Mila is expanding its Supa stainless steel door hardware range by launching a new Supa safety handle. The handle meets the accessibility requirements of both Approved Document M of the building regulations, and the Lifetime Homes Initiative, according to Mila’s representatives.
The Supa Safety handle has an extended lever which is reportedly easier to grip than the standard Supa lever. The safety handle sits 45mm from the face of the door, according to business’ representatives, which is in line with BS8300. Like the rest of Mila’s Supa range, the new handle is also available in polished or brushed stainless and a polished PVD gold finish.
Richard Gyde, Mila’s managing director, said: “We’ve long had Document M-compliant handles in our ProLinea zinc hardware range but increasingly customers now just want every option in stainless steel. The numbers speak for themselves. Almost 50% of all the door hardware we sell is in stainless steel and we’ve seen sales almost treble since 2019. Demand is such that we’re filling in any perceived gaps in our range as quickly as we can, so that all our customers can make the switch regardless of the type, style or application of the finished door.”
Mila’s leaders commissioned independent analysis in 2022 to show that the carbon footprint of stainless steel hardware is lower than zinc diecast. The resulting report from consultants Tunley Engineering revealed that the annual carbon emissions for a Mila stainless steel door handle are only 17% of the zinc die cast equivalent.
The difference is partly because stainless steel products have a lifespan that is typically five times longer than zinc, so the carbon emissions can be averaged out over a much longer period. But more significantly, the emission factors for producing zinc are 60+% higher than they are for steel, as more energy-intensive processes are required. These proven sustainability credentials can appeal to both retail customers who want to buy more sustainably and to commercial specifiers who often have to demonstrate the achievement of carbon reduction targets.
Richard added: “Because of the proven benefits when it comes to both durability and sustainability, we’d like to see stainless steel become the default option for all doors in 2023. As well as expanding the range, we’re also continuing to work hard to bring costs down so that the price difference between our Supa and zinc diecast ranges eventually becomes negligible for most of our customers.”
Earlier this year, Mila added its anti-bump one-star BSI Kitemarked cylinder to its security cylinders range. Read more about this here.
