The Challenge

A large industrial warehouse in Mississauga had a high-traffic door opening where maintaining environmental conditions was becoming an increasing challenge. Continuous forklift and personnel traffic through the opening meant the door was either held open for extended periods or cycling constantly — in both cases, cold outdoor air, insects, and airborne contaminants were entering the facility during every transit event. Relying on door cycling alone was insufficient: the door couldn’t be open for the required period without compromising internal conditions, and cycling it on every forklift pass was impractical and added wear to the door system.

The facility was experiencing rising energy costs from heat loss through the opening, and there were concerns about product integrity from contaminant ingress at the warehouse’s active receiving and dispatch area.

The Solution

Wilcox Door Service installed a Berner commercial air curtain above the warehouse door opening. The air curtain generates a high-velocity downward airstream across the full width of the opening, creating an invisible barrier between the interior and exterior environments that remains effective whether the door is open or cycling. Forklift operators and personnel can transit through the opening without waiting for a door cycle, while the air curtain maintains the thermal and contamination separation that the facility’s internal conditions require.

The Berner unit was specified for the opening width and the air velocity required to maintain separation against the facility’s typical internal-external pressure differential and ambient wind conditions. Installation was completed above the door opening with the unit positioned and angled for full coverage of the opening profile.

Outcomes

Cold air infiltration, insect intrusion, and airborne contaminant ingress through the warehouse opening were significantly reduced following the air curtain installation. Forklift and personnel transit through the opening was no longer constrained by door cycling requirements — operators move freely while the air curtain maintains environmental separation in the background. Energy costs associated with the opening’s heat loss decreased, and the product integrity concerns at the receiving and dispatch area were addressed. The air curtain operates continuously and quietly, doing its job without requiring active management from the facility’s team.