Banham celebrates 95th Anniversary and ‘locks-in’ next generation’s future

Banham, the British high-end security company founded back in 1926 and with its head office located in London’s Earlsfield, celebrates its landmark 95th anniversary this month.

Still protecting the premises of the rich and famous, the business was established all those years ago by William F Banham after his wife, Ann-Marie, suffered a series of burglaries at her West London dress-making business. When the insurers pronounced the store uninsurable unless the door was bolted from the inside, Banham devised the first-ever automatic door bolt and, subsequently, Banham Patent Locks was born.

Such was Banham’s confidence in his product that, in 1936, he offered £25 to anyone who could break through a Banham door lock. Despite the stunt drawing quite the crowd in front of his premises in London’s celebrated Oxford Street, not a single person succeeded and Banham won his wager.

Fast forward nine and a half decades and Banham is still family-run and owned, with William and Ann-Marie’s grandson, namely executive chairman Charles Hallatt, at the helm.

Board members at Banham

The Board today consists of third and fourth generation Banham family members and is a diverse mix, which is especially unusual in what still remains a male-dominated industry. The company’s 400-person workforce comprises of numerous families who are proud to say they’ve worked for Banham, many of them for multiple decades.

Standing the test of time

Chairman Charles Hallatt commented: “We’re so proud of our family business and the fact that we’ve survived a world war, multiple recessions and a global pandemic. Banham has stood the test of time because of the strength that being a family business can bring. It’s not just about having our family involved at the helm, though. It’s also about all of the other families working here. We all have a strong passion and loyalty that unites us in any crisis and allows us to drive growth as well as look to the future.”

While the British brand continues to offer its iconic patented locks, it has expanded over the years into all areas of security including intruder and fire alarms, CCTV, safes, 24-hour monitoring and keyholding.

“Our ethos has always centred around letting our family look after your families, for the sake of both our colleagues and our customers,” asserted managing director Martin Herbert.

Banham has more than its storied history to celebrate. The company, which has its heartland in London and the South East, launched the Banham Academy in 2014 to deliver specialised training and career opportunities for young people aged between 16 and 24.

Lucie Banham, director of the business, stated: “Our vision for the Banham Academy was to provide young people with the skills and training they need to embark on careers as engineers. The UK has seen a dramatic decline in the uptake of engineers over the past decade and we’ve been committed to bridge that gap. The Banham Academy has never been so important given these recent challenging years. It continues to provide new opportunities for today’s youth, and particularly so to those individuals from less advantaged backgrounds.”

Systems taster course

In early 2022, the Banham Academy is holding a female-only, week-long ‘taster’ course on security systems to begin to address the gender gap in the sector. The current percentage of female technicians in the UK is only around 1% and Banham is committed to increase this number.

Lucie Banham concluded: “Banham believes in giving back to and working with the wider community, making sure that helping people is always a priority. Reaching our 95th Anniversary allows us to look back on all of our achievements, but more importantly to the future and continuing to support young people, via the Banham Academy, by helping them to learn new skills and gain valuable qualifications.”

*To find out more about Banham and the Banham Academy visit www.banham.co.uk

instaENG offers lone worker protection products access via latest sign-up

Pick Protection, a next generation provider of lone worker protection devices, has signed up with an online disruptor platform which is “revolutionising” how the security service industry works in the current day.

instaENG is a technical services purchasing platform which matches security engineers directly with purchases. Glasgow-based Pick Protection, which offers an holistic suite of lone worker protection products and services that enable safety through technology, will be able to connect with instaENG suppliers through the platform.

User-friendly platform

Tim Henstock, lone worker consultant at Pick Protection, said: “The ease at which the platform connects security service engineers to purchases caught our attention. We loved the idea of a user-friendly platform that transforms how the industry connects and, while we have been performing tremendously well over the last few months, we saw this as an opportunity to grow our clientele even more.”

Henstock continued: “While we already do sell our products and services to some security companies, I believe that instaENG will be instrumental in helping us to build relationships in the longer term with a growing base of customers. We are excited to hit the ground running with it. Health and Safety is very close to our hearts here at Pick Protection and we’re confident that our products can help lone workers feel safer when carrying out jobs externally.”

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Further, Henstock observed: “instaENG is a great repository of like-minded companies and is a simple, quick and efficient way of putting our products in front of the right people at the right time. Together, I believe we can address the changing dynamics of the working environment.”

Dynamic platform

Guy Dungworth, co-founder of instaENG, responded: “Pick Protection is a prime example of how dynamic our platform really is. Not only are we able to match the right security service engineer to the right job, but we are also now able to provide access to the security and protection that lone workers may need when on a job externally.”

He added: “We’re incredibly excited to have Pick Protection on our platform and I’m confident that they will be able to secure some great leads through instaENG in no time. It’s fantastic to see the growth of the platform in such a short time and I very much look forward to what the future brings.”

*For more information on Pick Protection visit www.pickprotection.com

**Further detail about instaENG is available at www.instaeng.com

CDVI joins Zitko Talent Alliance as founding training partner

Security solutions manufacturer the CDVI Group has joined forces with Zitko Talent as one of the Zitko Talent Alliance programme’s founding training partners. The Zitko Talent Alliance is a partnership of employers, educators and manufacturers devoted to attracting and developing a fresh generation of fire and security engineers.

CDVI is a global manufacturer of front line security solutions, offering an extensive range of innovative products from online and standalone access control systems through to locking, door automation and the next generation of biometric entry solutions.

Now, CDVI will be running courses covering practical sessions on the basics of standalone access control, door automation and biometric systems. Talent trainees will learn all about how about how keypads, locking mechanisms, ancillaries and other elements connect and work in combination in order to keep premises secure.

The news follows hot-on-the-heels of the announcement that Reliance High-Tech, one of the industry’s leading integrators, has recently joined the Zitko Talent programme as a founding employer.

Paul Ramsay, general manager at CDVI UK, explained: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with Zitko on its talent programme. We believe strongly in long-term investment when it comes to training and developing new generations of skilled professionals for the benefit of our industry and our customers. We know this is the best way to combat the skills shortage in the security industry and we’re thrilled to be working with Zitko to make a difference.”

Hands-on experience

Aaron Sadler, training manager at CDVI UK, added: “We’re looking forward to welcoming Zitko candidates to our training programmes. We know that high-quality training is the key to boosting the security industry both now and in the future. Our courses are designed to give learners maximum hands-on experience with real-world products. We cannot wait to start.”

Zitko Talent consultant Priya Vencatasawmy concluded: “I’m over the moon to welcome CDVI to Zitko Talent. The business has an amazing facility in High Wycombe and the ability to provide a wide range of quality practical and theoretical training. Paul and his team have great in-depth knowledge of the industry and are well placed to help us achieve our goal of training and employing 1,000 candidates every year. We couldn’t be happier about the fact that CDVI has partnered with us on the Zitko Talent programme.”

*For full details of the programme access https://www.zitko.co.uk/divisions/talent

Security challenges in telecoms sector met head-on by access control systems

As Catherine Laug explains, the telecoms industry has grown at such a remarkable rate that it’s now a key part of our everyday lives. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented requirement for almost all industries to operate a ‘working from home’ policy and to provide the general public with an increased access to online services, in turn making the telecoms industry even more vital.

A major impact of this fundamental change is the presence of a growing number of telecoms facilities, which are proving to be the cornerstone of service delivery. Equipment is often located in isolated areas, so strict access control systems are needed to keep any vulnerability to an absolute minimum.

Telecoms companies cover vast expanses of land to keep the service up-and-running for their customers. This involves several tens of thousands of plants and facilities, from mobile phone towers through to street cabinets for the wired network. This underlines the value of a standardised access control strategy to simplify access to all sites.

Now, maintenance technicians no longer need to worry about accessing the numerous facilities during their daily inspection rounds. Once configured, single electronic key solutions guarantee access to the right place at the right time, allowing technicians to focus their attention on the task at hand.

Specific access processes

For their part, operators are assured that their field teams, often comprised of sub-contractors, can carry out all maintenance work during specified times in line with their specific access processes.

Most of the facilities requiring protection are outdoor sites particularly exposed to wind, sun, snow and sea spray. That being so, access control systems must be able to withstand corrosion caused by bad weather. End users can now specify a certified and conceptual solution to this challenge with cylinders that meet the requirements of the EN 1670 corrosion resistance standard with a, IP66-67-68-69 rating designed to guarantee maximum protection.

In point of fact, the latest generation electronic keys also use inductive technology for contactless information exchange between the key and cylinder. With this technology, the electronic key can transmit access rights to the cylinder even if the humidity at the site has corroded the surface of the lock. In other words, bad connections no longer prevent information from being transmitted between the key and lock.

At some telecommunications towers, access is restricted to those authorised to work at height. Software is now available that liaises with the operator’s information system, collecting select information from the various user profiles to limit access to authorised individuals. This allows operators to use the software to assign access rights for specific areas based on the technician’s profile and authorisation.

To improve on-site control activities, electronic keys work with specific apps and new technology (ie RFID and beacons, etc) to send technicians verification messages about their access rights or required safety instructions (such as wearing a helmet and abiding by the buddy system, etc).

Similarly, users can interact with the central system and submit on-site attendance reports and flag up anomalies errors, etc. These bespoke features are designed to meet ever-stricter security requirements in companies and, importantly, accommodate the latest Government guidelines.

Sub-contracting and shared access sites

Sub-contractors are an increasingly common fixture in both maintenance activities and emergency call-outs. Several officers may well require daily access to a number of scattered, remote facilities.

The access control system is further complicated by the fact that sites may be shared by different businesses. Water towers, for instance, are often used to support radio masts.

It’s now possible to deliver an effective response to multi-activity sites with just one electronic key being needed for countless locks. Officers no longer need to carry large bunches of keys between sites. Instead, they can access the right place at the right time with maximum security.

Communication infrastructures may be the prime target for large-scale attacks wherein those parties involved are looking to compromise the country’s economic potential. They may also attract various types of vandal, tempted by the challenge of scaling facilities or the apparent vulnerability of street cabinets.

Today’s access control solutions are invaluable when it comes to protecting facilities from harm. Electronic cylinders and padlocks have CEN 1303 certification with the highest level of resistance to drilling and, therefore, vandalism.

What’s more, a lost or stolen electronic key can be disabled on a swift footing to prevent any unwanted intrusions. In certain solutions, the built-in reporting feature in the system software aims to report any attempts to gain access outside specified time ranges or in out-of-bounds areas, thereby detecting any anomalies.

Catherine Laug is Group Head of Marketing at LOCKEN

New service director introduces raft of customer services initiatives at STANLEY Security

To maintain a high level of customer service and product quality for the business going forward, Stephen Hodgkinson-Soto (STANLEY Security’s new service director) is concentrating on raising customer support levels, efficiency and Health and Safety practices at the same time as driving forward product development within the company.

Hodgkinson-Soto has worked at STANLEY Security since 2015, previously serving as an installation manager in the US. After moving back to the UK where he was born, Hodgkinson-Soto joined STANLEY Security’s British operation last year in the role of service director.

Recognising the “large learning curve” engendered by this promotion, Hodgkinson-Soto embraces the challenge and brings with him considerable skills and enthusiasm which are already beginning to bear fruit.

“Earlier in my career, I worked within the hotel industry and learned a lot about customer service,” stated Hodgkinson-Soto. “I’m looking to bring some of these aspects to the security industry which appears to me to be lacking in excellent customer service across the board. With the backing of the full STANLEY team, including our new general manager Matthew Marriott, it’s my intention to ensure that we lead the way here and stand out from other players in the market.”

Stephen Hodgkinson-Soto

Hodgkinson-Soto is working closely alongside Leanne Taylor, head of customer service, to achieve these goals. The duo have already introduced the Customer First programme which moves away from traditional reactionary models in customer service to a more advanced proactive approach. Customer First is a wide sweeping programme addressing all areas of STANLEY’s customer service, from a Customer Discussion Guide aimed at maintaining positive contact with customers throughout their contract period right through to a Bespoke Management service for those customers that require more focused attention.

With responsibilities for a field service team comprising 110 engineers and associated regional managers across Britain, Hodgkinson-Soto is also concentrating on improving efficiency among that team by ensuring constituent members have the right equipment to perform their tasks and meet customers’ expectations.

As part of this, Hodgkinson-Soto has introduced an engineer training programme, which will instil engineers with additional knowledge via courses paid for by STANLEY. Hodgkinson-Soto is also looking to create a more formalised career path for engineers to recognise and reward their skills and experience.

Investing in the employees  

“Investing in our employees is a priority,” stated Hodgkinson-Soto, “as they not only undertake the work on the ground, but are also our company ambassadors who have the most direct contact with customers. We want them to be the best in the business and fly the flag for STANLEY Security.”

Hodgkinson-Soto’s remit as service director at STANLEY Security also includes overseeing Health and Safety, training and technology, in addition to quality and compliance for the business.

With all of these activities initiated in a relatively short time, Hodgkinson-Soto has plenty of plans for the future, including the formation of a remote maintenance team to specialise in resolving system issues without physical proximity. This will save resources and time for both STANLEY Security and its customers. He’s also working with the product team to develop new cutting-edge solutions for security and beyond.

“Since joining,” concluded Hodgkinson-Soto, “I’ve been working towards internal developments which aim to uphold STANLEY’s position in the market and also to set us apart as a true forward-thinking leader. It’s only by continuously strengthening our core internal practices that we can raise our game to excel at serving our customers. We believe in the necessity of constant improvement to stay ahead. It’s challenging and demanding, but we have the right team in place, the right attitude and the capability.”

Nittan’s collection of technical guidance videos now available to view on YouTube

Nittan Europe, the manufacturer of conventional and addressable fire detection products, has released seven new technical guidance videos on its YouTube channel. These follow on the back of its previous highly successful videos, which form part of Nittan’s customer experience, enabling the business to connect with end customers via different mediums.

Presented by product support manager Barry Sargent, the videos address frequently asked questions relating to the Nittan evolution1 Fire Alarm Control Panel. These include the panel’s quick start option, set up, navigation, ‘Cause and Effect’ programming, a PC configuration tool overview and PC configuration tool ‘Cause and Effect’, in addition to Nittan’s Evolution Loop Calculator.

The videos provide simple step-by-step instructions that aim to serve as a guide or memory jogger for engineers such that they can the most advantage for Nittan products on behalf of their end users.

Lee James, general manager for product marketing at Nittan Europe, said: “The short video format with clips of between two and four minutes has proven very popular with our customers. We’re providing quick bursts of information in an easy-to-assimilate way. Our customers now have easy access to technical guidance on site or in their office with video clips literally at their fingertips via smart phones and tablets. We aim to continue building our video library in the coming months. The video clips are a guide and not intended to replace official manufacturer training which Nittan continues to provide free of charge at its Old Woking offices.”

*The new technical guidance videos can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/NittanChannel/videos

**Also available on the channel are existing videos about Nittan’s Dual Optical Detector and how to use the EV-AD2-EXT Evolution Programmer

HRH The Duke of Kent visits Apollo’s hq to commemorate four decades of fire detection system manufacturing

His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent has visited the headquarters of Apollo Fire Detectors in Havant, Hampshire to commemorate 40 years of excellence in UK manufacturing by the company. During his visit, The Duke of Kent took a tour of the manufacturing facilities and met some of the engineers and assembly workers who are behind the award-winning and life-saving fire detection technology made by Apollo.

The royal visit and Apollo’s longstanding achievement in manufacturing excellence are documented by an official plaque, unveiled by The Duke of Kent during his visit.

“We’re very proud to be able to share this important milestone in our history with HRH The Duke of Kent,” said Charles Lombard, managing director EMEA at Apollo. “In addition to celebrating our company’s long history of manufacturing excellence, this event reaffirmed our commitment to Royal Warrant Holder status.”

Left to Right: HRH The Duke of Kent, Charles Lombard (managing director at Apollo), Pete Browitt (operations director) and Ed Browning (Apollo’s sales and marketing director)

Apollo Fire Detectors is one of the largest regional employers with almost 500 staff in Havant. The business specialises in the design and manufacture of high quality fire detection products. Over the last four decades, the company has broadened its capability from a straightforward focus on conventional fire detectors to include the manufacture of sophisticated analogue addressable detectors and interfaces for monitoring and controlling equipment in fire protection systems.

The business boasts some of the most advanced manufacturing technologies in order to ensure consistently high quality products and fast response to customer requirements.

Through planned expansion, Apollo has attained a leading global position in the market for professional fire detection. With more than 3,000 international approvals for its products and regional offices located in the US, China, India and Germany and exports to over 100 countries, Apollo Fire Detectors has cemented its position as a world-class fire solutions provider.

Apollo is part of the HALMA Group. HALMA is a FTSE 250-listed plc with over 40 subsidiaries worldwide, all of them engaged in specialist engineering activities.

Tyco’s Fire Protection and Security Products now BIM ready

Tyco Fire Protection Products and Tyco Security Products are launching their own living Building Information Modelling (BIM) library from this month. Users will be able to access Tyco’s extensive range of BIM objects for security and fire protection products, including detection, mechanical and suppression solutions.

The library will also feature the company’s BIM user guide to support architects and engineers, providing additional information about Tyco’s BIM objects.

Raj Arora, vice-president and general manager for Fire Detection and Special Hazard Products at Tyco Fire Protection Products, commented: “The creation of BIM tools and families of objects is critical in supporting the technological advances in the design, construction and maintenance industries. At Tyco, we’re already seeing demand for BIM. Our investment in creating a range of BIM content based on a selection of our core products means we’re well placed to help designers, specifiers, contractors and engineers working within the BIM framework.”

By increasing the amount of data available and making it fully sharable from building design through to construction and maintenance, the BIM process enables users to immediately access and interrogate objects and models, helping to save time and unnecessary costs.

The technology will also enhance the accuracy of the planning and design stages of fire protection and security systems, improving efficiencies and delivering cost savings for the construction sector.

Available in Revit format, Tyco’s BIM objects will prove invaluable to users thanks to the depth of information made accessible. The files will comprise a 3D geometric representation of the product and contain all details about its specification, including size, dimensions and materials.

BIM objects for Tyco’s fire detection solutions will also provide further relevant information such as voltage, colour code and electrical data. Translated versions of Tyco’s BIM files will be available this year.

New era of digital modelling

“This is an exciting time for the construction industry,” said Peter Ainsworth, director of marketing across the EMEA region at Tyco Security Products.

“Tyco is ready to be part of the new era of digital modelling, supporting the UK Government’s Construction Industry Strategy mandate that all public procured construction projects from 2016 achieve BIM Level 2. Thanks to its future-proofing ability, BIM can provide facility management information throughout a building’s life, making maintenance and repairs simpler and more cost-effective.

Raj Arora added: “Offering BIM objects for our security, detection, mechanical and suppression products will enhance the design process for architects and engineers, providing them with an abundance of valuable information such that they can work more efficiently. A key feature of BIM when looking to install fire protection solutions in a building is the process’ spatial co-ordination capability. BIM enables multiple trades to integrate objects concurrently as if they were in a single model, therefore detecting any potential clashes which can be resolved in the design process ahead of the construction phase. That saves on both time and money.”

By making its fire protection and security products accessible through BIM files, Tyco is helping the construction sector in its mission to reduce build and operation costs, lower carbon emissions and save production time by 2025.

*For more information and to download Tyco’s BIM objects and user guide visit: www.tyco-fire.com/BIM

Custodian releases monitoring portal upgrade with promise of “new levels of efficiency” for end users

Custodian Monitoring Services – a recognised leading provider of intruder, fire and life safety systems monitoring – has released a new version of its online TOUCH monitoring portal that affords end users real-time access to a wide range of new reports and capabilities.

Created in response to stakeholder feedback, the new portal offers a broad range of benefits. End users, engineers and installers can now enjoy greater oversight of their buildings and portfolios via this web-based customer portal which places them in control of critical areas such as key holding.

Victoria Waude, head of monitoring sales at Custodian, is adamant that TOUCH users will gain improved levels of access control management.

“End users and installers now have the ability to temporarily suspend and re-instate key holders without delay,” said Waude. “This is extremely useful for those companies looking to manage access when employees go on holiday or are absent.”

Victoria Waude

Installers can now create and maintain engineer rotas at the touch of a button, anytime and from anywhere.

“The new features are aligned with our approach of designing products and systems that simplify processes and deliver greater operational efficiencies for our customers,” added Waude.

For their part, installers are now also able to upload logos and company information to their TOUCH platform to maintain their corporate identity.

Another feature includes bulk end user registrations, which makes it easier for installers to invite all of their customers to register. In addition, there are further functions in the engineer portal for online testing and event history.

Custodian operates in the UK as Security Monitoring Centres Ltd and is a part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a business unit of the United Technologies Corporation.

Custodian is one of the UK’s leading NSI Gold Alarm Receiving Centres, providing 24/7 monitoring for its customer base.

*For more information visit: www.custodianmonitoring.com