DHF LIFE MEMBER AWARDS FOR STALWARTS OF THE UK DOOR INDUSTRY

Article first published 25/01/2007

The Door and Hardware Federation (DHF) has conferred Honorary Life Member awards on two leading figures in the UK door industry who were instrumental in the creation of the federation.  
 
They are Derek Smith, who was chief executive officer of the DHF until his retirement in 2004, and Richard Warom, who is managing director of Hormann UK Ltd.  
 
Derek and Richard masterminded the amalgamation of the Door and Shutter Manufacturers’ Association (DSMA) and Association of Building Hardware Manufacturers (ABHM) to form the DHF.  
 
With 40 years in the UK door industry, Derek worked at Bolton Gate before joining the DSMA as technical officer. He later became its chief executive officer.  
 
Richard, who has many years’ experience in the door industry, was chairman of the DSMA from 2002 to 2005, the period during which the amalgamation of the two trade associations took place. He first joined Hormann in 1989 as an account sales manager selling industrial and domestic garage doors, and worked his way up the company. In his early career he worked in the door and window ironmongery sector before joining a leading national industrial door company.  
 
Since 1998 he has been a board director of the resurgent National Home Improvement Council and was its chairman for a two year period. He is a trustee of the NHIC educational trust.  

Article ID No.: 140