Donaldson Doors

Back in September we took in part the British Woodworking Federation’s Fire Door Safety Week to raise awareness of the critical role that fire doors play in saving lives and protecting property in the unfortunate event of a fire.

In the event of a fire, every second counts. And when it comes to people having time to get to safety (or be able to safely await rescue) the right certified fire door can make all the difference by delaying the spread of fire throughout a building. Depending on which door you install, that could be up to an hour’s fire resistance and smoke control.

Third party certified fire doors offer tried and tested protection – the ultimate peace of mind. As members of the BWF Fire Door Alliance, Certifire and Q-Mark scheme (which provide third party certification for fire doors), all our doors meet the highest safety standards and carry the certification to prove it.

We’re one of only a small number of verified fire door suppliers in Scotland – and every fire door we supply is certified – so when you buy from us you do so safe in the knowledge that your fire doors and door sets will perform as they should in the event of a fire.

In order to maintain our certified status, we undergo regular audits. As members of the BWF Certifire & Q-Mark Scheme a unique identification system also means that each doors journey through the supply chain, to the manufacture of the door leaf and the modification and production of the door set, all the way through to its end use is fully traceable.

Fire Door Safety Week is an important event for all those involved in the housebuilding industry but raising awareness of fire door safety must happen all year round. Get in touch with one of our experts for advice about your fire door today: https://donaldsondoorsystems.co.uk/get-in-touch/

Scotland’s leading joinery manufacturer of door sets, Donaldson Door Systems (DDS), has appointed Billy Cameron as Director of the business, and he will join the board.

Billy brings 26 years’ experience in the industry and has had multiple positions with the business in that time. He first joined as a forklift driver in 1997, and then managed both the timber yard and the transportation before later moving into account sales. After that, Billy took a role at head office, managing the fledgling joinery side of the business.

Billy’s appointment will see him continue to take involvement in the day-to-day running of DDS’ site in Plains, North Lanarkshire, along with developing the strategic long-term plan for the company. As Director, Billy will continue to support the team’s growth.

DDS specialises in manufacturing, merchanting and supplying internal and external door sets, as well as staircases. DDS is dedicated to delivering quality, exceptional service and product innovation. With vast experience and knowledge of joinery, DDS holds Secured By Design accreditation and is the only company in Scotland to be both Q Mark and Certifire certified.

Commenting on the appointment, Luke Roberts, Managing Director of Donaldson Door Systems, said: “I am delighted for Billy and I am very pleased about his new role at DDS. He has a wealth of experience and is a real asset to our company and our customers; his outstanding product knowledge is unrivalled, and he has dedicated his whole career to enabling us to be the largest door set manufacturer in Scotland. With Billy’s leadership and understanding, we know that the future is bright for DDS and we’re looking forward to seeing the direction that takes us in.”

Billy added: “I am excited to take on my new role as Director for Donaldson Door Systems. I am grateful for the last 26 years of my career and for all the opportunities that have come my way, and I take huge pride in our full range of highly customised joinery services.

“During my time in the business, the workforce has grown from under 20 staff to now over 80, and in this time, there’s also been investment, improvement in the factory, and financial growth. I’m lucky to be on this journey now with the Donaldson Group as one of Scotland’s leading joinery manufacturers of door sets and staircases. I am committed to developing the people within DDS to ensure we continue to meet the high-quality service that our customers have come to know and trust from us, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with my brilliant team to develop the site in North Lanarkshire.”

The news comes following Donaldson Door Systems’ rebrand in 2022 from Rowan Manufacturing Ltd after its acquisition by the Donaldson Group in 2020. The company was established in 1979.

Currently led by the sixth generation of Donaldson, the 163-year-old Donaldson Group comprises a total of 17 specialist timber and building product businesses and brands, operating throughout the UK from 46 locations employing over 1,700 people. The businesses that make up the Group trade and operate independently, sharing best practice, innovation, purchasing synergies, and market analysis.

Do you know where your fire doors came from? Could you access the paperwork that would track their journey from manufacture or modification, right through to the present day if you had to? Can you quickly and easily find the details of any replacement parts you need for maintenance on a particular door while you’re on site? A simple little label on the top edge of your fire door can make all this possible – it’s just one of the many advantages of opting for third-party certified fire doors in your build.

We’re members of the BWF Fires Door Alliance and Certifire Scheme, so as well as the peace of mind that comes with knowing that our doors meet industry standards, they also carry the reassurance of full traceability. This means that the full history of the door, including full certification details, is always available to you. It even means that you can quickly source the spec of any components that may need to be replaced, safe in the knowledge that the parts will not only be compatible with the door, but that they will meet the necessary standards to ensure that the door remains compliant.

The BWF-CERTIFIRE label or Q-Mark plug is a simple and effective way of being able to trace and track your door back to its manufacturer and – where appropriate – access its certification (and other key details) quickly and easily. A label with details such as the manufacturer’s name, the door’s fire rating, and a unique reference number for that specific door is placed on the top edge of the door, meaning that every aspect of the door’s journey through the supply chain is trackable.

As these details are tied to each door for the duration of its use, the label should remain in place throughout the door’s operating life, but in the event of accidental damage or wear and tear making the details illegible, a replacement label can be supplied; you’ll need to submit paperwork such as receipts and an inspection may be required to confirm the door’s origin.

If you want the assurance that comes with being able to access all the details of each door you install in your next build – plus the other benefits of fitting third party certified fire doors – talk to our team, who’ll be happy to provide more details or help you source the right doors for the job.

In the event of a fire, every second counts. And when it comes to people having time to get to safety (or be able to safely await rescue) the right certified fire door can make all the difference by delaying the spread of fire throughout a building. Depending on which door you install, that could be up to an hour’s fire resistance and smoke control.

Third party certified fire doors offer tried and tested protection – the ultimate peace of mind. As members of the BWF Fire Door Alliance, Certifire and Q-Mark scheme (which provide third party certification for fire doors), all our doors meet the highest safety standards and carry the certification to prove it.

We’re one of only a small number of verified fire door suppliers in Scotland – and every fire door we supply is certified – so when you buy from us you do so safe in the knowledge that your fire doors and door sets will perform as they should in the event of a fire.

In order to maintain our certified status, we undergo regular audits. As members of the BWF Certifire & Q-Mark Scheme a unique identification system also means that each doors journey through the supply chain, to the manufacture of the door leaf and the modification and production of the door set, all the way through to its end use is fully traceable.

Choosing a certified fire door is just the start – for it to provide effective, lifesaving protection, it needs to be properly installed. When fitting a fire door make sure that the gaps around the perimeter are no more than 4mm, and that the door frame is undamaged and securely attached to the wall. You should also ensure that the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door is no more than 10mm and check that the correct intumescent or combined intumescent smoke seals have been fitted to the door.

It goes without saying that fire doors should never be wedged or propped open, even briefly – they need to be closed to work – so, if you’re able to do so, make sure that the people who will be using or managing the building know this.

If you’d like to know more about our range of fire doors, give our expert team a call or explore our range online.

Scotland’s leading joinery manufacturer of door sets has a new identity. Following its acquisition by the Donaldson Group in 2020, Donaldson Door Systems (DDS) is the new brand of the business formerly known as Rowan Manufacturing Ltd (RML).

Established in 1979 as the manufacturing arm of the Rowan Group, DDS specialises in manufacturing, merchanting and supplying internal and external door sets, as well as staircases from its site in Plains, North Lanarkshire.

Since its acquisition in February 2020, all colleagues and operations have moved over to the Donaldson Group, with Managing Director, Luke Roberts, and General Manager, Billy Cameron, continuing to drive the business.

DDS is dedicated to delivering quality, exceptional service and product innovation. With vast experience and knowledge of joinery, DDS holds Secured By Design accreditation and is the only company in Scotland to be both Q Mark and Certifire certified. DDS will harness the expertise of the Donaldson Group, operating within its Offsite division, to continue servicing the UK housebuilding and construction market.

Luke Roberts, Managing Director, Donaldson Door Systems said: “The rebrand to Donaldson Door Systems is an exciting new chapter for the company. Our people will move forward with the business as we hone in on our market-leading door sets with safety and security front of mind. We are proud to be a part of this trusted family business and we are certain that our customers will continue to benefit from the high-quality products and services that the Donaldson Group is known for.”

Andrew Donaldson, CEO of the Donaldson Group, added: “The rebrand completely aligns Donaldson Door Systems with the Group, along with a new logo, branding and website.”

“The response from everyone involved in the rebranding exercise has been overwhelmingly positive and we are excited to see Donaldson Door Systems develop and build on the strong foundations that were established in its 30 years of operation.”

Fire can have devastating consequences. That’s why installing and maintaining the right fire doors is so important. It’s not just about protecting your property; it’s about saving lives.

Launched in 2013, Fire Door Safety Week (31 October to 4 November 2022), provides a vital annual reminder about the crucial role of fire doors, making sure that they are properly maintained and – when it comes to sourcing new doors for a project or replacing existing doors which are no longer safe – the importance of getting the correct spec for your project.

The right fire door can help delay the spread of fire throughout a building. This not only helps limit damage to the property, but – more importantly – it gives those within the building invaluable extra time to either get to safety or await rescue. Depending on the type of doors this could be up to an hour of fire resistance (FD60 doors) or, FD60S providing smoke control as well as fire resistance.

But not all fire doors are equal and not every supplier works to recognised industry standards. Whilst non-accredited or certified suppliers may be operating with the best of intentions, the bottom line is that without complying with these standards, their doors may not provide the expected levels of protection when it matters most.

As Billy Cameron, one of our in-house experts explains, “when sourcing fire doors, you should make sure that your supplier is a member of a recognised third-party certification scheme which provides evidence of compliance with industry regulations. This means that you have the peace of mind of knowing that your door set is produced in a factory which undergoes regular and rigorous audits and that they are able to certify your fire door set.”

Here at Donaldson Door Systems, we offer a wide range of fire door sets from internal to flat entrance and common lobby/stairwell doors. And every door we supply complies with the highest industry standards and certification schemes, ensuring the highest possible levels of safety.

We’re one of only a handful of companies in Scotland to be members of both the BWF Certifire and Q-Mark certification schemes, so you have the assurance of knowing that all our fire doors are made to the highest industry standards. All our fire safety products are tested to BS476-22.1987 or BS EN 1634-1:2014 standards, and we undergo regular audits to ensure that we maintain our industry certifications.

As part of our commitment to fire door safety, we’re proud to be supporting Fire Door Safety Week. If you’d like to find out more about this life saving initiative and the importance of maintaining and inspecting any fire doors you have on site, visit https://www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk

When sourcing doors for a project or development, you want to be sure that you can rely on your suppliers. You need stylish, safe, and secure doors manufactured to the highest standards. You need to know that any questions will be dealt with quickly and that the information you need to make a decision is provided by an expert. You need the reassurance that comes from dealing with a company with a great track record.

That’s why, when it comes to doors, we’ve got everything you need.

Our range offers everything from stylish interior doors that suit any decorative scheme, to sturdy external doors with security and peace of mind built in. Our fire safety and security doors aren’t just built to our own high standards, they’re built to some of the highest safety and security standards within the industry. So, depending on the spec, our fire doors can provide up to sixty minutes of fire resistance and smoke control, whilst our security doors can help protect your premises from forced entry.

As our name suggests, we’re part of the Donaldson Family of companies, which means that we hold ourselves to high standard. And, with a heritage and commitment to quality dating back over 160 years, it’s something we’re proud to be part of.

That commitment to quality is built into every part of the process from manufacture to delivery. We want to be your go-to door supplier, so we work harder to make sure that our customers are always happy with the products and services we deliver. If you’re looking for peace of mind when you’re buying doors, you should look at how we can help.

Find out more about our product range or get in touch with a member of the team today.