Which are the best automatic doors for shops?

Automatic doors for shop entrances and commercial spaces come in a wide variety of styles and designs according to requirements. Whether, for example, to allow people to move around more easily, to provide rapid access at entry and exit points or to equip garages with automatic doors that can be activated by remote control.

As can be seen in recent decades, automatic doors are a smart choice for any type of business. It shows the company cares about people and, in turn, customers recognise this as giving added value to the brand. Automatic doors make life easier for users, particularly parents with young children, the elderly, disabled people or simply those with their hands full of shopping for whom opening a door handle is inconvenient.

Automatic doors for retailers

So which are the best automatic doors for shops? There are different models and types depending on the location. An automatic door for a local neighbourhood shop is not the same as one for a large shopping centre.

  • Standard sliding door: bi-parting and side-opening models are available. These are the most popular and functional as they allow people to flow in and out.
  • Telescopic sliding doors: these are installed in shops or companies with limited space or in businesses that require a very wide entrance such as car dealerships.
  • Curved sliding doors: this range of products is usually found in large entrances to shopping centres. The circular automatic door is also a classic model.

In addition to these three types of access there are also: swing doors, fire-resistant doors, and emergency exit doors, featuring leaves that swing open outwards by simply pushing against them.

Shops and businesses always strive for the highest level of customer service. This policy should not only revolve around good value for money or an efficient product return service. The commercial space should also form part of the brand value and doors are a positive element of this space.

The security of automatic doors in apartment blocks

Many families and individuals take out insurance policies to cover the event of their homes being burgled. This a great option when combined with the installation of armoured doors in the home’s entrance. Yet it would be even better if secure measures were also installed in the building’s communal areas.

Entrance doors giving access to apartment blocks must be just as secure as the actual homes; a point that must not be overlooked to avoid unpleasant surprises.

There are several products suitable for installation in apartment blocks which give the building a modern, efficient and secure image. Automatic doors and access control systems can be configured to open via remote control.

The most suitable automatic doors for communal residential areas are standard sliding doors. They could be either bi-parting or side-opening models. Their installation in residential buildings results in improved transit for residents, as they do not have to take their keys out to open the door or access the building in the case of reduced mobility due to the use of crutches or a wheelchair.

On the other hand, if the building has a spacious lobby, the community could choose to install an automatic revolving door. This product, besides giving the apartment block a touch of prestige, is perfect when it comes to controlling the building’s climate. In addition to these two models there is the telescopic automatic sliding door.

Apart from automatic doors, homeowner communities can also install access control systems at specific points around the residential development such as the sports area or swimming pool, thus reducing the chances of children suffering accidents.

Apartment blocks and garages

Least we should forget about security in garages and parking zones. The installation of this type of door and a video door entry system or a doorman increases security exponentially and residents will have no need to worry about their family’s safety.

The small van with which Manusa started its expansion

It was roughly 1968 and Manusa started to get around Barcelona and surrounding areas with our first van, the famous Citroen 2CV. Thanks to that van we could install doors at any location that required our services.

The mechanisms and operators weighed around 150 kg, so when they were loaded on top of the van – using a type of roof rack – it became unbalanced. In addition to this load, we had to find room for the technician’s toolbox, a drill and a small ladder. Our first van did not consume very much petrol, but it did leak a lot of oil.

At the time, we only had one van to transport two technicians. We worked with a lot of enthusiasm and installed one door per week. We did not have the resources of today and it took from 2 to 4 days to fit each product.

Josep M. Guilera, Manusa’s founder, remembers using the Citroen 2CV in the 1970s to travel to Madrid for the first time in order to complete an installation. The technician driving the van took 24 hours to reach the centre of Spain because its top speed was just 80 km/hour, the motor would overheat and they had to stop to let it cool down. They would pick up speed going downhill and the technician would try not to brake, so they could take advantage of the momentum.

Interestingly, for several years we used copies of the rectangular glass in the van’s rear doors as the viewing windows in Manusa’s operating room doors. The windows were used vertically in the Citroen 2CV, but we placed them horizontally in the Manusa doors.

puertas-automaticas-manusa-furgoneta-2-caballos-2cv-citroen-historia

The 2CV, which we affectionately still maintain today, sowed the beginning of our company’s expansion over 50 years ago. Nowadays our products can be found in over 80 countries across five continents. It is our history and we are proud of it.

BAU 2019 – a great scenario, ideal for a great team

Throughout the 5 days of BAU Munich, the world’s leading trade fair in architecture, materials and systems, Manusa enjoyed sharing a space alongside 2,250 exhibitors from over 45 countries. We were all given the opportunity to demonstrate our products and services in an area of some 200,000 square metres. The exhibiting companies were distributed in 19 pavilions according to different themes. Visitors could also enjoy various conferences on the sector’s current innovations and trends. The fair welcomed a large number of participants, there were estimated to be over 250,000 visitors in total.

For our part, Manusa presented an innovative space where the user rather than the product was the protagonist. This is because we believe the user should be at the centre of our value proposition. Accordingly, our stand at the industry’s most important European trade fair also had to focus on the user. Visitors enjoyed the chance to pass on their views about our products, services and projects in a friendly, welcoming and modern environment. The cafeteria provided the perfect area for chatting openly, sharing experiences and asking questions. On another note, visitors could use an interactive screen to browse through our wide range of products and services. We were also able to showcase our most emblematic projects that we have developed throughout the world. From Asia to Latin America and passing through Europe, in recent years Manusa has developed several intelligent access solutions for companies in various sectors.

#TheManusaJourney, a sensory experience

However, our main protagonist in this edition of BAU was #TheManusaJourney; a sensory experience in which the user explored different zones while enjoying and interacting with our intelligent access solutions. During #TheManusaJourney, visitors discovered the solutions we offer for each of the most typical sectors. One area was dedicated to the fashion/retail sector, featuring doors with screens presenting images and videos, ambient sound and lights. Another area was devoted to fire doors, with images and sounds reproducing a fire scenario. We even had an ice area that focused on low-temperature climates requiring special insulation. At BAU we presented a new feature included in our profiles: thermal breaks, which are designed to prevent contact between the internal and external faces of the profile by inserting a thermal insulator and therefore reducing the loss of heat and cold. This translates into a significant increase in energy savings.

Another feature of #TheManusaJourney was a trip through a healthcare setting with an access solution tailored to clinics and hospitals. Finally, visitors could pass through an industrial doorway designed especially to cover the needs of this sector.

Manusa’s new identity

We also used BAU as an opportunity to launch our new brand identity. We were particularly pleased to share this branding evolution with our clients, distributors and partners, realigning Manusa with new trends in the sector and society’s needs. Amongst other things, we have updated our corporate colours, logos and slogan, which has now become “Intelligent Access”, the projection of our brand as a pioneer in technological innovation. All this rebranding is expressed in an underlying concept that defines us a company: “Open to the future, close to you”.

Thank you, team

The entire Manusa team thoroughly enjoyed presenting all our latest innovations at BAU Munich to architects, construction companies, suppliers and various other interested parties. We were delighted by the welcome we received and the active participation of our visitors. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our team members who, through great effort and with enthusiasm, have situated Manusa in a great position within the sector. We are sure that the beginning of this new year will be a great opportunity to develop exciting projects that make people’s lives easier and reinforce our social commitment.

New recommendations to improve your office’s energy efficiency

More and more companies are deciding to get serious about energy savings in their offices. The development of an energy efficiency strategy has become an essential plan for many companies all over the world.

In this post we present some recommendations you can apply to reduce electricity consumption in your workplace. However, it is not the typical list of steps or measures, but rather a special guide that forms part of a series of products that will optimise your energy expenditure.

What is a thermal break?

At the cutting edge of office energy saving are doors that are primarily designed to act as a thermal break. What does this mean? Basically, A35 RPT door leaf profiles prevent the transmission of heat and cold.

This is achieved by ensuring there is no contact between the internal and external faces of the profile by inserting a thermal insulator and therefore reducing the loss of heat and cold.

Manusa‘s thermal break system consists of a polyamide partition that cuts any contact between the internal and external surfaces of door leaf. It has a compact design, just 35 mm wide, and is so versatile it can be used with glass panes measuring up to 28 mm thick, further improving the system’s heat transfer coefficient.

Products that provide maximum energy efficiency

Manusa RPT is installed as a complete solution, above and beyond just the door leaves, so it can be described as the best design for insulation and energy savings.

The installation of automatic doors with a thermal break helps office buildings achieve energy optimisation from the main entrance to the each of the departments and offices.

When a company’s offices obtain a good rating on their energy efficiency certificate they are considered to be sustainable spaces and a good place to work, positively increasing the efforts encompassed by their corporate social responsibility.

Energy efficiency and savings in offices

Manusa. Opening doors to the future to get closer to you

It’s the start of a new year and we are starting with a new mark. This rebranding provides an up-to-date reflection of our purpose and reinforces our commitment to our clients, distributors and partners.

Since our foundation, we have always worked at the cutting-edge of advances and changes in society. At Manusa we have a solid reputation that has allowed us to create not only a unique, distinctive identity, but also to convey the values that influence our corporate culture.

Through such actions, our corporate culture has helped us transmit a company philosophy that sets out the course we must follow to achieve our goals and obtain success.

We are currently leaders in the creation, design and development of all kinds of intelligent accesses and automatic doors. Thanks to a determined commitment to innovation and technology we put our expertise to work in installations found in every corner of the globe. We accommodate the latest market trends and open doors to the future, thereby getting even closer to society.

Innovation is one of our day-to-day standards. We value and encourage the ability to imagine revolutionary spaces and accesses. We use state-of-the-art technology that optimises all of our processes and the generation of intelligent solutions. Therefore, we can open new doors and go beyond boundaries, while bearing in mind that collaboration and creativity will always be the keys to innovation.

 

We enjoy taking on new challenges and avoid standing still in the comfort zone. This rebranding exercise is evidence of this attitude. We work on all sorts of projects alongside architects, construction companies and end customers. We know that striving for new goals is the only way of promoting creativity and acquiring the ability to offer an exclusive solution to each project.

At Manusa we are open to the whole world thanks our presence in more than 80 countries. We have exclusive distributors that have completed our training courses to guarantee outstanding customer support and service.

People are our main asset and the backbone of our strategy. This is how we maintain our international prowess and prestige. Our employees are our primary asset. We work day in, day out to attract the best professional talent to our company.

At Manusa we embrace the future to remain close to you.

Open to the future, close to you.

Manusa will present their proactive automatic doors at the BAU 2019 Trade Fair

The world evolves at the same rate as technology. Yesterday’s novel invention will probably be outdated by tomorrow. This situation also affects the automatic door industry.

Everyday, Manusa strives to ensure they remain at the forefront of the technological world. Thanks to this effort, we continue leading the market with products such as our “smart” doors. Featuring ELK-CI01 electronics, which can be considered the brain of these new products, the latest innovation has arrived in the sector.

This electronic system, accompanied by a series of complements and accessories, changes the concept of automatic doors as we know it. It goes beyond that of a door which simply opens and closes. The installation of ELK-CI01 bestows products with artificial intelligence.

Until now, users were accustomed to sliding, revolving or swing doors that started moving when a motion sensor was activated, but this new technology does not have to wait until a person completes an action, instead the product will act by itself.

Through the use of intelligent sensors, the Internet of Things (IoT), images, information or users’ senses, the doors will open or close through proactive actions that will simplify life for humans.

The ELK-CI01 electronic system processes a series of preset algorithms and is capable of learning the users’ habits in order to anticipate events and interact with them.

This results in a unique experience on a par with the systems implanted in sectors such as the automotive industry or digital communication.

In addition to the intelligent electronics system, Manusa products fitted with ELK-CI01 can be complemented with new physical solutions such as fire compartmentalisation door leaves, thermal breaks or explosion resistance.

Manusa at the sector’s most important trade fair

We shall present these innovations at the BAU 2019 trade fair in Munich, Germany, January 14–19. We shall occupy a magnificent information booth where attendees can learn about this new technology through various sensory experiences that are sure to impress everyone.

The BAU is the world’s leading trade fair for architecture, materials and construction systems. Since its creation in 1964, BAU has proven to be the industry’s most international and efficient networking and business platform.

Held every 2 years, exhibitors present practical innovations and intersectoral solutions for the commercial, residential and interior design of new constructions and existing buildings. The innovative ideas are then implemented in thousands of constructions across the five continents.

The numbers associated with the BAU trade fair speak for themselves. In the 2017 edition, there were 2,120 exhibitors from 45 countries, 16 areas for presenting the latest advances and over 250,000 visitors. Turkey, Russia and China were among the 10 non-European countries at the fair. Some of the most notable European countries were Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland. The fair also started to receive visitors from South Korea, USA and India.

Manusa will host a booth in Munich and present the sector with all our advances. The attendees, including dozens of architects, designers and suppliers, will have the opportunity to discover our entire catalogue of products and services.

In January 2019, Manusa will present automatic and industrial doors, access control systems, transport products, accessories, drive unit systems and a variety of door leaf designs as part of their innovative offer in Germany.

Many of these products are already being employed in hospitals, shopping centres, airports, offices and homes in over 80 countries worldwide.

Automatic doors, making life easier for disabled people

In recent years, society has become increasingly aware of the importance of eliminating any architectural barriers that impede the free movement of people with a disability. This policy has been implemented by governments and local authorities that are adopting legislation to prevent discrimination against disabled people.

In addition to streets and public thoroughfares, companies and other private spaces are now also incorporating architectural features designed to include disabled people, which improves all aspects of society.

There are ramps to overcome kerbs, colourful walls and audio elements to help people with visual impairments or smooth pavements to facilitate the movement of wheelchairs. There are also new types of access doors to buildings, which are typically automatic designs.

Which are the most commonly installed automatic doors to aid people with a disability? The key points to this product design are the dimensions, such as the width, the lay-out and the materials used in the doorway’s construction. Here are two examples of automatic door designs.

Standard sliding doors

This type of automatic door can be opened without performing any actions, so disabled people do not have to stop moving to pass through the doorway. Thanks to the system’s proximity sensors, people can move fluidly and without having to stop to push the handle.

Telescopic sliding doors

With this design, users with different capacities or abilities will not face any obstacles when entering or exiting a building. The door opens automatically as soon as the detection system senses movement.

Both standard and telescopic doors come in either bi-parting or side-opening models, based on the preferences of the designer or the company where the door is installed. The width and dimensions of the door leaves can be tailored to the needs of the building or architect carrying out the project, while complying with legal requirements.

Bathroom doors for disabled people

The implementation of home automation means that automatic doors are now commonly encountered in private homes, whether for garages, front doors or bathrooms.

When an architect designs a house with home automation, they assess whether to include automatic doors in bathrooms, especially if one of the family members living in the house is disabled. The architect will have already designed wider corridors between rooms and determine the possibility of installing automatic doors to more private spaces such as the toilet.

In this regard, builders cannot simply buy these doors from any outlet or supplier. They must choose a good option that provides the best safety measures and unsurpassable customer service before, during and after the sales process.

Energy efficiency in homes and apartment blocks

All levels of society are gradually beginning to fully appreciate sustainability and the environment. Large companies were the first to create departments or areas dedicated to corporate social responsibility which are involved in activities associated with caring for the environment such as energy efficiency.

This not only improves the companies’ image in society, but also helps them achieve long-term energy savings in offices and work centres.

Many companies, for instance, have decided to install automatic doors in their offices, as they help prevent large temperature differences which can result in greater energy expenditure. The most commonly used system is the standard sliding door, which can be found in dozens of spaces such as shopping centres, hospitals, hotels, etc.

This model features a bi-parting or side-opening and corresponds to the most popular and functional automatic door. It is a very practical design and brings significant energy savings in spaces with a high circulation of people.

Energy efficiency in the home

However, companies are not alone in opting for energy efficiency strategies in recent years. More and more property developers and architects are including an energy-saving strategy in their designs and projects for both single-family homes and apartment blocks.

To this end, many are installing standard sliding doors in communal spaces or lobby entrances. Besides the standard design, the following models are also popular:

In order to comply with existing legislation, including the Energy Performance Certificate, we have seen how sustainability has gradually been implemented in almost every facet of daily life.

As we are all aware, this certificate is compulsory for all homes. It defines the energy characteristics of a block of apartments through a classification ranging from A, corresponding to the most energy-efficient buildings, to G, for the least energy-efficient homes.

Energy efficiency in household appliances

These certificates have become so commonplace that they can even be found on household appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers and microwaves. The increasing awareness of energy saving is reaching every possible level.

Protecting the environment is one of the general public’s biggest concerns and most societies hope that in the future our world can rely on clean, renewable energy.

Circular economy: the best ally in environmental commitment

Increasingly more forums and companies are discussing and implementing the circular economy concept. The aim of this model is to redirect and redefine a company’s growth, allocating resources and efforts to obtain positive benefits across society.

This economic concept involves opting for renewable energies and a circular model that works towards creating natural, economic and social capital. But how can companies develop this business model?

Many have already implemented waste management designed to address the growing level of enduring pollution affecting large cities. Another key factor is extending the lifespan and improving the durability of a company’s materials and products. This will improve the environment surrounding humans in their day-to-day work and social lives.

The circular economy and commerce

The circular economy is generating opportunities in different sectors and various market niches. This, in turn, results in environmental and social advantages.

The circular economy is most frequently applied in the context of renewable energies and resources, although these are not the only areas. Thanks to strategic plans based on the restoration and recovery of materials, companies are recycling, repairing and reusing equipment, machinery, and so on.

When did the circular economy concept emerge?

So when did the concept first come about? Many say that the idea has an ancient origin, possibly even in early philosophical schools. Other authors argue that it was cultivated in the industrialised nations during the 1950s.

In today’s society, with the arrival of digitalisation and the Internet of Things, the circular economy can benefit from an increase in virtualisation, de-materialisation, transparency and feedback.

Durability and renewal Large companies in dozens of sectors have already incorporated an advanced after-sales service for their products and services. The throwaway society is being transformed into one that prefers to renovate equipment and materials. This means customers can obtain a high-quality, sustainable product overseen by the company, providing high standards in quality, the level of demand and maximum guarantees.

Companies like Manusa work in a sustainable way and with the desire to leave future generations a better world. Whether in products such as automatic doors in sectors such as horeca or retail; or in industrial high speed doors for factories and large companies, the care of the environment is an essential objective.