Roller shutters are commonly seen in a wide range of environments, including warehouses, farms, shops, car parks, schools, banks and even domestic properties. Due to their strength, durability, weather resistance and fair price, roller shutters are often the go-to solution when it comes to securing commercial, domestic and industrial premises.
However, for those who need to prioritise speed, efficiency and climate control, high speed roller shutters are the superior
What are roller shutters?
Roller shutters or roller shutter doors are heavy-duty doors featuring interlocking steel or aluminium slats. When a chain is pulled (manual roller shutters) or a button is pressed (automatic roller shutters), these metal slats slide up along metal guides to be stored in an overhead canopy. These shutters will then slide back down after a certain amount of time, or when the button or manual mechanism is engaged again.
Due to their robust steel or aluminium construction, roller shutters are perfect for securing industrial and commercial properties against intruders, and you can also frequently see them on domestic properties to keep cars safe in garages. Plus, these heavy-duty metal slats are ideal for resisting strong winds, making roller shutters incredibly durable and long-lasting as external doors. At the same time, these doors are very lightweight because of their shutter design, which makes them much more energy efficient during operation.
Roller shutters can also be designed for specialist applications, such as containing fires in industrial and commercial settings. These fire shutters comply with the EN 16034 standard to offer excellent fire and smoke control, allowing people in a building sufficient time to escape.
Types of roller shutters
Here at SSS Industrial Doors, all of our roller shutters are made from structural grade galvanised coated steel. This prevents rust and corrosion, helping external doors resist adverse weather conditions and achieve a long lifespan.
Our roller shutters also feature laminated anti-scratch coating, which improves their durability and lifespan even further. Overall, our roller shutters are perfect for those looking for an extremely robust, durable, weather-resistant and long-lasting security solution. In addition, we tailor our roller shutter products to your exact requirements, allowing us to offer multiple types of roller shutters:
Commercial shutters
We offer a wide range of commercial roller shutters to suit all businesses, including shops, car parks, offices, bars and much more. Each shutter is completely bespoke to your personal requirements, so whether you need a strong external shutter to deter intruders or a more lightweight shutter to section off different areas, we’ve got you covered.
To provide much-needed security whilst also preserving the appearance of your business, we offer punched and vision shutters. These feature gaps in the slats that let light through and preserve visibility. Not only will this still allow customers to look inside, but it will also help staff keep an eye on suspicious behaviour.
Industrial roller shutters
Our industrial shutters are designed to provide robust security and resist adverse weather conditions in exposed factories and warehouses. On isolated farms, our agricultural shutters deter intruders, protect livestock and withstand strong winds in addition to upholding agricultural standards. In other industrial settings such as large factories, our industrial secure roller shutters provide strict access control to prevent unauthorised access. Plus, in climate-controlled factory environments, our insulated roller shutters regulate internal temperatures and prevent the ingress of pests and other contaminants.
Domestic roller shutters
Although they’re mostly used for securing commercial and industrial properties, roller shutters can also be found on domestic properties. Typically, they’re used to secure garages due to their durable, weather-resistant construction, but they can also be used to secure vulnerable access points to your home. For example, if you have a fully glazed external door, you may want to install shutters that can be used overnight to protect your home and your privacy.
Worried about the appearance of domestic roller shutters? Here at SSS Industrials Doors, all of our domestic shutters are designed to your exact specifications, taking into account the best colours, shapes and materials to flatter your home. This means you can prioritise security and kerb appeal at the same time.
What are high speed roller shutters?
High speed roller shutters or high speed doors are a much faster and more lightweight alternative to traditional roller shutters. These high speed doors typically operate at speeds of between 1 and 2 metres per second, making them perfect for high-traffic environments where staff or vehicles are constantly moving in and out of different areas. Thanks to the rapid opening and closing cycles of high speed roller shutter doors, businesses will experience fewer operational delays and will therefore see a spike in productivity.
Another key reason why businesses opt for high speed roller shutters over regular shutters is because they’re ideal for climate control. Since they open and close very quickly, the amount of climate-controlled air that escapes the building is minimised, helping you save money on heating or air conditioning bills. Plus, there’s a lower risk of contamination because debris and pests have fewer opportunities to get inside. This is especially important for industries that need to maintain an extremely clean and controlled environment, such as the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Whereas regular roller shutters are constructed with heavy-duty steel slats, high speed doors will either feature a lightweight PVC curtain with a steel bottom rail or PVC/thin steel slats. These lightweight materials allow the shutter to rapidly slide up into the overhead canopy without using as much energy. And, despite the thinner materials, these high speed shutters are still very durable since they’re constructed to withstand many opening and closing cycles each day.
Types of high speed roller shutters
Despite their higher cost, many businesses opt for high speed roller shutters over regular roller shutters if they need to prioritise efficiency and climate control. If you’re in this position, here are some types of high speed roller shutter doors that may interest you.
Rapidor high speed doors
If you need the fastest operating speeds possible, Rapidor is the perfect product for you. These high speed doors are constructed from lightweight yet durable 3mm-thick PVC curtains, which roll up towards the overhead canopy at speeds of 2 metres per second. These high speed shutters will then auto close, helping you save even more time.
For added visibility, Rapidor high speed doors feature a full-width window. This makes them great internal doors because staff will be able to see into different areas without opening them, which is important for climate control in different sections of a warehouse or factory.
High speed insulated roller shutters
Speaking of climate control, the best roller shutters for businesses that need to maintain a consistent temperature are high speed insulated roller shutters. These high speed roller shutters are fitted with a 95mm foam-injected lath and a double guide brush seal, which will block draughts and maintain the internal environment of your building. If maintaining a consistent temperature is absolutely vital, these insulated shutters should be at the top of your list.
Due to its heavier construction of laths, the high speed insulated roller shutter is slightly slower than the Rapidor high speed door, but it makes up for this with its superior climate-control abilities and more sturdy frame. As a result, the insulated high speed roller shutter can be used as an all-in-one security and climate-control solution, whereas the Rapidor should be reinforced by another door fitted in front if it’s being used as an external door.
Benefits of roller shutters
To help you decide which type of roller shutter is best for you, let’s take a look at their individual strengths. First, let’s discuss the benefits of regular roller shutters:
1. Robust security solution
Since they’re made of heavy-duty steel rather than thin metal slats or PVC, regular roller shutters are a better choice if you need an external security door. These roller shutters are extremely sturdy and will resist vehicles or machinery used by intruders. Therefore, if you need to protect a higher-risk location such as a bank or a warehouse containing valuable goods, you need a steel roller shutter door to keep your property safe at all times.
2. Weather resistance
Another benefit of their sturdy construction is that traditional roller shutters are very weather resistant. The steel slats are designed to handle adverse weather conditions such as strong winds and storms, so if your property is in an exposed location, this is the best choice for an external door.
3. Fire resistance
If they have been successfully tested and certified with a fire rating, our roller shutters can protect against fire for up to four hours. This allows plenty of time for people on the premises to escape. It’s the responsibility of business owners to ensure that there are enough fire doors on the premises to protect all staff – to learn more, read our guides on fire doors and the law and fire safety in the workplace.
Benefits of high speed roller shutters
Now let’s take a look at the advantages of high speed doors:
1. Improved efficiency
Due to their much faster speeds compared to traditional roller shutters, high speed roller shutter doors can help improve your business’s operational efficiency and reduce delays. This is particularly important for businesses that experience a high amount of movement between different rooms.
In addition to saving money through reduced delays, your high speed roller shutters can help you save even more money due to their energy efficiency. Even though these shutters run through many opening and closing cycles per day, the lightweight PVC material of these roller doors makes them very energy efficient compared to traditional shutters.
2. Temperature control
You’ll also save a lot of money because of their temperature control benefits. The fast operation of these roller shutters means they’re open for less time overall, reducing the amount of climate-controlled air that leaves the building. Therefore, by using these high speed roller shutters, you can save money on your heating or cooling costs.
For even better temperature control, you can opt for high speed insulated roller shutters, which are filled with foam and feature a brush seal. This is ideal for businesses that need to maintain a very consistent indoor temperature to preserve their goods.
3. Reduced pollution and contamination
When you reduce the amount of time that your roller shutters are open, this reduces the risk of potential contaminants entering this environment. Plus, if your business is producing a lot of noise or air pollution, your high speed roller shutter doors will prevent too much pollution from escaping into the surrounding atmosphere. This is important for protecting the environment and showing consideration for neighbouring businesses.
Roller shutters vs high speed roller shutters: which one should I choose?
Traditional roller shutters and high speed shutters are both excellent options for a wide range of businesses, but the one you choose will mostly depend on your priorities and where you’ll be installing your new shutters.
For external security doors, traditional roller shutters are the best option due to their much sturdier design. PVC roller shutters are unlikely to provide the level of protection you need to deter intruders and resist strong winds.
However, high speed roller shutters are fantastic internal doors due to their temperature control abilities and greater efficiency. You may be able to just install traditional shutters throughout the building if there’s not a lot of movement between different rooms, but high-traffic areas will definitely benefit from the much faster operating speeds of high speed doors.
Contact SSS Industrial Doors today to learn more about our products and the installation process. No matter what you’re looking for, we can design and install the perfect bespoke door for your home or business.
