Joining forces with M3 Floodtec to deliver an innovative Flood Door

Our broad customer base encompasses a diverse range of commercially focused installers. Here, our Sales & Commercial Director Jeff Dunn and M3 Floodtec Managing Director Matt Keight, share more about the partnership, M3’s flood door innovation and the ongoing nature of our support for their business.

“Glazerite showcased flood solutions specialist and Glazerite installer M3 Floodtec’s unique flood door solution to FIT Show visitors this year, and the innovation proved a real talking point for fellow installers and industry stakeholders” says Jeff Dunn. “It looks like a normal door, but once locked, it passively performs the function of a flood barrier.”

M3’s innovation has been supported by our team into fruition, and is particularly timely, with 2024 seeing a record number of flood alerts being issued across the UK and Government statistics revealing 6.3 million homes and businesses are at risk of flooding.

Headquartered in Worcestershire, M3 is a specialist in the flood defence industry, and is responsible for the manufacture, supply and installation of flood defence systems in use in infrastructure and industrial, commercial and residential properties across the UK.

Jeff continues: “M3 is a long term partner of Glazerite, and as part of their work to help the Environment Agency, house builders and other stakeholders combat flooding with its innovative and independently tested portfolio of flood protection products, we’ve worked with them to fabricate their range of uPVC panel doors, which are adapted for flood defence to resist water ingress into buildings, infrastructure and community areas.”

Matt Keight, M3’s MD, explains the rationale behind the development. He says:

“With doors the most obvious area for water to encroach, we developed the Defender Door range following intensive R&D with the products undergoing stringent testing from the BSI to prove their flood resistance.

Glazerite supported the product design to become a reality. As part of the initial flood door development, Glazerite supported us to extensively research and test door designs, including the low threshold version at our market-leading in-house testing facility.”

For the ongoing delivery of our uPVC and composite door portfolio, which we adapt for flood resistance against flood waters up to a height of 600mm, we needed to engage supply chain partners we could trust, which is why we chose Glazerite.

M3’s innovation is ongoing, with the inclusion of the Defender Low Threshold Flood Door. As the first threshold door to achieve certification to BS851188, the product is a world first and was shortlisted for Product of the Year at last year’s G Awards.

Suitable for part M compliance for both residential and commercial use, the Defender Low Threshold Flood Door meets the need for BSI-certified flood resistance products. It was in development for three years and has been tested independently by BSI and is KitemarkTM certified to British Standard BS 851188-1:2019 + A1:2021.”

Matt adds: “As part of our product development, we needed to ensure our door could be a commercially viable solution as well as have flexible design features to create a further point of difference. Most importantly, the Defender Low Threshold Flood Door had to achieve the exacting standards of the British Standards Institute while being fit for purpose for disabled access.

Until this point, the flood sector hasn’t previously been able to create a low threshold door and independently test to BS 851188. Creating a reliable seal to a low threshold suitable for part M compliance, ensuring structural integrity to withstand a demanding testing process, and delivering a commercially viable solution has been a demanding process, but it’s one we have been very proud to have achieved, supported by Glazerite.”

Jeff concludes: “We have built a strong relationship with Matt and the team at M3 and look forward to ongoing collaborations. Their flood doors are truly game-changing.”