'We translate the demand for safety into a total concept'

When it comes to burglar resistance, do you prefer three, five or 15 minutes of burglar resistance? The first two options meet the standard, but you probably choose the latter option. Especially if you have once faced burglary yourself. The same goes for fire or smoke resistance of buildings. We only realize how valuable a human life is the moment it gets close.

That is exactly what Alprokon Aluminium understands by 'security is emotion'. Based on this vision, Alprokon works together with the client to find the demand for security and then translates this into a total solution for burglar, fire and smoke protection and/or escape and panic evacuation. "With this customer-oriented approach, we made a major turnaround in our operations two years ago," says Henk van Herpen, Director of Projects at Alprokon. Van Herpen joined the family business 41 years ago, after his two brothers. He witnessed up close how Alprokon grew from a sheet metal working company into an expert, inspiring partner in safety solutions.

Alprokon door needle during smoke test.

Focus on front-end market

"In the 1980s, the demand for fire-resistant products increased," Van Herpen says. "In response, we developed fire-resistant door needles, lockbox liners and rebate profiles. In the event of a fire, these products ensure that the hanging and closing seams between and around doors are sealed in a stable and oxygen-free manner for a long period of time. This plays an important role in fire compartmentation." Alprokon supplied the fire-resistant, and later burglar-resistant products to the market through the professional hardware trade. Alprokon still does this today, but with a focus on the front end of the market. Van Herpen: "Since the crisis, the customer's desire has become increasingly leading.

Thinking along in the preliminary process

"We aim to get involved in the construction column at an increasingly earlier stage," adds Alprokon deputy managing director Richard Snel. "When I joined the company in 2017, we weren't involved in a project until the realization phase. Meanwhile, we are increasingly being called in as early as the program or design phase. From the first plans or sketches, we think along in programs of requirements and/or total concepts for safety. Our knowledge and experience at product level is of added value here. This also applies to our knowledge of legislation. In 2021, for example, we will have to deal with the Decree on the Built Environment. This is part of the new Environment Act, which includes stricter standards for smoke barriers. We already comply with this now, with smoke-resistant door needles that have been tested at both 20 and 200 degrees Celsius. Our tested doors are applicable up to 2.70 meters for fire protection and up to 3.00 meters for smoke protection due to their excellent performance during the test.In doing so, we are ahead of the legislation, but why wait? With this solution we can save lives."

Total solutions in security

In order to best respond to customer needs and desires, we focused Alprokon brought in a project office. Snel: "First we bring together with the customer identify the demand for safety. This may involve fire and smoke resistant compartmentation, escape and panic release, burglar resistance or soundproofing. Or a combination thereof. Based on that question, we put together a package of products, with which we offer a total solution that at least meets the applicable NEN standards. In this we work together with specialized partners. For example, one of our solutions is a door needle with integrated GU/BKS panic release for panic doors."

Alprokon products are subjected to Peutz fire tests.

Custom

Alprokon door needles are available through hardware stores in either prefabricated or custom designs. With prefabricated delivery, the contractor must cut the door needles to size on site and provide rebate cuts. Custom door needles are already cut to the millimeter, already have rebate notches and can be processed directly on site. "With our custom door needles, we offer a practical solution to the shortage of hands in the construction industry," says Van Herpen.

"At the same time, the contractor saves costs. He can assemble faster and reduces the chance of failure costs. After all, he runs no risk of an ugly or incorrectly sawn door needle." Alprokon is busy developing this customized concept further. Meanwhile, the delivery time has already been significantly reduced. Instead of three weeks, a core range of door needles can now be delivered to the construction site within a week of ordering.