Shutter Up!
A History of Tried and True Protection
In 2016 we celebrate 60 years of the humble Aussie roller door!
In 1956, Arthur Byrne and Paul Davidson (the ‘B&D’ of the well-known Australian roller door company), developed and brought out the reworked version of Aussie inventor Ben Saul’s Roller Door. Now, 60 years down the track, the roller door has been consistently proving its worth and value, having become an essential element in many homes and garages around the world.
Roller shutters have even earlier origins
But did you know that the roller shutters used in businesses, commercial and industrial complexes have been in existence since around the 1850’s?
Yes that’s right. Local roller shutter manufacturing began in Australia way back in the 19th Century! It was pioneered by Richard Brady, who was well known amongst builders and architects of the time. Brady immigrated to Australia in 1883 and established his business in Glebe. In 1889 he took out a New South Wales patent for what were reported as ‘ventilating, revolving and self-coiling shutters, either from top or from the bottom’.
Now over a century later motorised steel roller shutters, truck shutters and large automated car park shutters have become an essential thread in the fabric of many commercial constructions. Roller shutters and doors are perhaps the most commonly used aids in prevention of a range of threats, from intrusions to destructive winds and weather.
The strength of steel, combined with reliable mechanisms and windlocks, to open, close and lock down windows, car park entries, doorways and specific internal or outdoor areas, brings the appeal of both simplicity and down-to-earth practicality that so many have come to rely upon and trust over the years.
Commercial premises are exposed to risks that include fire, storms and weather, as well as malicious or destructive human activities, theft and break-ins, making protection an all-important concern.
Local manufacturer continues the legacy
Gary Thomson, owner of Able Doors in Sydney, says it is heartening that roller shutters have been the tried-and-true option for a very wide range of businesses and industries – from inner city, to urban, suburban, rural and even mobile – in truck and fire engine shutters. As a manufacturer and supplier of roller doors and shutters in Sydney, Gary pays homage to those who came before him in the industry and is proud to be part of a locally owned and operated organisation that manufactures quality gates, roller doors and shutters in steel and aluminium for windows, doors, car parks and trucks, and fire shutters.
The wonderful advantage of local manufacture is that aftersales follow-up is close-by and available, and Able Doors’ 24-hour emergency service offers business and home owners peace of mind and professional back-up and service, locally and accessibly.
The tried-and-true solutions of roller doors and shutters remain popular ones now, even more than in decades and centuries before. With streamlined motorisation and designs, the industry is one that continues to deliver safety and protection-conscious solutions suiting a multitude of needs.
Contact Able Doors at Wetherill Park on (02) 9757 1877 for friendly information and assistance when choosing roller doors or shutters for your premises.