The Middle-Eastern region is experiencing a tremendous growth in industrial development. Saudi Arabia alone wants to set 36,000 factories by 2035 with 4,000 fully-automated facilities on par with evolving technologies. It has already set up 103 new factories in the first quarter of 2025, as a part of its Vision 2030 Industrial Strategy. In Abu Dhabi too, the number of industrial settings grew by about 20% in recent times.

It’s needless to say that the engineering design and structural elements in these new factories are way different from the older, more conventional ones. Moreover, there will be a noticeable increase in the number of people getting employed in these units. So their safety and ease of work should be a priority besides using top-grade machinery and technologies.

And that’s where factory floor doors come into play.

The Role Of Floor Doors In Factories

Fire-rated or non fire-rated, these floor hatch doors are resistant and durable access systems that help maintain safety, efficiency and the stability of factory floors. During major maintenance and repair work, these doors offer a convenient access to underground utilities.

In the past, systems beneath the floor, like drainage lines and service pipes, didn't have any specially-engineered access except a few manholes and drain covers. Workers had to cut through the concrete slabs sometimes to reach these elements. This resulted in unnecessary delays and excess of debris, besides increasing safety risks.

In today’s factories, things are considered from both safety and efficiency perspectives. As a result, floor access doors are essential to maintain safety standards and the structural integrity of factory floors.

floor hatches access doors

Even the Middle East market for fire doors and partitions, which includes floor hatch doors and roof access door systems, echoes this engineering trend. Its value was $972 million in 2024 but is expected to grow at a whopping CAGR of 9.1% through 2030.

One more reason for the growing popularity of access systems is the stricter compliance standards.

Factories now must be compliant with all safety regulations, local and international, to operate with minimum risks to workers’ safety.

Removing tiles and concrete slabs during underfloor maintenance works create trip hazards. The dust and debris that’s dug out can spread throughout the factory floors, increasing chances of contamination. All these factors amount to non-compliance regarding workers’ health, safety and even environmental stress.

Floor doors, when positioned right, eliminate these issues and ensure a safe and hygienic environment to work.

Different Types Of Floor Doors For Industrial Spaces

As people keep pacing up and down the factory floors, dragging heavy equipment, product batches, etc., the floor doors need to handle that load for years. Moreover, additional features protect critical manufacturing and processing units from accidents.

floor hatch doors

At Dutco Tennant LLC, we can provide you with a complete range of durable and high-performance access door solutions. These are made of heavy-duty materials to bear excess foot and load traffic for many years.

1. Fire-Rated Doors

Besides offering safe access to underfloor areas, floor hatches and access doors prevent fire and smoke from reaching the critical maintenance spots. These are spaces where even a small flame can result in a massive explosion, even blowing up the entire unit. Power plants, manufacturing units and heat-heat zones are ideal for installing the fire-rated systems.

2. Drainable/Non-Drainable hatches

In many F&B processing units and pharma facilities, regular washdowns are needed to keep the environment hygienic. The drainable floor doors have built-in drainage channels that remove water from the surface easily.

Non-drainable doors are ideal for dry settings, like automotive plants, electrical and manufacturing units. Frequent inspections of underground systems require these access hatches to be perfectly safe and compliant.

3. Visually-appealing access systems

Now, these are required for factory showrooms, retail spaces, shopping malls and other places where design aesthetics matter as much as safety and efficiency. These floor access doors have lids that mimic tiled or vinyl surfaces, thus integrating seamlessly with surrounding floor designs.

4. Retrofit Doors

While upgrading an old factory several changes need to be made to improve safety and efficiency of the unit. When floor rebuilding is not an option, retrofit floor doors fit into the existing slabs without major demolition. Ideal for industrial plant upgrades, extensions or maintenance renovations, these doors provide safe access without unnecessary expenses.

5. Well hatch doors

How to ensure safe access to pump pits, water tanks, or utility vaults beneath the factory floors? The specially-designed well hatch doors with high corrosion-resistant builds is the right solution. These can handle excess moisture and chemicals and give you a safe passage to service areas underground.

Apart from these, we also provide custom access doors that adhere to your project specifications. You can talk to our sales team directly to help you choose the right floor door and additional accessories.

The Long-Term Value Of Floor Doors

From the industrial perspective, these doors are essential components of the floor architecture. Both the new factories getting built and the old ones getting upgraded can benefit from these hatches in the long term.

The region’s manufacturing base is on the rise. Simple yet crucial considerations, like installing fire-rated floor doors, should not be taken lightly. It’s these little things that help develop the foundation for a safe, efficient and compliant setting. Our team can run an audit of your factory to understand the type of access hatches that will be ideal. If you have the specifics already, feel free to share. We will curate just the solution that you need.