| With businesses facing a truly parlous economic | | | | trusted employees being allocated operator fobs or |
| climate, it is more tempting than ever to cut costs. | | | | keypad codes. Only people with these devices can |
| Some areas of expenditure, though, should never be | | | | operate the shutters, adding an extra level of |
| reduced: premises security is a key example. It is an | | | | security: conventional locks are much easier to |
| unfortunate fact that recession brings a rise in criminal | | | | circumvent. |
| activity, so it is arguable that at such times | | | | Roller shutters come with a variety of options. The |
| businesses should raise expenditure on static security | | | | most basic is colour: most shutters can be powder |
| rather than lower it. | | | | coated in any of the normal range of RAL colours. |
| One of the most familiar methods of securing | | | | Another option is that of having gaps built into the |
| premises is by the use of roller shutters (also known | | | | slats that make up the shutter. This is especially |
| as rolling doors and roller doors). Roller shutters are | | | | suitable for shops, as the visibility gained more than |
| flexible doors made up of a series of strips (usually | | | | outweighs the small amount of impact-resistance |
| made of metal such as galvanised steel or aluminium, | | | | sacrificed. |
| but possibly also made from durable, shock-resistant | | | | In addition to standard models, roller shutters have a |
| plastic) joined together and wound round a drum. As | | | | number of variations tailored to use in specific |
| the drum is turned (either by manual operation via a | | | | circumstances. Fire-resistant roller shutters are built of |
| chain or electrical operation via a tubular motor), the | | | | especially fireproof materials and are used in areas |
| door unwinds and is lowered into place. Most often | | | | with a need to employ extra protection against fire, |
| placed over openings such as doors and windows, | | | | for example student residences. Rapid doors, also |
| roller shutters provide protection against all but the | | | | known as rapid-action doors, are employed in areas |
| most determined intruders. | | | | of high traffic, either human or vehicular, such as cold |
| Aside from their basic function of security, roller | | | | storage units for foodstuffs. Here these shutters |
| shutters have a number of other advantages. Being | | | | serve the additional function of temperature control: |
| more flexible than standard door types, they can | | | | a standard shutter would allow too much heat to |
| resist brute force assault for longer, with any force | | | | enter a controlled temperature area whereas a |
| applied being partially absorbed along strip join lines. | | | | rapid-action door would ensure such disruption was |
| Though a determined intruder will still get through, | | | | kept to a minimum. In an area where the door is |
| this allows more time for an alarm to be raised by | | | | constantly in use, this would make a big difference to |
| passers-by. Electrically operated roller shutters can | | | | electricity bills. |
| also serve to control access to a building, with | | | | |