The global automatic door market is predicted to grow in all segments over the next five years, according to multiple reports. The widely-adopted EN 16005 directive also means building owners must ensure their doors meet stringent safety standards.
Since 2013, building owners have been subject to regulations around automatic doors that are used by the public. The directive, known as EN 16005, applies to all European Committee for Standardization countries, including major European economies such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.
EN 16005 covers all new power-operated doors installed after 10th October 2012 used for normal access, in escape routes and as fire resistance and/or smoke control door sets. Specifically, ‘power operated doors’ refers to pedestrian sliding, swing and revolving door sets, including balanced and folding doors.
The directive was ordered to improve safety standards and states that people and goods are not allowed to be hit by moving doors. To ensure this is achieved, EN 16005 says that power-operated doors must be installed with safety sensors and door operators that are in constant communication.
Maintenance has to be carried out by approved technicians annually on all doors covered by EN 16005. Failure to do so leaves owners potentially liable should an incident occur because of a faulty door. The scope of EN 16005 is described as “[dealing] with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events relevant to power-operated doorsets when they are used as intended and where conditions of misuse are reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturer”.
While the EN 16005 regulations were agreed upon for use in Europe, it has also been adopted by nations in the Middle East and Asia.
The global automatic door market reached a value of $18.44 billion in 2021. IMARC Group expects the market to reach $30.09 billion by 2027, exhibiting at a CAGR of 8.27% during 2022-2027.
The IMARC report cited “significant growth in the construction industry” as one of the critical drivers of growth in the automatic door market. It also noted that automatic doors are increasingly finding favour as they provide secure and convenient door access to differently-abled individuals.
The impact of COVID-19 is also at play. The pandemic drove a rise in demand for automatic doors as they provide hands-free access to public places, such as shops, hospitals, restaurants, office buildings, and apartments, and cut the risk of viral transmission.
A report by Technavio said that the market will achieve a YOY growth of 5.23% at a CAGR of 5.91% during the forecast period of 2021-2025
“APAC will account for 49% of market growth. In APAC, China is the most important market for automatic doors. The market in this region will increase at a quicker rate than the market in other regions.” said the study.
“Over the projection period, a surge in investment in commercial real estate projects with upgraded facilities will aid the automated doors market expansion in APAC. Furthermore, countries such as the China, US, Germany, and France are expected to emerge as prominent markets for Automatic Doors Market during the forecast period.”
All of the new activity that takes place in Europe and many locations in Asia and the Middle East will comply with EN 16005 regulations.
With much of the increase in the automatic door market covered by EN 16005 regulations, the size of the automatic door sensor market also shows an upward trend. A Research And Markets forecast reports that the European automatic door sensor market is expected to grow from $305.3 million in 2019 to $427.5 million in 2027, with a CAGR of 4.4% over the period.
The report noted: “The growing popularity of smart airports and escalating airport development as well as expansion activities across Europe bolster the market growth in this region. The growth of the aviation industry over the years has complemented developments in several associated technologies, such as internet connectivity.
“Moreover, the governments of European countries are investing in smart airport technologies such as smart sensors, communication and network systems, cameras, RFID tags, and wearable devices, owing to rising consumer preference for real-time information.”
Safetell has a proven track record of automatic door servicing and maintenance. As well as carrying out annual checks to ensure compliance with EN 16005 regulations, our experts are adept at repairing faults and issues, keeping downtime to a minimum. Our customers benefit from our ‘repair not replace’ mentality, meaning they save significant sums of money by not having to replace whole automatic door systems. We’re also system-agnostic, so we give customers unbiased advice, regardless of the makes and models of their equipment.