Although an effective HVAC system can improve the productivity of employees in especially manufacturing environments, these systems are often costly. Strip curtains could provide an alternative solution…
Strip curtains can prevent the influx of hot and cold air in manufacturing environments.
With ever more pressure placed on manufacturing operations to remain competitive, focus is being directed to ensuring an operational environment that is conducive to the production of consistently high quality products and a reduction in wastage. Among the factors that influence this are employee working conditions as this impacts directly on issues such as quality and productivity.
While an adequate HVAC system can play an important role in ensuring the comfort of workers, this is not always a feasible option. In some instances, the plant design does not lend itself to the inclusion of an HVAC system. In others the capital cost and running costs of a power-hungry HVAC system makes it impractical.
According to Wim Dessing, managing director of Apex Strip Curtains and Doors, a cost effective and practical alternative to an HVAC system, is strip curtains.
But it’s important to ensure that these strip curtains are made with the local climate in mind. “Some parts of South Africa are considered to be desert, while other parts have a temperate climate and yet others are sub-tropical. Such extremes in temperature and humidity require careful attention to design and engineering detail to ensure a strip curtain that works effectively, irrespective of the location,” says Dessing.
In addition to controlling the influx of cold or hot exterior air, the strip curtains can be designed to reduce the levels of dust as well as the ingress of birds, rodents and insects. In industries where hygiene and cleanliness are critical, strip curtains can prevent the passage of unwanted contaminants, but still allow the unhindered and safe passage of people and forklift trucks.
Another added benefit is the reduction of noise levels, from either inside the plant facility or from outside.
