Bolton-based Booth Industries, part of Avingtrans PLC’s Advanced Engineering Systems (AES) division, has kicked off 2025 with a major win, securing a new £4.5 million contract to supply pressure-rated fire doors for HS2.

The deal strengthens Booth Industries’ role in the high-speed rail project, building on its existing £36 million contract awarded in September 2020 to provide cross-passage doors for the London-to-West Midlands phase.

Mike Jenkinson, managing director of Booth Industries, said:

“This contract is a great way to start the year and recognises the significant expertise we have developed over the years when it comes to the design and manufacture of high-performance doorsets for some of the world’s most demanding environments.

“When we secured the original HS2 contract, we undertook extensive design, development, and testing to create a door that can withstand high-pressure shockwaves over more than 5 million cycles. This has delivered doors with a design life exceeding 30 years, with learnings now being applied to the bespoke designs created for this new pressure-door contract.”

Mass production of the cross-passage sliding doorsets will commence in Booth’s cutting-edge 600m² production cell towards the end of 2025. Designed to achieve a CO2 emission rate of 38.2kg/CO2/m², the state-of-the-art facility incorporates thermal, lighting, and energy-saving innovations to enhance efficiency and reduce carbon output.

The newly awarded contract will also be delivered from this advanced facility, with the first doorsets scheduled for delivery in 2026.

Austen Adams, divisional managing director of Avingtrans’ AES division, commented:

“The new contract is fantastic news for Booth and represents a significant step forward for the business. Both sets of safety doors will play a crucial role in the operation of the railway, sealing off passageways between tunnels and providing access in case of emergency.

“With trains travelling at speeds of up to 250mph passing just metres from the doors, they must not only offer reliable fire integrity and insulation but also withstand a wide range of environmental and fatigue pressures. Both doorsets have already set new industry benchmarks, and we are delighted to see Booth reinforcing its position as an innovator in the sector, developing specialist products with genuine global market potential.”