HORMANN, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of doors for private and commercial buildings, has launched its sectional garage doors on the Middle East market.

“We have just launched sectional garage doors on the market, becoming the first and the only European manufacturer to do so,” says Christoph Hormann, owner of the Germay-based Hormann.
The doors, specifically developed for the region, will be assembled at its recently-established warehouse in Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai, UAE.

The region offers great potential, says Hormann.

Hormann’s Middle East office, which was set up a year ago after a successful participation at The Big 5 2008, recently moved into its new office which is supported by the adjacent 1,500 sq m warehouse.
The regional office provides complete solutions for doors and loading sites as well as a comprehensive range of related services backed by Hormann’s extensive project experience.
“We have been in the region for over 20 years and were selling our products through agents. We decided to set up our own office in order to introduce additional products and also to be closer to our customers,” says Hormann.
“The numerous opportunities for expansion available throughout the Middle East’s resilient property and construction markets influenced our decision to set up a permanent base in the region,” he says.
“This follows the establishment of other subsidiaries in key markets such as India and Greece. The global crisis has not deterred us from pushing forward with our long-term growth plans, and we feel that the Middle East, in particular, offers exceptional potential.”

Loadings made easy ... dock shelter roller shutters.

“We know the region is strong and are confident that we will be successful,” he says, adding that the company would be making further investments in the region to strengthen its position and has allocated $4 million from its 2010 budget for the purpose.
In addition to the UAE, the regional office will cover Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Iran, Kuwait, Jordan and Egypt. The company is also establishing ties with dealers and fit-out companies in the region to further improve delivery times.
Hormann ME is initially marketing door solutions that are targeted at logistics and production facilities. It currently offers private building owners its automatic sectional door (DSU), a sectional garage door that is specifically developed for the Middle Eastern market. This door is manufactured in Germany, assembled in the UAE and can be at the customer’s premises within a week, according to Hormann.
Commenting on the main features of the sectional garage doors, he says: “The doors save space since they open vertically upwards and are suspended under the ceiling, giving more space both inside and in front of the garage. They also fit anywhere and hence the shape of garage opening is not a criterion. This makes them suitable for retrofit applications. The doors are burglar- and scratch-resistant. Since the door-latching functions are mechanical, the doors are secure even when the power fails.”
“The product is also protected against weathering as a non-brittle plastic frame shoe protects it in the long term against potential damage due to rusting. The frame shoe encloses the frame in the rust-prone area – only this can offer effective long-term protection,” he adds.
With a wide range of dock levellers, industrial sectional doors, rolling shutters, dock shelters, operators and an extensive selection of accessories, Hormann offers its customers comprehensive systems for modern loading sites. High-speed doors with rigid or flexible curtains complete the offering, providing solutions for any type of building opening. The company also offers fire and smoke-tight doors for the administrative areas as well as top-class office doors.
Present in more than 60 countries, the Hormann Group is one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of sectional garage doors, industrial doors, operators, dock levellers, fire and smoke-tight door assemblies, frames and entrance doors.
Founded in 1935, the company has its headquarters in Steinhagen, Germany, and now includes 23 plants specialising in specific product groups.
With “quality without compromise” being its motto, Hormann has been reaping the rewards for its focus on exceptionally high quality standards and product innovation. The family-owned company currently reports global sales of over €1 billion ($1.42 billion) and employs 6,000 workers.