Bilco offers reliable, quality & durable products

Formed 23 years ago, Bilco UK has forged a formidable reputation amongst architects, engineers and specifiers. Renowned for quality and durability throughout its range of roof hatches, smoke vents, floor doors and safety products, Bilco is committed to the long term benefits it can provide its customers.
• Roof access hatches
All Bilco aluminum hatches come with a 10 year guarantee, indicative of the company’s commitment to high quality standards. Whether the application is for interior ladders, ship stairs, service stairs, and security access or for larger sized hatches, Bilco hatches can be installed quickly and with reduced costs. Also, Bilco has specifically manufactured the hatches for the requirements of buildings in the UK and Europe. Fully insulated, gasketed and fitted with heavy duty slam latches, Bilco roof hatches are a perfect addition to a modern, secure and energy efficient building.

To add an extra degree of safety, Bilco offers a comprehensive range of fixed and retractable ladders for all its access products. Both Bilco’s fixed and retractable ladders are designed with optimum safety in mind, taking into consideration the harsh treatment they are often subjected to in the commercial/industrial environment.

• Smoke Vents
For Bilco, safety is paramount in all its products. 95% of all fire related deaths result from smoke inhalation so increasing evacuation time and decreasing the risk of smoke inhalation, is vital. Bilco leads the way in thermally enhanced, high performance smoke vents. The company’s range of smoke vents is designed to satisfy Building Regulations, meet Approved Document B, BS 9999 and European Standards enshrined in EN 12101.

For example, the Bilco 140° Type REM smoke vent is designed to fully open in 60 seconds, allowing noxious and potentially explosive fumes to escape from a building. Its design reduces the chances of smoke blowing back into the premises as well as providing access for fire-fighters. Across the range, Bilco smoke vents are available in single and double leaf designs and can be produced to be either automatically or remotely opened. Bilco insists on robust manufacturing standards and these smoke vents come with a 10 year warranty – keeping buildings safe for years to come.

• Control Options
Bilco offers an array of controls which work effectively with its range of smoke vents and roof hatches. Bilco controls and accessories, such as the OS2 control unit, are specifically designed to work as a stand-alone management system or as an integrated component of a fully networked system. In the event of a fire, the OS2 offers a failsafe option, powered by a battery backup, if the mains electrical supply is cut.

In non-emergency situations, Bilco provides a wide range of control accessories to independently open and close access equipment for roof inspection and maintenance.

• Floor Doors
Bilco can provide a solution for any sized pit or floor door configuration. Bilco’s floor doors range from small interior floor doors complete with insets for carpets and tiles to reinforced doors for areas of heavy traffic or high security. Compression springs ensure smooth, easy, single person operation, regardless of door size, while an automatic hold-open arm locks the cover open for safety.

As always, the Bilco commitment to quality and durability is reflected in the warranty; drainage doors have an exclusive 25-year warranty, while non-drainage and fire doors are covered for 10 years. Manufactured with a positive latching mechanism to prevent unauthorized access and to the highest corrosion resistant standard, Bilco floor doors can be relied upon for years of trouble-free, dependable service.

• Safety Products
Bilco is committed to helping its customers maintain high standard of safety. The LadderUp® Safety Post provides easier, safer ladder access through roof hatches, floor doors and manholes. Permanently mounting to the top two rungs of any fixed ladder, the specially designed telescopic post provides a safe and secure hand-hold, making it easier to enter and exit an access hatch. The LadderUp® post can be retrofitted to almost any application and is covered by Bilco’s exclusive 10-year warranty.

Bilco also offers a fall protection grating system, available for its J-AL and JD-AL floor doors. Made from tough fibreglass and secured with an automatic hold open arm, the grating system is engineered to prevent people falling through floor doors. Bilco’s fall protection grating system is offered with a 25-year warranty.

• Custom Applications
Bilco is renowned for its flexibility in meeting its customer’s requirements. Customised designs can be tailored to the client’s individual needs with a range of features from security options, motorised operations as well as various paint finishes and safety aids. Not only is Bilco flexible in the design and manufacture process, the company also offers fast service delivery. Standard items are delivered anywhere in the UK in three to four working days and special custom products can be made and delivered in five to eight weeks.

With a proven commitment to high quality standards and ensuring complete customer satisfaction, Bilco UK is a strong force for now and the future.

Lifting the lid on M&M’s world

M&M’s World arrived in a very big way in London’s West End this summer. The confectionery mega-store is the first of its kind in Europe and is big enough to house more than 100 double-decker buses. It spans 35,000 square feet over four floors and is reported to offer shoppers a ‘retail-tainment’ experience with giant statues of the M&M’s characters, interactive screens inside a 1960’s London Bus, video links to all floors and a wall of chocolate in a sea of colour. Meopham based firm AEM Demolition undertook the heavyside building works for the US high-end retail construction specialist and main contractor McKenzie Keck. AEM needed reliable, durable and easy access to the building’s under-floor services and they chose our 5000 Series stainless steel access covers to do the job.

Howe Green stainless steel panels were installed in a range of different internal areas as well as with a wide variety of different types of flooring, including bright red resin in the public and retail areas, painted concrete in service corridors and carpet in office spaces.

“We were very pleased with Howe Green’s access covers” said Peter Rumsey, AEM’s Building Projects Manager “They were very good quality and well made. Fitting them was quick and easy and we found they went in perfectly flush with all the different floors on site.”

Howe Green covers have been specified in some of the most prestigious and demanding retail construction projects across the world. They are designed and built to withstand the pressures of high volume pedestrian traffic and they hold up to a 1 hour fire rating in line with BS 476: Part 20 1987. Being made of stainless steel, they are also resistant to rust and corrosion and are double sealed to ensure that no dirt or grease can penetrate them which can help reduce maintenance costs and keep the building functioning as it should.