The UK and Ireland have long embraced the European style systems which have now been specified in the British Isles for many decades. Many of the UK based systems companies have emulated these European systems, but still the majority of window and curtain wall systems installed in the UK and Ireland are supplied through European systems companies, that is until it comes to robust entrance door systems, or what is better known in the UK as ‘Ground Floor Treatments’ or ‘GFT’.

In Europe, there is a preference for mitred and rebated single and double door sets for swing entrance doors for shopping centres, offices and leisure facilities. Whilst their use is on the increase, the UK and Ireland have never fully embraced such door systems and instead preferred a non-rebated commercial door fitted on either floor or overhead concealed spring closers. These systems made their early debut in the 1960s when they were supplied in the UK by North American aluminium systems companies. Using framing based on a 4” x 2” profile the systems were initially used in new shopfronts and office entrances. These GFT systems are still being specified today because they offer a cost-effective, robust construction coupled with a good life expectancy.

With Aluprof’s continued growth in the UK and North America, our systems designers have been busy developing a high thermal performance GFT door and framing system to meet this market requirement. Enter our new MB-100GFT, a stand-alone thermally broken GFT system that has been developed to interface with other products in our systems portfolio.

The new system from Aluprof builds on all the features you would expect from a modern UK GFT system, namely the robust construction, anti-finger trap hinge stile, glazing options up to 48mm in width and of course class-leading thermal efficient aluminium profiles. The system is available in two thermal variants, the ‘ST’ or ‘SI’ which is offered with EPS or polyethylene inserts between thermal breaks. The SI variant allows shopfront framing to offer U values as low as 1.2 W/(m²K) and doors as low as 0.96 W/(m²K) which is currently the highest performing GFT door system available in the UK.

Using the low height, thermally broken flush threshold, doors can achieve a water tightness of class 3A (100Pa) to EN 12208, so are ideal for use for a wide range of commercial applications. Given these qualities, MB-100GFT systems provide ideal solutions for buildings that are exposed to heavy pedestrian traffic areas such as schools, hospitals, leisure facilities, shops, shopping centres and even offices. The system also promises to deliver thermal comfort and security to high-street shop owners without compromising the aesthetics, accessibility and durability. Security options in the system include single or three-point locking or the use of panic hardware. There are also multitude of other hardware options from third-party suppliers that can also be accommodated.

The new system is now available in a wide range of finishes. Should you wish to have an introduction to the system, do not hesitate to give Aluprof UK a call.