Security and safety in food manufacturing

Issue 4 2022 Industrial (Industry)

Food safety, employee health and site security must all work in harmony to ensure the efficient operation of a large-scale food producer. At LFC Milling in South Africa, CLIQ key-operated electronic access control helps to ensure that happens.

LFC Milling manufactures maize products. It sells a range of prominent brands into the South African market. Maize is received from farmers, undergoes several cleaning stages, and is then milled. The large LFC plant houses high-end manufacturing equipment used in the process.

LFC Milling wanted an access control solution which would manage access throughout this varied site, and control employee access to specific machines and equipment. They needed a system which would log all entry into specific zones like storage areas, giving security staff the ability to generate audit trails when needed. This further benefits the health and safety of personnel because it restricts access to any potentially dangerous areas or specialist equipment.

The company chose CLIQ key-operated access control from ASSA ABLOY. “We need to ensure that our employees and production processes are safe and secure at all times , and CLIQ supports that,” explains Cobus van der Linde, general manager at LFC Milling.

The advantages of CLIQ in a manufacturing site

LFC Milling now ensures only authorised personnel enter designated areas, from tool rooms to storage areas, or can operate specific plant equipment.

Software was another major concern during the commissioning and specification process. LFC wanted a system with software which is easy to use, enabling swift onboarding of new personnel and quick changes to staff access rights when needed.

LFC deployed CLIQ Web Manager (CWM) alongside a CLIQ Wall Programming Device and CLIQ Remote functionality, so keys can be updated conveniently around the site. For added security, CLIQ keys are also set for specific revalidation periods: If a key is lost, it is quickly excluded from the system. The CWM software interface simplifies user, key and door management, as well as time-and-date functionality.

It also provides audit trail reports should an administrator need to track access into a specific area or by a specific person. This has significantly improved accountability and security.

CLIQ’s range of locking devices meets the needs of almost any door or application. Padlocks secure exterior roller doors, machines and other equipment. Electronic cylinders protect higher security doors, swing-style security gates and standard doors.

“The CLIQ system allows for easy management of access control in a dynamic environment with continuous production and extremely high health and safety standards,” adds Van Der Linde.


Credit(s)




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page



Further reading:

Supporting local manufacturing
Industrial (Industry) IT infrastructure
Smart Security asked Esenthren Govender, Solutions Executive at Technodyn for insight into how the company supports local manufacturing organisations to optimise their business.

Read more...
New algorithm for OT cybersecurity risk management
Industrial (Industry) Cyber Security News Commercial (Industry)
OTORIO’s new risk management model and attack graph analysis algorithm technology, calculates OT cybersecurity threats and provides risk mitigation actions, prioritised according to actual exposure and potential impact on operations.

Read more...
The role of AI in industrial plants
Industrial (Industry)
The average modern industrial plant uses less than 27% of the data it generates, but industrial AI can play a major role in identifying patterns and making process predictions through new software platforms that simplify convergence and analysis of OT/IT/ET data.

Read more...
Addressing the SCADA in the room
Industrial (Industry) Cyber Security
Few other sectors command the breadth of purpose-built and custom devices necessary to function, as the industrial and manufacturing industries. These unique devices create an uncommon risk that must be assessed and understood to fully protect against incoming attacks.

Read more...
Integrated guarding services
XtraVision Integrated Solutions Access Control & Identity Management Industrial (Industry)
XtraVision offers a few tips on how to go about planning and setting up an integrated approach to sustainable and successful security services, from the initial risk assessment to the technology and people required.

Read more...
Vulnerabilities in industrial cellular routers’ cloud management platforms
Industrial (Industry) Cyber Security Security Services & Risk Management
Research from OTORIO, a provider of operational technology cyber and digital risk management solutions, unveils cyber risks in M2M protocols and asset registration that expose hundreds of thousands of devices and OT networks to attack

Read more...
The factory of the future will be data-driven and AI optimised
Industrial (Industry)
Moving AI to the manufacturing edge promises a lot of tantalising benefits, but it also poses some unique challenges that need to be overcome for manufacturing edge AI deployments to be successful.

Read more...
The expanding scope of electronic locks
Technews Publishing ASSA ABLOY South Africa Access Control & Identity Management
Electronic locks are a growing market, extending from single doors to fully integrated security solutions, including the ability to manage everything from a mobile app.

Read more...
Global skills shortage ‘accelerates digitisation of industrial operations’
News Industrial (Industry)
Verdantix says 83% of firms will increase spending on operational excellence initiatives in 2023, while AI and machine learning are increasingly being used by industrial firms to maximise data utility.

Read more...
Accelerating your Zero Trust journey in manufacturing
IT infrastructure Cyber Security Industrial (Industry)
Francois van Hirtum, CTO of Obscure Technologies, advises manufacturers on a strategic approach to safeguarding their businesses against cyber breaches.

Read more...