Food factory automatic doors: hygienic hands-free pedestrian entrances, change-room doors and sealed sliding doors for food production and processing plants.
Supermarket Automatic Doors: Entrances That Keep Trading
Supermarket automatic doors work harder than almost any other entrance: thousands of shoppers, trolleys in both directions, deliveries, cold air from the fridges and a lock that must hold every night.
For specifications, sizes and a project quote, see our commercial automatic doors page. This guide explains what supermarket automatic doors need to do, which door suits each entrance, how they are installed and serviced, and what they cost. We do commercial pedestrian entrances only: no garage doors, gates, roller shutters or private homes.
What supermarket automatic doors need to do
Every entrance is different, but supermarket automatic doors share the same six requirements.
Trolley traffic
Trolleys go in and out side by side, so the clear opening has to be wide and the leaves protected from knocks. Bi-parting sliding doors with a generous width and guards at trolley height are the norm.
Month-end and weekend peaks
Pay day and Saturday mornings can double the traffic. Opening speed is set for the peak and the operator is sized for the real cycle count.
Air-conditioning and cold chain
Every second the door stands open lets cool air out and warm, dusty air in. Hold-open times and sensor fields are set so the door closes promptly, and an airlock of two doors helps on large stores.
Separate in and out
Many stores use one door for entry and one for exit, with sensors set to open from one side only, which keeps the flow orderly and reduces theft.
Security at night
A header lock, often with a floor lock, secures the leaves at closing, linked to the alarm and released by key switch or timer.
Power cuts
Battery backup keeps the entrance working through load shedding, or opens it safely, so the store keeps trading.
Which door suits each supermarket entrance
These are the starting points we use for supermarket automatic doors. Every doorway is confirmed on site.
| Entrance | What we usually specify |
|---|---|
| Main entrance | Bi-parting sliding, wide opening |
| Entry-only / exit-only | Sliding with one-way sensors |
| Large store | Airlock of two sliding doors |
| Staff and receiving | Robust swing or sliding door |
| Pharmacy counter inside | Single sliding door |
The operators behind supermarket automatic doors
Most supermarket automatic doors we install run on one of two operators, both imported and assembled at our Laser Park base in Roodepoort and tested to one million operating cycles: the MC-125 automatic sliding door, from R27 590 excluding VAT, and the MCW-100 swing door operator, from R15 900 excluding VAT. Both carry 24 months on the operator.
To see how the drive works, read our automatic sliding door mechanism guide.
Common faults on supermarket automatic doors
Trolley knocks bending leaves and floor guides, sensors knocked out of line, and worn rollers from very high cycle counts. Most of these start as wear that a six-monthly service would have caught. See automatic door repairs.
Installing supermarket automatic doors
Every project starts with photographs and a survey of the opening, the header, the floor, the power supply and the access-control connection. We confirm the door type, leaves, glass, sensors and locking in writing, install with our own team (usually in a day for a standard entrance), commission the speeds, sensors and locking for the people who use the door, and hand over a written record of the settings. See automatic door installation.
On a new building, involve us before the shopfront is ordered so the header, power and cabling are right first time. On an existing building, sound leaves can often be reused with a new operator, which costs a fraction of a new entrance. See automatic door CAD drawings.
Servicing supermarket automatic doors
Average doors are serviced every six months; busy entrances more often, based on the cycle count recorded at each visit. Every service checks the track, rollers, belt, motor and controller, tests the sensors, lock and battery, sets the speeds and forces and ends with a written record. Several doors or branches can sit under one service level agreement.
Power cuts, fire and safety
Every entrance gets a defined behaviour for a power failure and a fire alarm: open and stay open, close and lock, or keep running on battery backup, agreed with the building and its fire strategy. Safety sensors stop or reverse the door before it touches anyone and are tested on every visit; glazing is safety glass as SANS 10400-N requires. See automatic doors and load shedding and automatic door safety requirements.
What supermarket automatic doors cost
The MC-125 sliding door operator starts from R27 590 excluding VAT and the MCW-100 swing door operator from R15 900 excluding VAT. The installed price of supermarket automatic doors depends on the leaves, glass, header, sensors, locking and access control, and every site gets a written quotation. Planned servicing costs far less over the life of a door than emergency call-outs. See automatic door prices.
Supermarket automatic doors in Gauteng
We supply, install and service supermarket automatic doors across Johannesburg, Sandton, Midrand, Pretoria, Centurion, the East Rand and the West Rand from our Laser Park base, with same-day attendance in Gauteng where possible, and across South Africa on planned visits.
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Planning an airlock
On large stores, two sets of sliding doors with a short lobby between them stop wind and dust blowing straight into the aisles and keep the cold chain stable. The doors can be set so the outer pair closes before the inner pair opens on windy days.
Receiving and staff doors
Receiving bays and staff doors take pallets and cages. We keep automated pedestrian doors away from forklift routes and leave vehicle doors and roller shutters to the appropriate trade.
Sizing the entrance for trolleys
A trolley is wider than a person and is often pushed two abreast with another coming the other way. The clear opening of supermarket automatic doors is sized for that, not for single shoppers, and the leaves are protected at trolley height so knocks do not bend them out of line. Where trolley bays sit near the entrance, sensors are set so a parked row does not hold the door open.
Theft and the exit route
Entry and exit doors can be set so the exit only opens from inside and the entry only from outside, keeping the flow past the tills. The doors can be linked to the security system so they lock down on an alarm while still opening for escape. These settings are recorded and tested on every service.
Trading hours and timers
Timers switch supermarket automatic doors between open, automatic, exit-only and locked to match trading hours, public holidays and stock-take nights. Staff can override the timer with the program switch when they need to.
Sliding, swing or revolving?
Sliding doors move the most people and never swing into anyone, so they suit most main entrances. Swing doors suit narrow openings, corridors and existing hinged doors. Revolving doors keep wind and heat loss out of tall lobbies but always need a swing door beside them for wheelchairs and goods. For supermarket automatic doors, the main entrance is usually sliding and the internal doors swing. See sliding vs swing door.
Safety sensors explained
Activation sensors, usually microwave radar, open the door when someone approaches. Safety sensors, usually active infrared, watch the threshold and the path of the leaves so the door cannot close on someone standing still. Light curtains in the posts add a vertical safety field on busy or sensitive entrances. All of them are set on site and tested with a test body on every service.
The first year after installation
In the first months the building learns how the door behaves, and we often fine-tune speeds and sensor fields after the first busy weeks. The first service, normally at six months, records the cycle count so the service interval for supermarket automatic doors can be set from real use rather than guesswork.
Three common myths
“Automatic doors waste energy”: a well-set door closes faster than people close a manual one. “They are only for big buildings”: a single swing operator can automate a small practice door. “Any electrician can fix them”: safety settings, forces and sensors need a trained technician and the right parts.
Gauteng conditions
Gauteng brings its own challenges for supermarket automatic doors: summer afternoon storms with hail, wind and driving rain; dry, dusty winters that grind into tracks and rollers; lightning that can damage electronics; and load shedding that can stop a door at the worst moment. We answer each one with the specification: laminated or toughened safety glass, sensors set to ignore wind-blown debris, brushes and seals against dust, surge protection where lightning is common and battery backup on every entrance that must keep working. The service interval is then set from the conditions at each site, not from a fixed calendar.
A typical project, step by step
The client sends photographs of the entrance and tells us how busy it is. A technician surveys the opening, the header, the floor and the power and access-control connections. We confirm the door type, leaves, glass, sensors and locking in writing with a price and lead time. On the agreed day our team installs the operator and leaves, commissions the speeds, sensors and lock, tests the power-failure and fire behaviour with the building and hands over a written record. The first service is booked six months later. This is how every project for supermarket automatic doors runs, large or small.
Access control and security
Doors can be linked to card, tag, biometric, keypad or intercom readers, to timers for trading hours and to the alarm. Two doors can be interlocked where screening is needed, and the lock is set to release on the fire signal where the door is an escape route. See automatic door access control.
Accessible entrances
An automatic door is the simplest way to make an entrance usable for wheelchair users, parents with prams and people carrying goods. Clear width, opening and closing speeds, hold-open time and push buttons are set on site for the people who use the door. See automatic doors for disabled access.
Energy and comfort
A door that closes promptly keeps air-conditioning and heating inside. Hold-open times and sensor fields are set so the door opens for people coming in and out, not for passers-by or wind-blown leaves, and an airlock or revolving door is considered where wind is a problem.
Working in occupied buildings
Most of our work happens in buildings that stay open. We barricade the doorway, keep an alternative entrance open, work outside peak hours where possible and leave the site clean. Every visit starts with a safe-work method for that building.
What you receive after every visit
A written report of what was found and done, the parts used, the settings left on the door, the cycle count, anything that still needs attention and the date of the next visit.
Planning your budget
Budget for three things: the installation or repair itself, any parts or new equipment, and an ongoing service plan. Where several entrances need work, it can be phased over months, starting with the doors that matter most to safety and security. Planned servicing of supermarket automatic doors costs far less over their life than emergency call-outs.
Spare parts we hold
We keep the parts that wear first at our Laser Park workshop: belts, rollers and carriages, sensors, locks, batteries and controllers for the MC-125 and MCW-100, and common parts for other makes, so most faults are fixed on the first visit. See automatic door spare parts.
Modernising older entrances
When an old operator keeps failing or its parts are no longer made, a new MC-125 or MCW-100 can usually be fitted to the existing leaves, glass and frame. This costs a fraction of a new entrance and comes with 24 months on the new operator. See automatic door modernisation.
Why choose MC Automations
- Our own operators: the MC-125 and MCW-100 are imported and assembled at Laser Park.
- Our own technicians: we never sub-contract installation, servicing or repairs.
- Any brand: we service and repair other manufacturers’ doors too.
- Spares in Gauteng: common parts are held at our Laser Park workshop.
- Written records: every visit ends with a report.
- Warranty: 24 months on new MC operators.
Getting the best from your entrance
Keep the floor guide and the area in front of the sensors clear, do not prop the door open or block it with stock, and ask cleaners not to spray water onto the sensors and header. Report noises, hesitation and doors that reopen for no reason early, because these are the first signs of wear. Know where the program switch is and what each mode does, so staff can set the door to open, closed, exit-only or night mode when needed.
Terms you will hear
Operator
The motor, gearbox and controller in the header that drive the door.
Leaves
The moving panels of the door.
Activation sensor
Opens the door when someone approaches.
Safety sensor
Stops or reverses the door if someone is in the way.
Hold-open time
How long the door stays open before closing.
Night mode
Locked and opened only by card, keypad or key switch.
Interlock
Two doors linked so only one opens at a time.
Cycle count
How many times the door has opened, used to plan servicing.
Questions to ask before you choose a contractor
Ask who will install and service the doors, whether spares for your make are held locally, how quickly they attend a breakdown, whether you get a written report after every visit, what warranty applies to new operators, and how the power-failure and fire behaviour of each door will be set and recorded. A supplier who answers all of this in writing is one you can rely on for the life of the entrance.
What to send for a supermarket automatic doors quote
- The address of the building and the number of entrances.
- A photograph of each doorway and of the header above it.
- The clear opening width and height.
- How busy each door gets at its worst time of day.
- Any access-control, alarm or screening requirements.
Request a quote or call 010 412 0062, Monday to Thursday 08:00 to 16:30 and Friday 08:00 to 14:00.
Related guides
shopping centre automatic doors · automatic doors for shops · pharmacy automatic doors
Supermarket automatic doors: frequently asked
What type of door is best for supermarket?
It depends on the entrance: main entrance: bi-parting sliding, wide opening; entry-only / exit-only: sliding with one-way sensors; large store: airlock of two sliding doors.
How much do supermarket automatic doors cost?
Operators start from R27 590 excluding VAT for the MC-125 sliding door and R15 900 excluding VAT for the MCW-100 swing door. Each site is quoted in writing.
Can supermarket automatic doors keep working during load shedding?
Yes, with battery backup. The power-failure behaviour of every entrance is agreed in advance.
How often should supermarket automatic doors be serviced?
Every six months for an average door, more often for busy entrances, based on the cycle count.
Do you work outside Gauteng?
Yes. We work across South Africa from our Laser Park base, with planned visits and breakdown attendance agreed in writing.
Who installs and services the doors?
Our own technicians, never sub-contractors, with a written record after every visit.
Supermarket automatic doors at a glance
- Supermarket automatic doors are specified around the people and traffic at each entrance.
- Supermarket automatic doors run on the MC-125 or MCW-100, tested to one million cycles.
- Supermarket automatic doors keep working through load shedding with battery backup.
- Supermarket automatic doors are installed and serviced by our own team.
See also the South African Bureau of Standards.
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