Address Common Facility Pain Points With High-Speed Doors
For industrial facilities, the Canadian Fall and Winter months present unique challenges. Some of the most common seasonal pain points many facility managers have to face every year include ensuring facility equipment is able to function properly, logistical challenges that affect efficiency, expensive energy bills and the comfort and safety of employees. And while navigating these challenges depends on solid managerial practices, an investment in better equipment and the right service provider can be a tremendous asset as well. If you’re ready to make such an investment, high-speed doors are great options as they are engineered to maintain high performance under harsh weather conditions, save time and energy, provide a safe workspace, and require less maintenance.
Read on to learn more about how Lenworth’s lineup of High-Speed Doors can create an optimal work environment and how our Preferred Service Program can ensure the safe and smooth operation of your facility.
1. Low-Speed Doors Can Lead to Energy Waste and Higher Heating Bills In Colder Months
The Issue:
At many facilities, loading dock doors with slow opening and closing speeds are major contributors to increased energy waste and high heating bills during periods of colder weather. The longer these doors stay open per cycle, the more airflow can occur between the outdoors and the inside of a facility; cold air can rush in and warm, contained air can escape. This unwanted air transfer results in significant energy waste, especially in high-traffic facilities where doors are constantly cycling between opened and closed.
The Solution:
High-Speed Overhead Doors are designed to reduce a door’s cycle time from 56 seconds to 5.6 seconds. When considering the amount of open/close cycles facility doors complete on a given day, this difference can lead to significant advantages. When it comes to low-speed doors, most energy is lost when the door is closing. High-speed doors can close up to 2-3 times faster than low-speed alternatives.
Lenworth carries High-Speed Overhead Doors that can lead to more efficient energy usage in both interior and exterior applications. While both types of doors hold similar benefits such as air-tight seals, high-speed cycle times and supreme durability, there are differences in their designs that cater to their respective environments. A great example of this is the Dynaco Freezer High-Speed Door, engineered specifically for freezer applications, this model provides the industry’s fastest return on investment and lowest life cycle cost. With faster cycle speed, insulated curtain and tighter seal around the perimeter, this door minimizes energy loss without compromising safety or productivity. This will also maintain a comfortable temperature within the facility for seamless and productive operation.
2. Slow Loading Dock Doors Can Stagnate Productivity
The Issue:
Safety aside, slow and ineffective loading dock doors can take a toll on employee productivity. Those working near the loading dock area are most vulnerable to the extreme cold when the temperature drops below zero. As the loading dock doors are opened and closed several times per day, cold winds, snow and ice can easily enter while warm air can also escape the facility. Plus, standard loading dock doors generally operate at slow speeds which can stall productivity immensely, especially in already-adverse working environments.
The Solution:
High-performance High-Speed Doors are up to 10 times faster, moving at speeds of up to 100 inches per second compared to standard electrically-operated doors. This difference becomes significant when accounting for the number of times these doors open and close on a given day. And when you then think about the number of open/close cycles these doors perform over the course of multiple months and years, the benefits from a productivity standpoint grow exponentially.
The speed of these overhead doors is vital in high traffic facilities as they provide seamless entry through door openings, allowing workflow to progress without interruption. In colder months, high-speed doors work so efficiently that workers don’t have to wait around for the cycle completion in the cold or feel like their work is being held up unnecessarily.
3. Poorly-sealed Overhead Doors Create Dangerous Working Conditions In The Fall and Winter
The Issue:
As we head into fall and winter, low temperatures can negatively affect employee safety, especially those working around loading dock areas. Poorly-sealed and poorly-insulated overhead doors allow cold air, snow, and ice to infiltrate facilities and result in hazardous conditions — especially when these doors are also opening and closing many times per day. In a dynamic environment where workers are required to pay attention to several things at once, a wet, slippery floor can easily lead to slips, falls and other unforeseen injuries.
The Solution:
Investing in maintaining a hazard-free and accommodating workplace in the colder months should be a top priority for any facility manager. An outstanding option for the extreme weather is the Dynaco All Weather M2 High-Performance Door. Specifically designed for exterior applications, the All Weather M2 is engineered to endure high cycles and strong wind loads. This model incorporates the patented Push-Pull technology, pivoting side guides, soft edges, self-reinsertion and industrial quality controls. And the best part? These technologies work cohesively to provide maximum performance and ultimate safety, reduce maintenance costs and improve energy efficiency for high-pressure facilities.
4. Outdated Standard Overhead Doors Require More Maintenance and Servicing
The Issue:
Many equipment failures occur during the winter, especially when temperatures fall below freezing. Outdated standard overhead doors are among those that require more repair and maintenance comes this time of year. Whether it’s a check-up, replacement or repair of these standard doors, this mishap can result in time loss, expensive service fees and operational delay.
For high-volume facilities, this prolonged unproductive downtime can be detrimental to both employees and stakeholders.
The Solution:
Conversely, High-Speed Doors are strong, durable and require few repairs. When a facility takes proper care of its equipment and invests in proper preventative maintenance, a high-speed door can perform seamlessly for many years after its initial installation. Even when minor accidents do occur, such as when the door is struck by a forklift, the high-speed door can sustain damage due to its specially engineered and designed breakaway feature. When this happens, you can simply reset them (without calling for repair) and restore the door to proper operation within seconds.
While the upfront cost of a high-speed door is higher than that of its traditional counterpart, high-speed overhead doors are well worth the investment due to their reliable characteristics and smart engineering.
In addition to providing our clients with quality products, Lenworth understands the importance of preventative maintenance and regular equipment check-ups. Our Preferred Service Program (PSP) is a membership program that helps facility managers ensure their facilities are operating at maximum efficiency, regardless of the time of year. The program’s main task is to mitigate facility risk, prevent accidents and boost productivity. Here are some of the essential services our members can take advantage of when they join the program:
- Exclusive discounts on parts
- Routine facility inspections
- A maximum 4-hour response time
- Fixed labour costs for one year
With PSP, we’re committed to reducing service costs, increasing the reliability of equipment, improving response time, better productivity and compliance with proper safety and quality regulations all year round.
Address common facility pain points with properly-serviced high-speed overhead doors from Lenworth.
Every facility faces a unique set of challenges when the cold weather approaches. High-speed doors are an excellent option to improve operational efficiency and reduce energy waste at any time of the year. At Lenworth, we believe in providing our customers and clients with the best services possible no matter the situation. This means ensuring reduced service costs, increased reliability of equipment, improved response time, better productivity and more effective compliance with current health & safety regulations. If you have more questions about our extensive selection of High-Speed Overhead Doors, our PSP or our products and services in general, contact one of our representatives today!
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