Brian Sofley

ASSA ABLOY Door Group, a unit of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, offers a cradle-to-grave approach for its steel and timber doorsets while the UK prepares for a year of recovery. With the UK expecting a slow movement towards normality from spring onwards, experts suggest that now is the time for architects, specifiers, contractors, landlords, facilities managers, and housebuilders to ensure home, leisure, and working environments are up to date, safe and secure during the gradual return out of lockdown. Fire door inspectors ASSA ABLOY Door Group, on top of offering a complete doorset solution by manufacturing doors, hardware, and ironmongery, boasts the capability of managing the entire doorset process. From specification and scheduling to the design, manufacture, and installation of its high-performance steel and timber doorsets, security and safety experts at Door Group ensure each door and asset is fit for purpose at every stage of its lifecycle. In addition, the Group can then provide on-going service, maintenance, and fire door inspections of these doorsets with its team of BRE-certified fire door inspectors. A comprehensive inspection report will then be generated, offering advice and recommendations on any necessary improvements that need to be made, which can then be progressed by Door Group. Fully finished doors A door and its ironmongery must all be compliant to ensure the capability and durability of the complete doorset A door and its ironmongery must all be compliant to ensure the capability and durability of the complete doorset, and to ensure the safety of those behind it. But while many understand the importance of quality and compliant doorsets, that shouldn’t mean a compromise on aesthetics. The Group’s SMARTec range, for example, combines certified high performance with fully finished doors and frames, complete with stylish yet functional ironmongery, seals, and vision panels for a range of projects. Ongoing maintenance process Brian Sofley, Managing Director at ASSA ABLOY Door Group, comments: “At Door Group, we understand that during this time, anything that can be done to streamline processes and efficiencies – saving both time and money – should be encouraged.” “Dealing with just one organization not only streamlines the specification and ongoing maintenance process, but customers can also be assured they will experience consistently high levels of quality and reliability from their doorsets, safe in the knowledge that we have the product expertise to optimize and maintain performance. Door Group is one of very few manufacturers to offer a complete solution of timber and steel doors, hardware, and ironmongery through this cradle-to-grave approach.”

ASSA ABLOY Door Group, a unit of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, leads the way with its range of high-performance timber doors for the public, commercial & high-end residential market. Fire door quality Fire Door Safety Week reported 60% of local authorities experienced delays in their fire door programs, leaving safety to chance and impacting over 16,500 fire doors recently. With local authorities still playing catch-up from these delays, it is vitally important for building managers to ensure their fire doors are safe, compliant, and up to standard. High-quality doorset solution ASSA ABLOY Door Group offers complete doorset solutions from one trusted single point of contact managing the whole process from specification to maintenance. The SMARTec range of high-performance timber doors has been developed to offer a complete doorset solution of high quality, high performing doors and frames, complete with all ironmongery solutions. With Q-mark and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certifications across all commercial timber fire doors, architects, specifiers, and contractors can rest assured that doorsets from ASSA ABLOY Door Group are both fire resistant and responsibly sourced as well as containing outstanding security and sound reduction properties. Security values are a top priority Brian Sofley, Managing Director at ASSA ABLOY Door Group, comments “Here at Door Group, we pride ourselves on delivering responsible and compliant doorsets to ensure maximum safety and performance in any suitable setting.” “We want to assure building managers that their security values are our top priority. With the capability to deliver an entire doorset solution from start to finish – we offer a full service from initial specification and manufacture, to onsite installation, after sales inspections and maintenance of our doors.” “The high performance SMARTec range aims to help set the industry standard for timber doors, encouraging stakeholders to prioritize safety and sustainability.”

Door Group, a unit of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, is calling for higher standards of fire door inspections, after concerns surrounding fire safety in education buildings. Shockingly, there are over 1,000 school fires a year in the UK, costing an average of £2.8m in larger incidents, with one education insurer reporting that the large majority of UK schools are found to have ‘poor’ fire protection systems. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires schools to undertake risk assessments to identify the general fire precautions needed to safeguard the safety of occupants in case of fire, including their safe means of escape. But with fire protection systems failing time and time again, it is clear that more needs to be done. Fully comprehensive inspection Fire doors are one of the most important safety features in a building, and regular inspections are essential to fully ensure health and safety measures are met. Education buildings can present highly specific requirements for fire doorsets, with particularly varied legislation and building regulations surrounding fire doors in schools. Door Group provide a fully comprehensive inspection which can be carried out every three, four, six or 12 months As part of its commitment to fire door safety, Door Group provides a fully comprehensive inspection which can be carried out every three, four, six or 12 months to suit specific requirements. Following inspections, Door Group then offers detailed reports containing advice and recommendations on necessary improvements, with the knowledge that identifying any potential issues that could impact safety and product performance can be lifesaving. Improving overall fire safety If any issues do occur, a tailored repair proposal is issued to include anything from replacement doors to a regular maintenance program. Door Group inspectors are BRE-certified and will ensure that all fire doors inspected meet all necessary standards and regulations. Brian Sofley, Managing Director for Door Group, explains: “The figures we’re seeing regarding fires in the education sector are terrifying. An education building should be a safe and secure place for students and staff, to work and learn. Door Group is committed to making schools, colleges and universities across the UK fire protected. With regular and thorough inspections, we can ensure the compliance and performance of fire doorsets in an effort to improve overall fire safety in the educational environment.”

Door Group, a unit of ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, launches two new high performance steel doorsets within its Powershield Security Doorset range. The new SR3 and SR4 steel door ranges, also known as Torr and Titan, have been developed from scratch to offer a product compatible with increased frame and ironmongery options, allowing greater freedom of design for architects and specifiers. Complete doorset solution The doors are suitable for an extensive range of sectors, including banks, power stations, hospitals, safe rooms, MOD buildings, personal security, arenas and stadiums. After listening to customers’ requirements, the Torr and Titan ranges have been redeveloped to replace the Glen and Strangford security doors and are certified under LPS1175 Issue 7 to withstand against sustained, professional burglar and vandal attacks. The Torr and Titan ranges are overall easier to install, handle and lighter to use The launch ensures specifiers, architects and contractors can source a complete doorset solution from one trusted single point of contact. Compatible with a wide range of Kaye Certified locking systems, in single and double configurations, the two new door ranges can also come with or without LPS rated and certified vision panels, in a range of frame styles. With a leaf and frame weight reduction of up to 40% from previous ranges, the Torr and Titan ranges are overall easier to install, handle and lighter to use – making them an ideal choice for a wide range of projects. Highest quality products and services The ranges prioritize both the performance and the aesthetic of the doorsets, completely removing industrial looking features from the outside of the door leaf, and reducing the leaf skin thickness to tighten the folds and create a softer aesthetic. The new high security doorsets now look almost identical to standard commercial doorsets, perfect for those looking for discreet or inconspicuous solutions. Brian Sofley, Managing Director at ASSA ABLOY Door Group, explains: “We are always looking for ways to develop ourselves and our trade, ensuring that we deliver the highest quality products and services on the market. I believe both the Torr and Titan ranges really embody this value. We are confident that the two new ranges will exceed the needs of our customers and specifiers, providing a durable solution which achieves the performance demands required.”

Fire doors are often the first line of defense in a fire, yet the strict specification, maintenance and management of these doorsets is still not fully understood. This is something that ASSA ABLOY is passionate about changing. So, to coincide with Fire Door Safety Week 2019 (23-29 September), ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland will be hosting two dedicated events to help people responsible for fire doors, unlock compliance to fire door safety. The two events will take place at the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service Conference Suite on the 19th September and at the UBM Building in Central London on the 24th September. Educating delegates about fire door standards The events will promote fire door safety and compliance to facilities managers, building owners, specifiersThe aim of the events is to educate and inform delegates about the fire door standards that can often be lost in translation. ASSA ABLOY will bring together all of its brands and wide ranging experience to speak about the common issues surrounding fire door compliance. It will then offer practical advice on how to overcome these issues, by breaking down current and future regulations and ramifications. The events will promote fire door safety and compliance to facilities managers, building owners, specifiers and contractors. Attendees can expect to gain a greater understanding from ASSA ABLOY staff and guest speakers on the following key topics: Safeguarding compliance through the supply chain The important role door hardware plays in ensuring building compliance The role and performance of fire door seals The importance of compartmentalization in fire safety The event will end with a discussion panel. Thorough testing of fire doors Fire safety can only be properly guaranteed if the standards and checks of fire doors are carried out by-the-bookBrian Sofley, Managing Director at ASSA ABLOY Door Group, comments: “In May 2018, results of the Independent Review of Building Regulation and Fire Safety, led by Dame Judith Hackitt, made it clear that even after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, fire doors remained a significant area of neglect, often downgraded and mismanaged throughout their service life." “Fire safety can only be properly guaranteed if the standards and checks of equipment such as fire doors are carried out by-the-book, and throughout the lifecycle of both the products and the building.” Fire compliant door hardware products Eryl Jones, Managing Director at ASSA ABLOY Door Hardware & Access Control Group, adds: “Growth and acquisitions give ASSA ABLOY Door Hardware & Access Control Group the broadest range of fire compliant door hardware products in the market, backed up by an experienced team of industry professionals." “ASSA ABLOY’s fire safety events have been a great success over the last couple of years, and we are keen to carry on helping industry professionals to understand compliance when it comes to fire door safety standards. We urge industry professionals, specifiers, contractors, property owners and facilities managers to join us at this year’s free events, to help better the standard of fire door compliance as an industry.”