and food processing applications. As well as loading bays, it fits doors internally for companies that want to keep certain operations physically separated.

Its high speed range of fast-action doors offer quick opening speeds and includes features such as emergency cut-outs and photo-elctric detectors that improve safety for many potential applications. Further, sara LBS is a total package provider and can design and install complete loading bay solutions, including equipment such as dock levellers, shelters and scissor lifts as well as ancillary equipment such as lighting and vehicle buffers.

As well as designing and installing optimum loading and security solutions, sara LBS places a great deal of emphasis on after sales support. As such it provides regular servicing, maintenance, repairs and, when appropriate, advice on developing and enhancing existing facilities.

Ryder continued: “Regular maintenance and servicing can extend the life of even the hardest working door, while we also provide 24/7 emergency call out cover as security and/or biosecurity can be critically important to many of our clients.”

Throughout is 30+ year history sara LBS has invested in the latest technologies, enabling it to improve the operational speeds of its doors, which in turn improves its clients’ operational efficiency and, most importantly, always advancing safety standards.

“Stuart Turner’s new door certainly looks smart and projects an air of quality in keeping with the company image,” said Ryder. “It also provides a high level of security, while the high speed operation ensures efficiency in terms of both the physical movement of goods and energy savings by minimising heat loss.”