Where space is at a premium in industrial and commercial buildings, more and more architects, designers, contractors and businesses in the UK are turning to global specialist Premier Loft Ladders as they look upwards to optimise space in their buildings.

In recent years, UK-based Premier has become the preferred choice for the supply of retractable stairways to provide access to storage areas on mezzanine floors and to plant, motor and boiler rooms located on flat roofs. Premier ladders can not only bring business users financial and practical advantages but also often saves energy and adds value to their premises. Also, Premier is becoming increasingly popular with designers, specifiers and homeowners for domestic applications, to gain access to lofts converted for storage.

Leading the way in Premier’s extensive selection of quality aluminium and wooden loft ladders is the Supreme range, offering superbly engineered concertina-style, easy-to-fit, counter balance aluminium stairways, all of which are available with an impressive choice of industry-leading options to meet all requirements.

These include a laminated wood trapdoor and lining, together with a weatherproof, insulated roof hatch, attached to the Supreme – which has a maximum floor to ceiling height up to 4,600mm - for flat-roof access.

The roof hatch has an all round rubber seal and is clad with zinc-coated 1.5mm sheet steel. It would normally be supplied with a single seal at the top of the lining for when the roof hatch closes but is also available with a double seal to improve energy saving. The standard single seal under the top cover would allow up to 35mm of insulation around the outside of the hatchbox, whereas the double seal can allow anything between 80 to 120mm.

A recently added option is an upper cover which is electrically heated against snow and ice, with an adjustment between +5 and +40°C.

Additional accessories offered with the Supreme include a telescopic handrail to one or both sides, electrical operation, 30 or 90 minute fire resistant casings, vertical access, suspended ceiling application, top operating handle for raising or lowering the stairway from above, insulated trapdoor, upper level guardrail, and protective feet.

For all Supreme stairways, customers can specify their own finished requirements. Generally, they are finished 15mm or 20mm under the opening length and 15mm under the opening width to allow an easy fit. Each has a load bearing per tread of 200kgs.