Welcome to the ACDM

Welcome to the Association of Composite Door Manufacturers (ACDM)

The ACDM was formed in 2002 in response to the growing demand for and the increasing number of door manufacturers offering Composite pedestrian entrance doorsets to the UK housing market. The aim, to introduce self-regulation and discipline into the new type of external doorsets manufactured from a combination of new technology materials. Composite doorsets being supplied to both the new build and retrofit markets, in particular the social housing sectors.

The Associations primary goals were to promote the use of composite doorsets to all markets and to develop a British Standard for the specification of composite doorsets. BS 8529 Composite doorsets – Domestic external doorsets – Specification was published in 2010 and the latest revision was published in 2017. Membership of the ACDM has been further widened to include System Suppliers, Component Suppliers and Installation and Maintenance companies.

The ACDM operates under a Constitution that is available to view in the ‘Join the ACDM’ section of this website and members must adhere to the ACDM Code of Good Practice.

Third-party certification

ACDM also require all members who manufacture doorsets to hold independent third-party certification where security to PAS 24 (or alternative schemes) or Fire-resistance is claimed to provide certainty of performance to specifiers and end-users. Third-party certification will also include a review of the manufacturers quality management system and Factory Production Control (FPC).

ACDM Installation and Maintenance members must also demonstrate that their installers are suitably trained to install composite doorsets, both for security and fire-resistance if they offer these for installation.

Composite doorsets

Composite doorsets are generally manufactured using door leaves with thermoplastic (e.g., PVC-U, ABS, polycarbonate), thermoset (e.g., GRP, Carbon Fibre) or steel facings with a variety of sub-frame and core materials or doorsets manufactured with door framing manufactured from a material differing from the door leaf e.g., timber door leaf fitted into a PVC-U frame. Many composite doorsets incorporate door leaves with insulating foam cores although some feature solid, laminated or sandwich panel cores.

Security

The ACDM is also involved with the on-going development of the industry’s primary security standard, PAS 24, the latest version being the 2016 revision although a further revision is currently being developed and is expected to be published in late summer 2022 following a period of public consultation of the revision. PAS 24 is the security standard referenced in Building Regulation guidance in England Scotland and Wales although some alternative schemes are also accepted.

Fire-resistance

Since the terrible consequences of the Grenfell Tower fire, the ACDM has been working with Government on developing solutions to enable Fire-resistant Composite Doorsets to be used in both new dwellings and replacement installations. Full details of this work can be viewed in its dedicated section of this website.

Building Regulations

Building Regulations and the relevant guidance are revised by Government on a regular basis and the ACDM, through the many committees it sits on, voices the composite door industry’s views and recommendations on these revisions.

Building Regulations are the responsibility of the National Governments in the UK and guidance is given in Approved Documents (England), Technical Handbooks (Scotland), Approved Documents (Wales) and Technical Booklets (Northern Ireland). This guidance is further explained in the Building Regulation section of this website.

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