Xcel Fire and Security has installed a pioneering biometric security system at the Tyseley branch of self-storage firm Storage King. The system uses the latest technology to tackle the common issues of unauthorised PIN transfer and tailgating, whilst keeping customers and their goods safe and secure at all times.
Storage King is the fastest growing storage operator in the UK, where it currently has 16 facilities. It also has 150 facilities in Australia and New Zealand. Gary Wheway, business development manager at Storage King Tyseley, Birmingham, wanted to “really shake up” the way security was approached in the group, and in his industry as a whole.
“The main purpose of a security system is to ensure the security of customers and their goods whilst also being simple to use,” he says.
“It also needs to make monitoring staff-friendly. As this just wasn’t the case in other facilities, I wanted to make a fresh start and implement the changes here.”
Tailgating problem
Two major problems were unauthorised PIN transfer and vehicle tailgating through entry gates, which can potentially put other customers and their goods at risk.
Wheway wanted a system that would effectively stamp this out. A fully integrated access control and CCTV system offered the perfect solution.
Once brought on board, Xcel consulted with its equipment supplier Norbain to decide what steps to take, with Norbain suggesting a number of technologies and suppliers that would be suitable for the project. Xcel chose TDSi for the access control elements, and a solution was devised that would address all of Storage King’s requirements.
Fingerprint recognition had not been used in the storage industry, and Wheway says it was a gamble.
“The investors had to be reassured that it was wise to move away from the more traditional forms of security. Anything new is always a risk, but I felt sure that the solution we’d devised was the best way forward and would bring with it advantages previously unavailable to the group.”
When a customer decides to register with Storage King Tyseley, all of their details are entered onto the computer, which communicates with the entire security network.
They are then given a virtual tour of the Storage King Tyseley facility via the touch screen monitor, which has specially designed TDSi software and site graphics.
Going biometric
The customer’s fingerprints are entered onto the system using a Bioscrypt reader. This transfers the information onto the access control system, which consists of 11 TDSi door controllers, three vandal resistant proximity key pads and four internal key pads. Two Videx video entry systems complete the package.
To enter the facility, at the front gate the customer must use a fob to open the vandal-resistant, weatherproof box that holds the fingerprint scanner, then enter their PIN code and scan their fingerprint. Once authorisation is granted, the gates opens and the car can enter the yard.
Xcel MD Neil Fearns says: “The protective housing is something of a work of art in itself. Custom designed for the job, it even has a fan heater to prevent the equipment getting too cold in the winter.” Tailgating is an issue at all self-storage facilities, where one vehicle enters the gates immediately behind an authorised vehicle.
At the Storage King Tyseley facility, although cars can still tailgate, the yard outside of the storage facility is as far as they can go, as the whole system is linked together. So if a fingerprint hasn’t been registered on entering the front gate, the individual cannot gain access at other keypads for the main storage areas.
This helps to ensure the safety of customers using the facilities, and has added advantages. “By removing the ability to gain access to the storage lockers through tailgating, we’ve developed a real measure of control over customers trying to remove their goods without first settling their account,” Wheway says. “Obviously, once the goods are removed, collecting payment becomes far more difficult.”
Further keypads allow for access into different parts of the facility, and there are contacts on all the individual unit doors.
Should a door be opened that doesn’t correspond with a PIN and fingerprint registered at the front gate, an alarm will show on the touch screen in reception or in the remote control room where the system is monitored out of hours.
A PIN code is also required for the customer to leave the premises.
As well as providing an additional security measure, this allows Storage King Tyseley to know exactly how many people are on site at any one time. Once the system registers the last person leaving premises, it automatically engages the Optex Redwall PIR detectors which secure the perimeter.
All information collected by the system can be used for reporting purposes and analysed to see, on average, how long people are in the facility, when the busiest times are, how often the alarm is triggered, and so on. This is securely backed up on a daily basis.
More than access
Vista CCTV cameras have been installed to complement the access control system and allow for visual checks of the facility to be recorded and stored.
Six colour/mono domes and 11 vandal-resistant domes monitor the exterior of the facilities, while two keep an eye on the individual storage lockers. All the cameras are linked to two Vista SmartTel units and two Vista Columbus 16-channel DVRs.
“The Columbus DVRs also interface with the TDSi software, allowing us to record events from the access control system,” Fearns says.
Out of hours, GRB in the West Midlands is responsible for all remote monitoring for the site. If anyone is denied entry, an alarm is flagged at GRB, where operators can then use the cameras to monitor the situation.
A phone next to the gate allows customers to speak with the call centre in the event of a problem. The centre can check why access has been denied, using its restricted access to information on the Storage King Tyseley network.
Xcel can also dial in to check that the system is running smoothly. Should zones need to be modified, or image quality checked, it can immediately assess and, if necessary, modify the settings.
“This is a great feature,” Fearns says. “It gives us immediate control of the site and makes maintaining the system far simpler and quicker.”
Wow factor
The access control system at the Tyseley branch has cost around GB pound 30,000, including full support and free upgrades.
Wheway believes it will easily pay for itself in the first year. “The system gives us the ‘wow’ factor and is very impressive for customers looking to use the facility,” he says. “The extra security is a big selling point, and makes people agreeable to paying a little more for the service.”
He says Storage King Tyseley is looking to set new standards of excellence in the industry. “We’ve always seen ourselves as leaders and I think this system confirms this belief,” Wheway says. “I’ve no doubt the technology will now be considered by the self-storage industry across the UK and Europe.”
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Self storage is widely popular due to the convenience that it provides which is giving customers round the clock access to their units. That is the reason why it requires a system that provides accessibility without compromising security concerns. I personally think that the biometric system is highly reliable and effective in ensuring safety around the facility. However, it does have its cons which are the tailgating and such. CCTV does help but if the culprits cover up their faces or the environment is dark, then it would be difficult.