Built for Critical Sites: How GfA Meets the Demands of Infrastructure

FEW SECTORS ASK AS MUCH OF A DOOR AS INFRASTRUCTURE.

SITES ARE often remote or have safety critical requirements. Downtime can carry operational and financial consequences far beyond the cost of the equipment, while an access point may be expected to perform reliably, and provide a clear record of that performance, throughout a long service life.

Meeting that brief takes more than a single product. It requires a range engineered for different conditions, reinforced by the technical knowledge to specify and support each part correctly.

That makes infrastructure a natural fit for the breadth of products and expertise GfA can bring to a project.

Rated for Hazardous Areas

Some of the most demanding infrastructure sites operate in environments where the atmosphere itself presents a risk. Wherever flammable gases, vapours, or dust are present( including oil and gas sites, fuel storage, waste facilities, distilleries, and process plants), ATEX-certified equipment is the backbone of safety, with flameproof enclosures, increased safety and intrinsic safety designs that act as a barrier against flammable substances.

Under DSEAR, it’ s an employer’ s responsibility to protect the safety of staff and the public against the risk of fire and explosions in the workplace, and it is the door manufacturer’ s responsibility to ensure any equipment sited in a hazardous area complies with the ATEX directive.

GfA’ s ATEX drives and controls are designed for these applications, using Ex d( flameproof), Ex e( non-sparking), and ia( intrinsic safety) construction to prevent atmospheric explosions in these areas.

Safety depends on the installation as a whole, not only the product. Therefore, GfA ATEX drives and controls are supplied without cabling or glands, allowing them to be wired and commissioned by a suitably qualified ATEX electrician to meet the ATEX risk assessment installation requirements.

It is specialist work; GfA has ATEXaccredited members within its team to support the specification process. This gives door companies access to experts who understand both the product and the wider requirements of the application.

Speed Without Compromise

On other infrastructure sites, the priority is keeping people, vehicles and materials moving efficiently.

High-speed doors are commonly specified where traffic levels are high, and openings cannot be left exposed for prolonged periods. GfA’ s FI( Frequency Inverter) drives are designed for these applications.

The Safedrive ® FI, introduced in 2009, revolutionised the industry’ s use of frequency-inverter technology. The range, including drives for balanced and non-balanced doors, is used across many applications, including waste management, airports, infrastructure facilities, and emergency services sites.

Faster opening speeds help keep operations moving, while soft start and stop reduce wear, movement, and noise. Fast, controlled closing also limits the time

Autumn 2026 Door Industry Journal