Gate automation specialists, not general electricians
We do one thing: automated entrances and the systems that control them. That focus is why we can talk about duty cycles, force limits and declarations of conformity rather than just fitting a motor and leaving.
DL Gates & Access is based in Broughton Astley in south Leicestershire, and has been working on automated gates and access systems since 1992. We cover domestic, commercial and industrial sites: a private driveway in Leicestershire and a distribution yard in Nottingham get the same engineer and the same paperwork.
Our work splits into two halves. The first is putting entrances in: surveying, specifying to duty cycle, installing, force-testing and certifying. The second, and the larger half, is keeping other people's entrances running, through servicing contracts, reactive repairs and bringing non-compliant legacy installations up to current standards.
That second half is why we work on every mainstream manufacturer rather than tying ourselves to one. Most of the systems we maintain were installed by somebody else, sometimes decades ago, and occasionally by a firm that no longer exists.
The three words on our logo are the order we work in. Security: the entrance has to keep the wrong people and vehicles out. Safety: it has to do that without being able to injure anyone. Assurance: and you need documentation proving both, because on a powered gate that is a legal requirement, not a nicety.
Four things we will not compromise on
We test, and we write it down
Every installation, upgrade and service visit ends with measured impact forces and a document that records them. It is the part of this trade most often skipped, and the part that matters if something goes wrong.
We fix the cause
A control board that burns out twice is telling you something mechanical is wrong. We diagnose properly rather than replacing the cheapest part that makes the symptom go away for a fortnight.
We specify honestly
If a repair beats a replacement, we will say so. If your site needs an access-control barrier rather than an impact-rated one, we will not sell you the expensive answer to a question you do not have.
We turn up
Out-of-hours callout means answered out of hours, not logged for Monday. On contracted sites it means priority over ad-hoc work, which is most of the point of a contract.
Six steps, and the fourth is the one most contractors skip
Every installation and upgrade runs the same sequence, so you always know what stage the job is at and what has been proved before we leave.
Survey, on site
We come and look at the entrance. Gate weight and leaf length, ground levels, post condition, power routes, how vehicles and people actually approach it, and how many movements a day it sees. Nothing useful can be quoted without this.
Itemised quotation
You get a written quotation broken down by element (operator, safety devices, controls, groundworks, access control) so you can see what each part costs and decide what stays in. No single lump figure hiding the civils.
Installation, sequenced
Groundworks and ducting first, then hardware, then controls and safety devices. We work around your access needs and tell you in advance about any period the entrance cannot be used.
Force test & certify
Impact forces measured with calibrated equipment against BS EN 12453, safety devices proved, risk assessment completed and a declaration of conformity issued. This is the step most gates on site have never had.
Handover & training
We show you the manual release, the controls and what the safety devices do, and leave a documentation pack. If you have staff or residents who use the gate, we cover them too.
Maintenance cycle
We set a service interval based on duty and on who uses the entrance, and re-test the forces at every visit. You get a written report each time, building into a compliance log you can hand to an insurer.
Thinking about a new gate?
Tell us about the entrance and we will come and look at it, then specify the gate and operator that suit the opening, the traffic and the site. Surveys are free and quotations are itemised.