In a busy warehouse it happens sooner or later: a forklift or a lorry hits the door. With a conventional high-speed door, the result is a torn curtain, bent guides, a blocked opening and an urgent technician call-out. The self-repairing high-speed door was developed precisely to avoid this scenario. Here is how it works and when it is the right choice.
How a self-repairing high-speed door works
The principle is simple: the curtain is not rigidly fixed to the side guides. When it is hit, the edge of the curtain comes out of the guide instead of tearing. On the next cycle, the door automatically feeds the curtain back into the guides and returns to normal operation.
In practice:
- there is no need to call a technician after an accidental impact;
- the opening does not stay blocked and production does not stop;
- the curtain and guides suffer far less damage over time.
The ZipGO range
ZipGO is our flagship self-repairing high-speed door: designed to separate areas with different uses, it reaches an opening speed of up to 3.0 m/s (indicative value, depending on configuration) and is used both indoors and outdoors, often where people and machinery move through.
ZipGO 2.0 is the evolution designed for intensive use: a flexible high-speed door with an inverter motor, advanced safety systems and adjustable polythene guides. It is ideal for warehouses and production departments with many cycles a day.
The same technology is the basis for versions dedicated to specific needs:
- ZipGO Food for food companies;
- ZipGO Conveyor for automated lines and conveyor belts;
- Alumina, with a modular extruded aluminium structure.
When does it really pay off?
A self-repairing door is the most sensible choice when:
- traffic is frequent and the opening is used by forklifts or electric pallet trucks;
- manoeuvring space is tight and the risk of impact is high;
- downtime is expensive, for example on production lines or in logistics with tight delivery times;
- the door separates departments with different requirements (warm and cold, clean and dirty) and cannot be left open.
We have seen a non-self-repairing PVC door smashed by a departing lorry: the company was left with an open doorway and a door to replace. With a self-repairing door, in most cases, a new opening cycle would have been enough.
Self-repairing or stacking?
| Criterion | Self-repairing (ZipGO) | Stacking (VertiGO) |
|---|---|---|
| Impact resistance | Excellent, resets itself | Good, robust structure |
| Very wide openings | Medium | Up to 15 m (VertiGO) |
| Wind exposure | Indoors and sheltered outdoor locations | Ideal for exposed façades |
| Speed | Very high | High |
The two often coexist in the same facility: self-repairing doors on the busiest internal openings, stacking doors on the external ones.
Frequently asked questions
Does a self-repairing door really fix itself after an impact?
Yes: the curtain comes out of the guides without tearing and is fed back in automatically on the next cycle. Very violent impacts may still require a technical check.
How fast is a ZipGO?
ZipGO reaches an opening speed of up to 3.0 m/s; the actual value depends on the size and configuration of the door.
Can it be installed outdoors?
Yes, ZipGO is used both indoors and outdoors. For façades heavily exposed to wind, we also consider stacking doors.
What maintenance does it need?
Like any high-speed door, it benefits from planned maintenance. With G Services we offer maintenance plans and after-sales support.
If you install or resell industrial doors, the ZipGO range can be a strong addition to your catalogue: Become a GLG dealer.
Want to eliminate downtime caused by impacts?
Send us the size of the opening, the type of vehicles and the number of passages per day: we will recommend the most suitable ZipGO and send you a quote. Or book a free site survey.
