From panic door to electronic access technology

With a wide range of products for windows, doors and automatic entrance doors, GU Netherlands, part of the German family business Gretsch-Unitas, offers a complete concept for security around the home and building. From hardware to electronic access technology. But GU does more: "We offer training for wholesale personnel and, if necessary, go along to give advice ourselves."

"By combining hardware and electronic access technology, we offer a complete package for everything related to access and security," says Joep Breukels, managing director GU Netherlands. The company supplies through wholesalers and the products come from the German factories of subsidiaries GU and BKS. An important product group at the moment is the panic concept. 

Breukels: "More and more buildings have to be equipped with doors with a panic function. In the event of a fire, everyone must of course be able to get out quickly and without a key. There are already regulations for this: in new buildings, for example, it has to be included in the design. In the renovation market, you increasingly see that doors have to be converted for this purpose. We are strong in that."  

Training

GU can offer the complete package per door. Both in large series for complex utility projects, for example, and for a single escape door. The end customer goes through a short questionnaire; the panic lock configurator. This generates a combination number including the lock to be supplied with accessories such as striker plates or counter-locks with top and bottom locking. Based on this combination number, the desired door fitting is then simply searched for in the
ordering catalog panic fittings. 

Breukels: "Then we will know exactly what is needed and supply the complete package through the wholesaler. We have been rolling this out for a year now and most of the work is in providing training at the wholesalers and door manufacturers. The wholesalers are our partners and we support them in this."

Breukels notes that some consultants or architects do not yet know exactly what the requirements of the Building Code are. "With panic doors you have a legal obligation. If a fire breaks out and the doors don't open, that's a big problem. Our technical advisors, together with the wholesale staff, can advise their customers, i.e. contractors, specifiers or door manufacturers."

The renovation market is growing in all areas. There is a lot of social real estate and a good portion of it is in need of renovation. "At the same time, there are fewer and fewer professionals and technical knowledge is decreasing. This is why we brought concepts onto the market to make things easier for the tradesman. The Secury-X multi-point lock for renovation is a good example of this. You can adapt it on site so that it can replace any other multi-point lock. So handy to have in stock." 

Intelligent access systems

Another growth market for GU is that of electronic access technology. Under the name Ixalo^® the company provides intelligent access systems. The administrator can assign access rights centrally and the user is then given access to certain areas using a pass, tag or their cell phone. The system also includes an extensive line of cylinders and door hardware. 

"Electronic access technology is taking off," Breukels said. "It is safe and user-friendly. For example, for use in hospitals and commercial buildings. An additional advantage is that you can also keep a logbook: you can see per room who has been there and when."