MDS’s High-Performance Shutter Installation: An Ellard Case Study

At Ellard, we’re always excited to see how our products perform in real-world applications. Recently, MDS completed an impressive installation featuring our VDA180 motors, designed to meet the demands of a high-traffic racking environment. Given the complexity of the project where speed, safety, and fire protection were top priorities, we were eager to learn more about how our solutions played a role in its success. 

We spoke with Laura Rose at MDS to get her insights on the project, the decision-making process, and MDS’s overall experience. Here’s what she had to say. 

Meeting the Project Requirements 

Can you please give an overview of the project requirements and the solution you offered to your customer? 

Laura explained: 

"The shutters are to be used in a busy racking environment. We were looking to cover 3 main bases.  

1. Speed 

 2. Safe operations  

3. Fire safety.  

Speed was essential due to high traffic flow in the area, safe operations was key due to high operations and personnel, and for fire safety, we needed the doors to open via a fire alarm signal so there would be a clear fire exit path. 

From the outset, it was clear that this wasn’t a standard shutter installation. The combination of speed, operational safety, and fire protection meant that the solution needed to be highly responsive and reliable under all conditions. Our VDA180 motors, known for their robust design and control functionality, were an ideal fit for these requirements."

Choosing the Right Motors

What made you choose our VDA180 motors for this solution? 

Laura shared: 

"I was keen to use Ellard’s motor controls for 2 key reasons.  

1. We use Ellard’s equipment on our fire shutter range and although we usually use them to close a shutter in an event of a fire but in this instance, we were signalling the doors to open, we trust in the products as we have little to no issues with Ellard’s fire controls and have used them for a number of years.  

2. We supplied 8 of these type of shutters, same customer, same environment back in 2013 to which have been used daily in high traffic environments, and they have worked well since they have been installed, the service/maintenance schedule we advised has been adhered too and I can confirm the shutters have worked consistently for the last 10+ years."

Hearing that our fire shutter solutions have been delivering reliable performance for over a decade is exactly the kind of feedback we strive for. The fact that MDS had already seen our products withstand the test of time in a demanding environment reassured us that the VDA180 motors were the right choice for this new project. The ability to trust in a product’s longevity and resilience is crucial when working on large-scale installations like this. 

Project Execution and Collaboration

How would you describe the experience of working with our team during the project? Did any members of the Ellard team stand out to you? 

Laura stated: 

"I contacted Adam Robinson advising that there was potential for 24 of the doors and from this point we have worked together alongside Ralph of MDS and Dave England of Ellard’s to ensure we could offer the same level of service we had provided back in 2013. We had one slight hiccup during commissioning, I contacted Adam directly and Ellard was in attendance the next day onsite, and all doors were installed and commissioned within the time scale."

 At Ellard, we pride ourselves on providing not just high-quality products but also exceptional support. We know that large-scale projects like this come with challenges, and our goal is always to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. The fast response from our team ensured that the project stayed on schedule, reinforcing the trust MDS placed in us. 

Final Results and Customer Feedback 

Now the project is completed, have you received any feedback from your own customers or internal team regarding the finished solution? 

Lastly, Laura added: 

"The project was delivered by MDS manufacturing team and install led by Josh Westwood. Everybody who has seen the end result have advised how aesthetically pleasing the shutters look, we were impressed with the speed of the doors, the easy set up of control panels with the audio-visual panels. We have also had further interest from other customers about the shutters on this project. Overall it has been a successful project for MDS."

It’s always rewarding to see our products in action and to hear that they are not only performing well but also generating more interest from customers. The combination of speed, ease of use, and aesthetics makes these shutters a standout solution in a high-demand environment. 

We are proud to have worked with MDS on this project and look forward to seeing how our collaboration continues to deliver results in the future.