Six of the UK’s leading garage door manufacturers hosted a successful joint event focussing on CE Marking and what it means for the industry.
The one day Garage Door Expo saw Hörmann, Garador, Novoferm, SWS UK, Teckentrup and Garage Door Systems come together for the first time to offer their expertise on the important EU directives.
Delegates were able to attend a series of valuable seminars, as well as visiting an exhibition of some of the manufacturers’ best-selling products.
CE marking is playing an increasingly important role in regulating the garage door industry. Many manufacturers have been CE marking their products for some time, but by law, installers also have their own responsibilities. David Newcombe, managing director of Hörmann (UK) Ltd., commented: “The aim of the expo was to provide attendees with a better understanding of the various directives and legislation, while also demonstrating how they apply to them.
“We invest a lot of time and money into developing and distributing products of the highest quality, all of which are CE marked, so naturally we want to see them fitted well by competent and responsible installers.”
David Newcombe was joined by Mark McEvoy from Garage Door Systems to lead a workshop on the various obligations that installers face with CE Marking. David added: “Many installers aren’t aware of their responsibilities, especially if they are fitting parts from multiple manufacturers or have modified the doors themselves somehow. We’re always keen to support our dealers, so the seminar aimed to help them mitigate the risks.”
Another session explained what installers should expect from manufacturers and their suppliers. Bob Perry, CEO of The Door and Hardware Federation (DHF) also gave a presentation on the benefits of being a member of the federation.
Customer services manager, Mark Lester, sales director Alan Jenkins and area sales managers Luke Freeman and Roy Shellam were also present on the day to share their expertise on the company’s stand. Visitors could see a range of Hörmann garage doors, including the T-Ribbed sectional door, double leaf hinged doors and a RollMatic. ThermoPro steel entrance doors were also available to view and discuss.
The event has received excellent feedback from those who attended, with many installers commenting on their better understanding of what to expect from the manufacturers, what their responsibilities are for installation and a broader awareness of the UK regulations that apply to them.
The Garage Door Expo was jointly organised by the six manufacturers and co-ordinated by Laura Hickman, administrative assistant at Hörmann.
