Meet the Garador aeroplane: a mini marvel of engineering

Have you ever seen a tiny plane do amazing stunts in the sky? Well, you might have a chance to witness one soon, thanks to one of our talented engineers.

This year marks our 75th anniversary and as part of the celebrations, one of our talented team made this nifty looking model plane, complete with Garador insignia. It looks brilliant

We created a model aeroplane that is a replica of the famous Pitts Special S2A, a biplane that is known for its acrobatic performance. The Garador aeroplane is not just a toy, but a mini masterpiece of engineering. It has a 14-inch wing span and a powerful 450 watts electric motor that can make it soar, loop, and roll with ease. It also has a built-in battery that lasts longer than the usual methanol engines.

The plane is made of balsa wood and plywood, covered with a special film that protects it from the sun. Plus, it has all the features of a real aeroplane, such as accelerometer, ailerons, elevator, and rudder. It took almost a year to design and build this plane, using a laser cutting machine and CAD software to make the panels fit perfectly.

The model aeroplane is a celebration of our 75th anniversary and a glimpse of the talent which goes into our products and services. We've been making garage doors since 1948, and this plane is a testament to our team's passion and expertise. If you want to see this plane in action, keep an eye out for the next airshow near you. You might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this mini marvel.

We made donations to our local food bank

Christmas is a time of giving and sharing, and our generous staff are doing their bit to make a difference by donating food to our local food bank in Yeovil, The Lord's Larder.

The charity has been operating since 1991 and relies on donations from individuals, churches, schools and businesses to help feed over 5000 people a year.

Garador's staff have been collecting food items for the Lord's Larder throughout December, filling up boxes with everything from tinned food and vegetables to soups, biscuits and pasta. They also donated some festive treats like mince pies, chocolates and crackers to bring some cheer to those who are struggling this Christmas.

We've all come together to help others less fortunate during the festive season. We hope that our donations will make a difference to the lives of the people who receive them.

Find out more at www.ycstyeovil.org.uk/the-lords-larder

We're on board for Grow a Tree in 23, with National Tree Week

It's National Tree Week this week, so we decided to make a donation to UK charity The Tree Council to help them plant and nurture 25 trees; from saplings all the way to a full-grown trees.

We are delighted to support such a worthwhile cause, as trees bring our streets, neighbourhoods and landscapes to life with their beautiful green leaves and colourful flowers. They also help us tackle climate change, provide homes for wildlife, improve our health and so much more.

This year, we are celebrating our 75th anniversary of making garage doors. That's a long time, and there have been many changes in the world since we made our first garage door. One thing that we are keen to support is the environment, whether that's manufacturing with renewable energy or reducing waste packaging. We know that trees are essential for our planet and our well-being, so we're proud to do our bit to support National Tree Week.

Find out more about National Tree Week at www.treecouncil.org.uk

We raised £300 for Macmillan Cancer Support

We've just finished our annual Macmillan Coffee Morning that we hosted at Garador offices in Yeovil. It was such a great event and we are pleased to have raised a lot of money for such a worthwhile cause.

Lots of staff went to enormous trouble to bake something delicious, with a tasty selection of cupcakes, biscuits, chocolate cakes, shortbreads and even devil’s food cake, shop floor operative Dessi Elmahdy brought in a hugely popular salted caramel cake and Sales Administrator Michele Jamieson added a savoury flavour with cheese puffs and swirls.

We had a fantastic turnout and a lot of positive feedback from everyone who brought cakes along. We were amazed by the variety and quality of the cakes and drinks that our staff and guests brought along.

We've continued to host our Coffee Morning as a yearly occasion because we wanted to do something good for our community and show our solidarity with those affected by cancer. We know that cancer can be a scary and lonely experience, and we wanted to make a difference in any way we could.

Find out more about Macmillan Cancer Support, by visiting www.macmillan.org.uk

Going green with solar power!!

It's fair to say we've been busy over the last 12 months, and not just with manufacturing garage doors! Back in June 2022, we decided to take the plunge and commission a study to see how feasible it would be to install solar panels on the roof of our Yeovil manufacturing plant. After considering a variety of different renewable options, each with their pros and cons, we settled on solar panels as they were deemed to be the most practical and cost-effective method of generating electricity. 

With the decision to shift towards green energy taken, we then explored costs and potential suppliers to do the job. The roof also needed to be checked and examined to see whether it could support solar panels, which would exert a significant pressure and weight across the building. The factory was built way back in 1984, and opened the following year, and is still in really great condition, thanks to regular maintenance and care from our diligent and conscientious maintenance engineers. The roof sheeting and structure of the building hadn't degraded.

After many months of meetings and preparations, the scaffolding needed to access the roof went up in late March 2023. Work to prepare the roof ready for thousands of solar panels could finally begin. Some good old-fashioned elbow grease was needed to clean the roof and so a team of cleaners' pressure washed the entire area getting rid of any dirt or grime which had accumulated up there. 

By now June had come around, the birds were chirping and the bees were buzzing, and the days were much brighter and longer - perfect weather for working out in the fresh air! Apparently, the roof required a lick of paint too! So we decided that if we were going to do it, we might just as well make a really good job of it and use a protective rubberised paint that would protect the surface for many years to come. We also replaced the roof lights. 

By late July, the roof work was complete, hundreds of square feet of roofing sheets have been painted, fixings replaced and roof lights swapped out for new ones too. Over 1500 solar panels were delivered to our yard just a couple of weeks later and goodness gracious was it an incredible sight to see so many all boxed and palleted up ready to go. 

During August the solar panel installers began loading all of the photovoltaic panels onto the roof, carrying them manually across the roof surface to get them into place. It was a huge undertaking and looking back, you could see the sheer scale of what had to be achieved. 

Back on the ground work was underway to implement a state-of-the-art system, for converting sunshine into the electricity that we know and love. One of the best ways to save energy is via an excellent flexible control unit and the new state-of-the-art equipment does just that, integrating power from our new solar panels when necessary. This means you only use mains electricity when you really need to.

The solar panels will help run all of the production equipment in the factory, so we don’t have to use as much fossil fuel based energy and make less pollution. Back on 28th September 2023 we made our first garage door using renewable energy generated from the solar panels. It's still early days and difficult to predict exactly how much of our energy will come from the solar panels, but currently it looks like the solar panels will give us more than half of the power we need in the summer, and still a lot in the winter. The system will make over 700,000 kWh of clean electricity every year and help to save a lot of money on energy bills cutting CO2 emissions by over 300 tonnes. What an achievement!

We want to do our bit for the environment and the introduction of solar panels is an important step. Keep your eyes peeled for more green initiatives in the coming months and years.

We ran 5K for our local air ambulance and it was awesome!

A group of us from Garador took part in the 5K Twilight Shift charity run last Saturday (23rd September 2023). The event was organised all in aid of Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, a life-saving service that provides critical care to patients across the two counties.

There were 14 of us in total taking part in the event and it was a really fun way to enjoy some downtime and do some real good for a worthwhile cause. Everything was setup to cater to all ages and abilities, which was great as it meant you could walk, jog or run around Henstridge Airfield, where the air ambulance crew hang out. Anyone could join the run and have a blast, while helping a great cause. Some people even dressed up or carried extra weight, like the crew do when they go to an emergency!

We worked hard to get ready for the run and had a lot of fun with hundreds of other supporters on the day. We also donated £500 to the charity in support of the event and were really chuffed to support Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, a charity that we feel close to. As a local business based in Yeovil, we know how important it is to have a quick and reliable emergency service that can get to anywhere in our region.

You can find out more about the run and the air ambulance by visiting www.dsairambulance.org.uk

We’ve just launched a new Salisbury side-hinged door

 That’s right, our product development team has been busy working to develop a new garage door design! After months of hard work, this time they’ve come up with a new Salisbury side-hinged model and it looks superb.

It’s been designed with multi-use garages in mind, where you can have the flexibility to use your garage for a range of functions but also get inside quickly and easily, especially when retrieving or storing gardening tools, bicycles or other large and cumbersome items. 

The new side hinged garage door comes with 2-point locking and concealed hinges for security and gas pistons which act as dampeners, ensuring a smooth and cushioned movement as the door is opened or closed. Weather proof sealing also helps keep wet and blustery conditions outside. Plus, there are also door stays to prevent the door blowing shut.

The opening system is designed for ease and comfort, with one fixed leaf and one leading leaf that makes it much easier to quickly get to what's being stored inside the garage. In situations where a car is being parked inside, both doors open outwards to offer maximum drive-through clearance and there aren’t any tracks or gear systems taking up valuable ceiling or wall space. So you've got full use of the space indoors.

With this new model, we've replicated the already popular Salisbury up & over garage door design in a side-hinged door format. So if you like the Salisbury design for your garage door, but you prefer a side-hinged door, you now have the option to buy one! No need to compromise on your choice of garage door model.

Browse the new Salisbury door and the rest of the side-hinged range at www.garador.co.uk

Our cycling aficionados were out in force supporting the Race from the Base charity cycling event

We do enjoy a good cycling event at Garador! We've got a fair few avid cyclists working across the company, so when the opportunity to take part in the Race from the Base cycling challenge, well we just couldn't resist. And what's more, its all in aid of a really worthwhile cause which is the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. 

We formed a team of 6 Garador cyclists and even got some cycling gear to look the part so we could really give it our best shot. With three possible courses to choose from, including a 30km short, 60km cruise and 100km climb, the guys had plenty of options to get stuck into, and in the end opted for a more balanced course with the 60km cruise. Still taxing enough, but not quite as exhausting as the long route.

Everyone headed down to Henstridge Airfield in Somerset, on the morning of Saturday 10th June, where they were greeted by glorious sunshine and blue skies, perfect weather for cycling! After a quick drink and an ice cream, as well as a chat to the chaps from the air ambulance crew they were off!

Find out more about Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance and the excellent work they do for the local community. They are a vital charity that helps critically ill or injured patients across Dorset and Somerset. On average, they attend about 8-10 incidents every day, ranging from road traffic collisions, cardiac arrests, strokes, falls, industrial accidents and more. They rely on public donations to keep flying and saving lives.

Doing our bit for the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance

We were absolutely delighted to continue our support of the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance last weekend, with their annual Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge! It's such a fantastic event which raises much needed funds for the air ambulance, so we were really pleased to be able to provide our lorries again to help transport cyclists from the finish back to the start of the event.
 
Money is still coming in for the charity event, but over £45,000 has already been received. Hundreds of cyclists took part, giving there all to the gruelling 55 mile ride across Somerset and Dorset
 
As in previous years, the route started from Watchet in North Somerset and finished in West Bay on the Dorset Coast. Each of the Garador lorries have a custom built storage system that makes it so bikes can be easily wheeled into our lorries and firmly secured for the journey. Our drivers also gave their time and helped to ensure all the participants could easily get back to Watchet and find their cars after the ride.
 
Check out www.dsairambulance.org.uk to find out more about the excellent work this charity does or to look at making a donation

Choosing the right material for your garage door

 

Choosing the right material for your garage door extends well beyond aesthetic considerations of simply how it will look. Garador offer a variety of materials for their garage doors, including steel, timber, GRP and aluminium, each of which have merits and can add value to your property.

In this post we will look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of the different materials on offer, and which one is likely to suit your particular circumstances. It’s not just the usage of the garage that is important to consider, but the location and other characteristics such as whether the garage is attached to the main house. So let’s dive in and find out more about the different materials on offer.

 

Aluminium

Aluminium is a light and corrosion-resistant material that can withstand impact, scratches and dents without losing its shape or quality. Aluminium is very suitable as a material for garage doors and is used in Garador's GaraRoll roller doors as part of the curtain as it is durable and lightweight, which makes it easier to install and operate. Garador's aluminium laths are foam filled, giving them structural rigidity. Aluminium is also resistant to rust and corrosion, which prolongs its lifespan especially in coastal regions. Furthermore, it is secure and can withstand impact and intrusion attempts. Finally, an aluminium GaraRoll roller door can enhance the kerb appeal of any modern home with its sleek and modern design.

 

Steel

Steel is a popular material for garage doors, due to its affordability, meaning it is cheaper than other materials and lasts well, reducing the need for repairs or replacements. It is typically used on Garador’s up & over and sectional garage doors. The steel is galvanised so it is more durable and therefore resistant to rusting and because it’s supplied with a thick powder-coated paint it will stand the test of time. In addition, it is relatively low maintenance and doesn’t require an excessive amount of time to spend on cleaning and painting to maintain the material. Furthermore, it can be formed into various shapes, with swage or panel pressed styles which can add value to your home’s appearance and potentially enhance it’s resale value.

 

Timber

Garador’s timber up & over, side-hinged and personnel garage door models are constructed from natural solid red cedar, which is a durable and stable soft wood which can withstand moisture, insects, weather and general wear and tear better than most other types of wood, thus making it very suitable for an external building product like a garage door. Cedar wood is rot resistant, so it will last longer than other softwoods.Furthermore, it is relatively lightweight and will therefore put less stress on the lifting gear than some other heavier, denser types of wood.

 

GRP (Glass-Reinforced-Polyester)

GRP is a composite material that combines fiberglass strands and resin, for a lightweight, yet strong and durable garage door material. They can resist harsh weather conditions and salty sea air, making them ideal for coastal locations or areas with extreme climates. GRP garage doors do not rust, warp or rot, and require very little maintenance. Furthermore, they can also imitate the appearance of wood with realistic woodgrain textures and a variety of colourful options which look like natural timber stains. In addition, to the timber effect versions Garador also offer a silky, smooth gloss white GRP product in the form of the Arden.

 

Find out more about Garador’s comprehensive range of garage doors, in a variety of materials, by visiting www.garador.co.uk

What sort of garage door should you consider for a garage with obstructions in ceiling space?

If you have a garage with obstructions in the ceiling space, such as pipes, beams, or ducts, you might be wondering what sort of garage door you should consider. After all, you don't want to end up with a door that doesn't fit or that damages your ceiling. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the options available for garages with limited ceiling space and help you choose the best one for your needs.

One of the most common types of garage doors for garages with obstructions in the ceiling space is the side-hinged door. This is a door that opens outwards from the sides, rather than upwards from the bottom. Side-hinged garage doors are easy to install and operate, and they don't require any overhead tracks or springs. They also offer a more traditional and rustic look that can complement your home's style.

Another option for garages with limited ceiling space is the roller door. This is a door that rolls up into a compact cylinder above the opening, rather than sliding along the ceiling. Roller doors are ideal for saving space and maximizing clearance, as they only need a few inches of headroom. They also offer a sleek and modern look that can enhance your home's exterior appearance.

As you can see, there are two main types of garage doors that you can consider for a garage with obstructions in the ceiling space. The best one for you will depend on your personal preference, budget, and available space. 

Check out www.garador.co.uk  to view the full range of Garador garage doors.