Speed is vital in the beverage industry: in order to design effective production and logistics processes, industrial doors must achieve the top performance. The projects we have implemented in the Rostock Hanseatic Brewery and in the new logistics center of Trinks Süd GmbH show why speed, and other important factors play such a significant role.
"Speed as well as longevity are vital for the beverage industry, so our doors in essence have to function as both sprinters and marathon runners alike" states EFAFLEX Sales Manager, Emrah Kirkulak, who specialises in door systems for the beverage industry. He has helped many EFAFLEX customers from a variety of European countries, to solve a number of difficult tasks where speed is just as important as endurance or robustness.
Stable temperatures in production and storage rooms
A project recently completed by Emrah Kirkulak's colleagues shows that the global high-speed door specialist hits the nail on the head with this statement. The team responsible for the German home market started an EFAFLEX project: door systems at the entry to Rostock brewery, which not only operate at very high speeds, but can also perform repeatedly thanks to their durability, and are sufficiently sturdy to withstand even the heaviest forklift traffic. "For a food company like the Hanseatic Brewery, it is important that the temperatures in the production and storage rooms remain stable," explains Matthias Prigge, Head of Maintenance and Operating Technology at the brewery company.
“EFAFLEX high-speed doors meet these requirements. With opening and closing speeds of 2 metres per second, and with short hold-open times, the doors help minimise exposure to the elements, be that the cold in winter or the heat in summer.”
But the doors can do much more: Some of the models are equipped with EFA-Therm® slats, which have very high thermal insulation values. The ability to withstand wind is also essential for smooth production operations on the coast and was therefore an essential decision-making factor for the installation of EFAFLEX products.
"For us, these doors are perfect," Matthias Prigge sums up.
Low running noise, high speed, high quality execution
The beverage environment was not new to EFAFLEX: Our specialists installed the first door systems here in 2003. “Before, the building featured 100-year-old sectional doors, which didn’t meet our modern safety standards,” Matthias Prigge continues. “There are of course more cost-effective doors on the market.
But the added performance, such as the low running noise, high speed and quality design of the EFAFLEX products, is not to be underestimated. It is also very important to keep the dust pollution in the halls as low as possible. After all, we produce food." Double rubber seals between the individual slats ensure that the door closures are very tight.
The multi-layered turbo roller doors feature transparent laths that create a clear view of sight for operatives and enable plenty of daylight to flood into the production hall to enhance the workplace. At least 70 percent visibility is guaranteed which ensures optimum lighting conditions.
A treat for the ears
EFAFLEX doors are not only good for the eyes, they are also a real treat for stressed ears: after all, they meet the highest noise protection requirements. The employees of Trink Süd GmbH have been benefitting from this feature for some time:
"In the logistics center in Fürstenfeldbruck, 22 industrial high-speed doors were used as building closures, " explains Emrah Kirkulak. In the hall, which is used for storage, order picking and sorting of empty products, the doors help protect against noise emissions and improve insulation to reduce cooling.
Trinks Süd GmbH specialises in beverage logistics, and supplies the retail, food and beverage pick-up markets with reusable drinks. "The partnership between Trinks and EFAFLEX almost results from an 'old love'", Kirkulak jokes. "After all, my colleagues responsible for the German market have already installed 22 high-speed doors at eight Trinks GmbH locations."
150,000 operating cycles per year
The building planners' list of requirements, stipulated maximum wind stability, coupled with fast opening and closing speeds. The building had to be quickly closed time and again due to the high noise protection requirements for the commercial area. As the turbo roller door leaf from EFAFLEX is wound onto a spiral rather than onto a shaft as in other systems, this brings not only space saving benefits, but also minimises noise during its operation too, with their durability meaning that they can perform over 150,000 cycles per year.
Powerful performance for improved energy efficiency
The energy efficiency of the 20,000 square meter building is also guaranteed by the six high-speed turbo doors (STT model) and the 16 high-speed turbo roller doors (STR model). Opening times of up to 4 metres per second and closing speeds of up to 1 metre per second help ensure that the heat remains in the hall.
"Everything went smoothly, and the customer is very satisfied," says Kirkulak. "The installation of the doors had to be carried out in a very short time: The turnkey construction of the hall with office building, ultimately only took eight months, and there were only five short weeks between the topping-out ceremony and commissioning. My colleagues did a great job there."
With top performance to the top
"Thanks to the wide range of requirements, the beverage industry never gets boring," summarises the door specialist. "In any case, we are constantly developing the doors required here so that they are well equipped for their tasks and can perform at their best without any costly downtime. After all, our goal is to maintain our global marketing leading-edge regarding innovation, and to be the first to cross the finish line in competition with other providers.”