On a busy site, factory doors play a huge role in how safe, secure, and efficient your operation is. Whether you’re expanding your site, replacing old doors or looking to improve insulation, here’s our no-nonsense guide to choosing the right doors for your factory.
Different types of factory door
Let’s start with the basics: the different types of doors you’ll typically find within a factory setting. Each has its own benefits and the best doors for your business depend on your building, traffic levels and what you’re storing or manufacturing on site.
Factory roller doors
Factory roller doors are a site staple. They’re made of horizontal slats (usually steel or aluminium) that roll up into a compact box above the door opening. Great for saving space, these doors are ideal for extra wide or tall doorways — like loading bays or vehicle access points.
Benefits
- Space-saving design
- Suitable for large doorways
- Durable and low-maintenance
- Manual or automatic options available
Steel factory doors
Steel doors are the go-to option for personnel access in factories, particularly in areas that require extra security. Available as single or double doors, they’re strong, long-lasting and resistant to forced entry.
Benefits
- Excellent security
- Fire-rated options available
- Tough enough for heavy-duty use
Insulated roller doors
Insulated roller doors work just like standard roller doors. The main difference? They come with built-in insulation, which is sandwiched between two sheets of metal. This is the type of factory door to consider if you want to reduce business energy costs, make the temperature of your factory more comfortable for staff or better manage a temperature-controlled space.
Benefits
- Energy-efficient
- Reduces heat loss and external noise
- Helps maintain a consistent indoor temperature
- Helps meet building efficiency targets
Sectional factory doors
Sectional doors open vertically, with panels that slide upwards along tracks. These doors come to rest above the doorway or along your ceiling, depending on the height of your space. Unlike roller doors, you can incorporate glazed panels in sectional factory doors, improving visibility and natural light.
Benefits
- Robust construction
- Customisable with windows or panels
- Good for high-traffic areas
- Quiet and smooth operation
Folding factory shutter doors
Folding factory doors (also known as bi-fold or concertina doors) are constructed from multiple metal panels that fold to one or both sides of a doorway as the door opens. They’re ideal for wide openings where headroom is limited. And they are super strong, able to withstand some forms of ram raiding that would destroy roller shutters or sectional doors.
Benefits
- Excellent security
- Available to fit all sizes of doorway
- Can be partially opened
- Strong and impact-resistant
High-speed factory doors
As you’ve probably guessed, high-speed doors open and close quickly. They’re a great option for fast-paced factory environments or places where you need to maintain temperature-controlled spaces or clean zones. These doors are electric, not manual, so you can count on speedy, automatic opening that doesn’t rely on the physical strength of your personnel.
Benefits
- Improves operational efficiency
- Minimises heat loss or contamination
- Reduces downtime waiting for doors to open
- Easy for everyone to open and close
What to look for in a factory door
Whichever type of factory door you choose for your site, it’s important to bear the following in mind. A good door should tick all these essential boxes.
Durability
In our experience, factory doors tend to take a bit of a beating. From forklifts to pallet trucks, temperature changes to near-constant use, they need to withstand pretty tough conditions.
As a result, you need doors that are built to last and made from high-quality materials. Look for weather resistance, corrosion protection and a solid warranty.
Security
External factory doors are your first and most visible line of defence against intruders. Whether you’re protecting valuable stock or machinery, choosing secure doors is essential for preventing break-ins, reducing the risk of vandalism and keeping your business running smoothly.
So, for peace of mind, look for heavy-duty factory doors, with high-quality locking systems and tamper-resistant features.
Easy operation
Factory doors that are awkward, slow or unreliable slow your team down. When you’re moving stock, loading lorries or just heading in and out of the building, you want factory doors that open smoothly every time.
Options like automated opening, remote controls, sensor access or key fobs can streamline access. They reduce bottlenecks and allow every member of staff to open and close your doors with ease.
Insulation
Still putting up with a draughty factory floor? Or a space that overheats in summer? Improving the insulation of your factory will help. And you can start by choosing insulated factory doors.
Insulated doors help to maintain internal temperatures and reduce noise pollution from machinery. They also have a positive impact on your energy bills.
Maintenance options
When choosing factory doors, it’s easy to focus on specs and features — but door maintenance should also be on your radar. Poorly maintained doors lead to downtime, safety risks and expensive repairs.
So look for a supplier who offers planned door servicing and emergency repair support. Also, consider whether spare parts are readily available and who within your team will take responsibility for basic door upkeep.
Get quality factory doors from Secure Door Systems
At Secure Door Systems, we design, supply, install and maintain factory doors for all kinds of industrial environments. We work across factories, warehouses, manufacturing plants and more.
Whether you need steel security doors, insulated sectional doors or high-speed doors that can keep up with your team, we’ve got you covered. Every factory door we install is built to last. It’s fitted by our expert team and backed up with optional maintenance plans to keep things running smoothly.
Not sure which factory door is right for your site? We’ll talk you through the options and recommend the best fit for your space, budget and requirements.
Contact the SDS team today for industrial door advice or a no obligation quote.
