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| The Wetrok building which has now got the security services of Honeywell and Complete Security |
Wetrok has been at the forefront of cleaning technology since 1948, providing customer satisfaction with a comprehensive range of products and services for professional cleaning. In March 1982, Industro-Clean and Wetrok signed an agreement which laid the foundation for Wetrok South Africa to become a significant player in the South African cleaning market. The head office is located in Honeydew, north-west of Johannesburg, and there are 11 branches across South Africa and a distributor in Namibia.
The Situation
The business headquarters in Johannesburg comprises of offices, a training centre and warehouses; many of the products, including equipment, cleaning agents and consumables are stored both within the warehouse and externally at all times of the day. Cleaning products and consumables have an intrinsic value and a high resale value on the grey market.
Until recently, to protect the facility and its valuable stock, Wetrok employed a basic CCTV system and contracted extra security guards for out of hour's surveillance at a cost of 7,000 rand per month. Wetrok experienced high levels of theft equivalent to one million rand, which increased every year and where the majority of theft was internal. Products were mainly being illegally smuggled out of the premises by passing the goods over the perimeter wall. In addition, the man-guarding service was not reliable. The incumbent CCTV cameras were either broken or the cables had been cut to prevent surveillance and detection, resulting in the monitoring company often consulting blank screens.
A separate building used as a storage area was largely unmanned, which made it difficult to monitor activity and suspicious behaviour within this building. The facility does not have the capacity to house a security control room and there were no standard operating procedures in place for effective escalation of security incidents.
The challenge for Complete Security was to provide a remotely monitored solution which encompassed state-of-the-art CCTV and access control, and would effectively reduce shrinkage, without compromising Wetrok's business operations.
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| Situations have become quite safe at Wetrok premises after being secured through Honeywell security systems |
The Solution
Complete Security chose Honeywell Video Analytics software suite Active Alert as the basis of the loss prevention solution at Wetrok. "The Analytics suite was the key to Honeywell being chosen for this installation and it was easy to configure," said Sean Stirrat, Complete Security. "The ability to proactively deter theft from a remote location was critical in being able to satisfy the client's requirements."
There are 12 channels of video analytics deployed through a dedicated server running Honeywell's Active Alert suite. A mix of analogue and IP cameras based around the perimeter and in key locations are connected to the analytics server. Honeywell EQUIP HD4DIPX and HCS544IPX IP cameras have been installed as part of the network enabled CCTV system. In addition, Honeywell HD4DX vandal resistant mini domes are deployed to maximise the hybrid functionality of the Fusion digital video recorder (DVR). In total, two 16 channel Fusion DVRs record 32 channels of video from across the site. Remote Client software has been installed at Complete Security's new control room to remotely monitor all analytics channels from the site.
The Active Alert software greatly increases event detection accuracy while virtually eliminating false alarms and is used to full effect when monitoring suspicious behaviour. Complete Security's operators are alerted to suspicious behaviour along the perimeter before actual incidents occur. The individuals are initially challenged by audio warnings on-site, before the incident is escalated to a local security response team.
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| Video analytics software suite was the prime reason for induction of Honeywell in the Wetrok security project |
The Honeywell Fusion DVR enables security staff to monitor and record remote images using the Fusion Video Management Software (FVMS). This is particularly useful in the event of incidents requiring police intervention, such as theft. The Fusion DVR allows stills from a particular point in time to be easily downloaded and printed and these can then be used to aid the investigation of a crime or for evidence. FVMS allows multiple cameras from multiple sites to be viewed from a remote location on one screen at the same time. The operator can then digitally select any given camera view for closer inspection with the easy to use drag and drop functionality.
In addition to the CCTV and Active Alert analytics systems, Complete Security also installed Honeywell NetAXS to control access to the warehouse. Again, eliminating the need for an on-site control room, NetAXS is comprehensively managed and monitored from Complete Security's own facility in a remote location. Thus, Wetrok does not have to worry about training and maintenance involved in locally managing the access control system and associated software. Complete Security maintains and administers the system using a web browser without having to visit the site.
Honeywell OmniProx readers are used on the doors as part of the NetAXS access control system. OmniProx readers combine unique functionality, high-quality engineering and design - offering superb reliability and a consistent read range. Increased security functions like optical tamper and security fixings prevent unauthorised users from removing the reader from the wall or attempting to compromise the system.
Importantly, Complete Security worked closely with Wetrok to define a set of standard operating procedures (SOP), based on the Honeywell technology installed. The SOP established a process for effective escalation of security incidents which was not previously in place. "The Analytics suite was the key to Honeywell being chosen for this installation and it was easy to configure," Sean Stirrat, Complete Security.
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| Combined security solutions of Honeywell and Complete security have yielded positive results for Wetrok |
The Benefits
The Honeywell camera and recording solutions, video analytics and NetAXS systems have combined to give Complete Security total remote management of Wetrok's on-site security. The client has saved the cost of having an on-site control room, plus the cost and training associated with having dedicated security personnel, particularly out-of-hours.
Audio warnings following Active Alert alarms have enabled the majority of incidents to be prevented before they would occur. If the threat continues, then an appropriate security response is summoned via the standard operating procedure. A further benefit has been the use of the analytics system to check that security guards are conducting their patrols in a proper manner. Wetrok are able to verify that guards have been in certain locations at predetermined times. Wetrok has experienced a remarkable reduction in losses since the installation was completed. As a result, the initial investment in the security system was recouped within one year of its installation.
"The systems in place are working fabulously and the work done by Complete Security and Honeywell is excellent," stated Paul Wilde, Divisional Director, Wetrok. "Stock loss in now immeasurably smaller compared to our previous losses which were in excess of one million rand." "The systems in place are working fabulously and the work done by Complete Security and Honeywell is excellent," stated Paul Wilde, Divisional Director, Wetrok. "Stock loss in now immeasurably smaller compared to our previous losses which were in excess of one million rand."
