Shopmobility, Belfast

Shopmobility, Belfast

Client: Shopmobility
Contractor: Impressive Automatics
Type of works: supply of 930 SF sliding-door operators.

Shopmobility, Belfast, picked automatic door systems driven by FAAC 930 SF sliding-door operators to ensure both a secure shopfront and accessibility in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The operators, installed and maintained by Impressive Automatics, were selected from FAAC’s wide range of door automation products.

They provide easy and safe access for customers and authorised visitors, while excluding the weather and unwanted callers; increasing protection for customers, staff and equipment.

Part of the UK-wide network of mobility schemes, Shopmobility provides manual and electric wheelchairs for shopping trips and longer-term needs. It has eight city and suburban branches, most of which have an open-door policy as they are inside shopping centres.

Manager, Ann Collins, said the siting of two key street-facing outlets necessitated a different approach and a DDA-compliant solution for entry. These outlets, at Queen Street in the city centre and the nearby Castlecourt Shopping Centre, typically handle 40 or more customers a day.

Ann Collins said: “The FAAC automatic door is a fantastic system and the service is second to none – it’s great to know that help is available if there’s a problem. We are opening another branch next year, which will have FAAC automatic doors from Impressive Automatics.”

Impressive Automatics partner, Mike Shaw, installed the FAAC 930 operators at Queen Street and Castlecourt on 1,100mm wide single-leaf sliding doors, which give a 1,000mm clear opening. Customers entering use convenient external pushbuttons to attract attention and the doors are opened electronically by Shopmobility staff.

Mike Shaw says: “For additional safety, presence and motion sensors prevent the doors closing if they are still obstructed. We have also upgraded the door management to the LCD programming display, which provides superior control of all functions.”

The FAAC 930 SF sliding door operator offers a 100% duty cycle. The compact, energy efficient and low-noise 930 series is designed for single or double doors with leaf weights up to 120 or 80kg, respectively. The 930 system comes with the SD Keeper function keyboard as standard.