SHOPMOBILITY MOBILISES FAAC FOR DDA COMPLIANCE IN BELFAST
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 now 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 Belfast 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 says 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 says: “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 door 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 120kg or 80kg respectively. The 930 system comes with the SD Keeper function
keyboard as standard.
From their Belfast base over the past four years, Mike Shaw and partner Graham
Chambers have provided door automation systems for a wide range of clients across
commerce, leisure, education, health and government. Graham Chambers says: “We
recommend FAAC systems for their ease of installation and maintenance – and excellent
reliability in service.”
FAAC is a world leader in gate and door automation, with more than 40 years’
experience. The company has manufacturing and development facilities in Italy and
Ireland and distributes its products in more than 90 countries. In the UK, FAAC is the
market leader in residential and commercial markets, which it serves through a national
network of 800 approved installers, all trained to FAAC’s high standards.