New shutters following storm damage

Hart Door Systems has completed the installation of five steel shutters on a major Northumberland grain silo which had suffered significant damage on its existing shutters caused by storm Arwen.

“This storm is well documented with widespread and serious damage being reported across northern England where windspeeds reached over 100 mph,” says Carl Crossman, Hart’s project manager. “The location, Hetton Sheds farm, is wedged between Northumberland’s Kyloe Hills and the Cheviot foothills. The silo took the storm’s full force with six steel shutters, one in a machine store and five in a grain store, being damaged beyond repair.”

Mr Crossman says the original shutters stood ‘no chance’ of standing up to the serious storm. “We advised the client that the original 20g 65mm original shutters, where the wind-lock guides blew out causing irreversible damage, should be replaced with a heavier steel shutter comprising 18g laths and 100mm wind-lock guides,” says Mr Crossman.

“Five shutters measuring 5.7w x 5.9h and one of 6w x 5.07h have been fitted to the very large silo. This was our first installation at this site as a result of the Arwen storm more of which are forecast to be a regular feature as a result of Climate Change. We were able to draw on our experience with our Typhoon shutter which is installed in Far Eastern locations such as Hong Kong which is used to violent storms.”