Gate Automation
Convenient, secure, and installed to the right standard
An automated gate should make life easier. Open it from the comfort of your car. See who is at the entrance before you let them in. Know that your property is secure the moment the gates close behind you. But an automated gate is also a piece of moving machinery, and one that is not properly installed and commissioned is a genuine safety risk.
That is where our Gate Safe Premier Installer status matters.
We design, supply, and install gate automation across the West Midlands, Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Mid Wales, on new gates and as a retrofit to existing ones. Every system is risk-assessed, fitted with the right safety devices, and handed over with full documentation, including a Declaration of Incorporation and a force test certificate.
New installations and retrofits
We install automation as part of new gate projects and retrofit systems to existing manual gates. If your current gates are in good condition and structurally suitable, adding automation is often a cost-effective way to upgrade your entrance without replacing the gates themselves.
Not all existing gates are suitable for automation. During the site survey, we will assess your gates and give you an honest opinion about whether a retrofit makes sense or whether new gates would be the better investment.
Types of automation
Swing gate automation
Underground operators, ram arms, or articulated arms depending on the gate size, weight, and site conditions. We will recommend the right type for your installation.
Sliding gate automation
Rack-and-pinion drive systems for gates that track along the fence line. Ideal where space is limited or the ground slopes away from the entrance.
Intercoms & access control
An automated gate is only as useful as the system that controls it. We install intercom and access control systems as part of new gate automation projects and as upgrades to existing automated gates.
Gate safety & regulations
Automated gates are pieces of moving machinery. If they are not properly designed, installed, and maintained, they can cause serious injury.
Access control
Automation is only part of the picture. We also install the access control systems that let you manage who comes and goes:
- Video intercoms that let you see and speak to visitors before opening the gates. Modern systems include smartphone apps so you can answer from anywhere.
- Keypads for code-based entry, useful for regular visitors, deliveries, or staff.
- Proximity readers and fobs for hands-free access.
- Automatic number plate recognition for commercial sites with regular vehicle traffic.
Safety
This is where our Gate Safe Premier Installer status really matters. An automated gate is a piece of moving machinery, and it needs to be installed with appropriate safety devices to prevent injury. This includes photocells to detect obstructions, safety edges that stop the gate if it contacts something, and proper force limitation on the motor.
We carry out a full risk assessment on every automated gate installation, and we provide all the required documentation including a Declaration of Incorporation and a force test certificate.
Find out more
What types of electric gate automation are there?
There are two main types: swing gate automation and sliding gate automation. For swing gates we fit underground operators, ram arms or articulated arms, depending on the gate size, weight and site conditions.
For sliding gates we use rack-and-pinion drive systems, which suit entrances where space is limited or the ground slopes away. We will recommend the right type for your installation during the site survey.
Can you add electric motors to my existing manual gates?
Often, yes. If your current gates are in good condition and structurally suitable, retrofitting automation is often a cost-effective way to upgrade your entrance without replacing the gates themselves.
Not every gate is suitable, though. During the site survey we assess your gates and give you an honest opinion on whether a retrofit makes sense or whether new gates would be the better investment. There is more on what affects the price in our guide to electric gate costs.
Is it better to automate gates when they are first installed?
It is usually cheaper to plan for automation at the outset than to retrofit it later. Some systems also depend on it: underground operators need a concrete foundation, so they are most easily installed as part of a new gate project.
If you are buying ready-made gates from our shop, most of our aluminium gates can be powered now or later, so you can still add a motor down the line.
Why does it matter who installs my electric gates?
Because an automated gate is a piece of moving machinery, and one that is not properly installed and commissioned is a genuine safety risk.
As a Gate Safe Premier Installer, we risk-assess every system, fit the right safety devices and hand over full documentation, including a Declaration of Incorporation and a force test certificate. Our gate safety and regulations page explains what the law requires.
What happens to electric gates in a power cut?
Our automated gate systems are fitted with manual release options, so you can open the gates by hand during a power cut. On swing gate installations we can fit key-operated manual release mechanisms.
We can also offer backup battery systems, and for remote sites where running mains power is impractical, solar-powered options are available. We check that manual releases are accessible and working as part of our safety testing.
Which gate material is best for automation?
Aluminium is the easiest to automate. It is significantly lighter than steel or iron, which means less strain on posts, hinges and motors, and often a smaller, less expensive motor.
Wooden gates can be automated too, but their extra weight has to be allowed for, so we specify motors and brackets to suit. Wrought iron gates can also be automated, and we install and commission the full system. See our aluminium gates for more.
What access control can you fit to electric gates for a business?
For commercial sites we can fit keypads for staff and deliveries, proximity readers and fobs, video intercoms, and automatic number plate recognition for sites with regular vehicle traffic.
On busy entrances we can also integrate sliding gates with barrier systems and access control platforms. See our intercoms and access control page, or our estate and commercial gates.
Can you automate farm and field gates?
Yes. We have automated an existing galvanised field gate for a garden centre in Shipley with an on-gate ram system, and fitted a tracked, automated aluminium sliding gate for an agricultural site near Market Drayton. You can see these in our work.
We install bespoke automated systems for farms now, and our pre-built AgriGate system is currently in development. For the rest of the yard, Simply Secure Direct stocks ground anchors, chains and gate hardware.
