SKYSHADE 12000OCH - Open Cassette with Hood Cover
SKYSHADE
The SkyShade 12000 OCH is a commercial-grade folding arm awning that combines heavy-duty strength with a compact, unobtrusive profile. Built on a rigid 40mm zinc-plated square torque bar, this system is engineered to handle the demands of large-scale installations on shopfronts, restaurants, and expansive residential terraces.
While classed as an open system, the 'OCH' model features a dedicated aluminium hood cover. This smart addition creates a protective roof over the fabric roll, shielding your branding and material from rain and UV exposure when the awning is closed.
Ideally suited for challenging facades, the torque bar design allows for flexible bracket positioning, making it the choice for projects requiring greater stability and spans up to 12 metres wide.
Phone Our Team Of Experts To Discuss Your Requirements
CALL US NOW ON 01933 449 000
A retractable folding arm awning on 40mm zinced and powdercoated square torque bar for maximum efficiency and fixing ability. Specific bracket points for basic installation but multiple brackets can be installed at any point to give additional support on difficult structures.
The SkyShade 12000 OCH is our heavy-duty open cassette awning, specifically engineered for commercial premises and large-scale residential applications. Based on the robust 'Arezzo' platform, this system is designed to prioritise strength, stability, and installation flexibility, making it the ideal solution for shopfronts, restaurants, and patios with challenging fixing surfaces.
This model features a protective aluminium hood cover which sits above the fabric roll. This smart addition shields the fabric from rain, dirt, and UV degradation when the awning is retracted, offering many benefits of a full cassette system but with the superior strength of a torque bar construction.
Unlike standard domestic awnings which rely on the cassette casing for structure, the 12000 OCH is built around a 40mm square steel torque bar (zinc-plated and powder-coated). This creates an immensely rigid spine for the awning, allowing it to span massive widths of up to 12 metres without flexing.
The "Problem Solver" for Installation:
The torque bar design allows for a multi-bracket, variable positioning system. Instead of being forced to fix brackets at the far ends (where brickwork might be weak), you can slide the brackets along the bar to align perfectly with the strongest parts of your wall—such as structural pillars, studs, or steelwork. This makes the 12000 OCH the "go-to" awning for older buildings or uneven facades.
Despite its heavy-duty classification, the system remains visually compact. When closed, the awning (including the hood) sits neatly against the wall with dimensions of just 290mm projection and 283mm height.
For an awning of this size, manual operation is possible but electric operation is strongly recommended. We fit industry-leading Somfy IO motors as standard, ensuring smooth and effortless control.
Commercial Safety: For business owners, we highly advise adding a Somfy Wind Sensor. This protects your investment (and your customers) by automatically retracting the awning if wind speeds become dangerous, giving you peace of mind during changeable weather.
The SkyShade 12000 OCH is finished with high-performance Dickson acrylic fabric, available in a vast range of colours to suit your branding or home decor. For commercial clients, the open style of the awning makes it easier to apply signwriting or logos to the main cover or valance (available on request).
Understanding why the SkyShade 12000 OCH is superior for commercial use requires understanding the Torque Bar concept. While standard domestic awnings often rely on the outer casing for structure (fixing only at the far ends), this system is built around a heavy-duty 40mm square steel backbone that runs the entire width of the awning.
How it works:
The heavy folding arms of an awning exert massive leverage forces—effectively trying to twist the awning off the wall. On a Torque Bar system, the arms are clamped directly onto this steel bar, rather than the cosmetic casing. The wall brackets also clamp onto this same bar.
Why this is stronger:
Due to the physical length of the folding arms, there are minimum width requirements for each projection size. Please ensure your required width meets the minimum shown below:
| Projection (mm) | Minimum Width (mm) |
| 1600 | 2070 |
| 2100 | 2570 |
| 2600 | 3070 |
| 3100 | 3570 |
| 3600 | 4070 |
| 4100 | 4570 |
The SkyShade 12000 OCH is engineered for large-scale coverage, and its supply configuration depends on the total width ordered:
Full, detailed assembly instructions are provided with every order to guide you through the coupling process.
As a Torque Bar system, the SkyShade 12000 OCH offers superior installation versatility compared to standard end-fix awnings:
Once the brackets are secure, the awning body is lifted and locked into place. Final commissioning involves:
Installation manuals are included with the product and are also available for digital download in the Relevant Downloads section above.
Awnings Online guarantees that our awnings are free from material and assembly defects, provided that such products were correctly installed in a domestic or commercial situation. The obligation of Awnings Online is limited to the repair or replacement of the defective materials or components. Repairs will be made with like or similar parts. This guarantee is limited to the original purchaser.
| Scope of Warranty | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
| Removal of product from site | No | No | No | No | No |
| Carriage to the Factory | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Labour for repair/assembly | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Re-installation of Product | No | No | No | No | No |
| Components (Parts) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fabric Cover | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Consequential Loss | No | No | No | No | No |
Please bear in mind that the following are excluded under the guarantee (this is not an exhaustive list):
No claims can be made at any time for damage caused due to control failure when on automatic operation (e.g., timer switches, sun/wind sensors, or vibration sensors). Automatic controls are tools to increase ease of use and safety but are not infallible. If you leave the control of your products to automatic mode without supervision, it is entirely at your own risk.
The fabrics in our standard range are woven from solution-dyed acrylic. While every care is taken, minor imperfections may be visible after installation. These are inherent characteristics of acrylic fabrics and do not affect the performance or lifespan of the cover. Your installer cannot be held responsible for these natural occurrences.
Measuring for the SkyShade 12000 OCH is straightforward, but it is important to understand that the size you order is the Overall Width of the framework, including the hood and end caps.
The width you select is the total physical width of the aluminium hardware.
Note on Fabric Coverage: The actual fabric cover will be approximately 200mm narrower than the total awning width (100mm gap each side) to accommodate the winding mechanism and arms.
Unlike standard "end-fix" awnings, where you must ensure you have solid brickwork at the exact outer edges of your measurement, the 12000 OCH uses a Torque Bar system. This significantly reduces installation headaches:
The projection is the distance the awning extends out from the wall when fully open.
Please note: The projection is measured from the back of the wall bracket to the front edge of the lead rail. It is not the length of the fabric itself.
You need to ensure there is sufficient headroom for the awning to operate.
Full technical diagrams showing bracket dimensions and fixing centres are available in the Relevant Downloads tab.
Standard awnings typically rely on brackets fixed at the extreme ends of the casing, which places immense stress on just two points of your wall. The SkyShade 12000 OCH is different; it is built around a heavy-duty 40mm square steel torque bar that acts as a "backbone" across the entire width of the awning.
This design offers two major commercial advantages:
1. Superior Rigidity: Because the arms clamp directly to this steel bar, the awning is incredibly stable even when fully extended to 4.1m.
2. Installation Flexibility: The wall brackets also clamp to this bar and can be slid to any position along its length. This allows installers to fit more brackets to spread the load evenly and align them with the strongest parts of your building (like structural pillars or steelwork) rather than being forced to fix into potentially weak brickwork at the corners.
Yes, specifically because of the 'OCH' (Open Cassette Hood) design. While it doesn't have a fully enclosing bottom shell like a full cassette, this model features a specially extruded aluminium hood cover that sits directly above the fabric roll.
When the awning is retracted, this hood acts as a roof, shielding the fabric from rain, dirt, and UV rays. This smart design prevents the water pooling and sun bleaching that can damage unprotected fabrics, offering a perfect balance of protection and value without the bulk or cost of a fully enclosed casing.
Absolutely. While our standard Dickson Solar fabrics are excellent for domestic use, we understand that commercial premises often have strict safety codes. We can upgrade your SkyShade 12000 OCH with Dickson Spark FR fabric.
This specialist range is flame-retardant and certified to major European fire safety standards (including M1 and B1 ratings), ensuring you meet your insurance and licensing requirements while still benefiting from a stylish, high-performance solar shading solution.
Give us a call now on
01933 449 000
