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Down at the farm ...

Project scope

300 labourers, and in November and December up to 350, all clock at Sagem readers at the main gate - only 30 labourers are allowed access through Sagem readers into the 'high-care' facility. Impro IXP200 is used in less sensitive areas in the facility. At a later date Giligreenworld intends to use Sagem biometric readers to control access to the accommodation on the farm.

The history

Giligreenworld Estates supplies approximately 90% of retail supermarket chains with green, red and yellow peppers. Giligreenworld Strawberries are supplied to Marks and Spencer.

Paprika is supplied to various clients around the world, including China. Goat meat and related products are supplied to the Middle East.

The company faced the following issues: controlling access for staff onto the facility in Delmas; controlling access to high care areas within the packing premises; and recording hours worked at the main gate (where no network connection existed).

At the facility near Bapsfontein, vegetables are processed and packed in 'high care' areas to avoid contamination. To ensure that only authorised personnel enter the high care area Giligreenworld used Sagem fingerprint technology to control access through turnstiles.

Giligreenworld needed to record attendance of employees who are paid hourly. The main gate used by these employees was separated by a large distance from the rest of the buildings and infrastructure. Sagem Morpho Biometric readers were installed at the main gate and linked to the rest of the system via a wireless network.

The control of a 'high care' facility is of utmost importance in agriculture. To such an extent that management chose to protect these facilities with the worlds leading biometric technology. This now represents a dramatic increase in operational strength and security. In addition, potential customers now visiting the facility are reassured by the strict identification-based access control to the facility.

Existing time and attendance recording was subject to abuse and fraud, and non-identification-based access control exposed the operation to risk of contamination.

As with any farming enterprise, labour at Giligreenworld is largely seasonal with labourers working overtime during the harvest. In an effort to control time recording and to promote industrial harmony Giligreenworld chose to rely on fingerprint-based time and attendance recording.

The solution

Sagem Morpho Enrolment and Management System linked to MorphoAccess 200 readers and turnstiles together with Impro access control at lower security areas.

Biometric transactions are based on fingerprint only (identification) thus eliminating the need for card or PIN numbers. The main reasons for opting for this solution were to eliminate time and attendance fraud, reduce HR and payroll administration and improve security.

There was no access point onto local area network at the main gate. A wireless bridge was erected between the main gate and the administrator in the office buildings.

The benefits

The management team is always striving to be more streamlined and efficient. Wasted time has now been eliminated and management is better able to focus on operational issues and customers.

Implementation

Various tenders were issued. IDtek was prepared to make various trips all the way out to Bapsfontein to understand the operational risks and to ensure that they could deliver in terms of what management required. The precise details of the installation often varied from one visit to the next. By the time the mandate was awarded IDtek clearly understood what was required and already enjoyed management's trust.

Management provided detailed drawings of the facility and the requirements and left the technical design to IDtek. Management then met with IDtek prior to the installation to discuss the practicalities of the system design. The parties then agreed to some minor changes and implementation was authorised.

Progress was measured by remaining in close communication, management was able to arrange that all required third parties were involved on time.

Fact file

Fingerprint and proximity card access control solution and time management: IDtek Solutions, Julian Thorrold, 011 706 6649, [email protected]

Full height Triumph 4 bi-directional turnstile provided: Turnstar, Mark Eardley, 011 786 1633, [email protected]

Sagem Biometric products: Ideco Group, Gary Jones, 011 840 7800, [email protected]

Giligreenworld, Kevin Kennard, 011 578 0000, [email protected]

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