For businesses of all size ensuring safety of their stock is essential, but for small and medium businesses, establishing solid customer relationships is vital for survival; and customers trust more in businesses which invest in meeting customers’ needs.
Managing the safety of your own assets is difficult enough, but when you are responsible for someone else’s belongings the stakes are even higher. That is why New Zealand’s largest self storage company, National Mini Storage, chose a Gallagher perimeter security system to secure their six facilities nationwide.
The concept of a self storage facility was relatively new when National Mini Storage opened its first site in Penrose in 1991. The site design was based on an innovative ranch style with an old quarry site providing a natural form of perimeter security. However, after three break-ins, the onsite managers acknowledged that the company’s long-term success was reliant on providing a safe and secure storage facility for customers.
Paul McFadzien, MD of National Mini Storage explained that there were three key factors in sourcing a perimeter security solution. First they needed to detect and deter intruders while providing a safe environment for staff and customers. Also, the system needed to be an out of hours monitoring system, and one with a high false alarm tolerance.
The Gallagher perimeter security system met all of their requirements and the decision to install the system was endorsed by site managers who saw electric fencing as the most appropriate solution to meet their needs.
The Gallagher system consists of a grid of wires that can be constructed either inside an existing perimeter fence, or on walls and roofs. While most technologies only detect intruders, this particular perimeter security system is unique in its ability to also deter would-be intruders. The security fence is pulsed every 1,2 seconds creating a short, sharp but safe shock if the fence is touched or reached as well as creating an alarm. McFadzien reported that the Gallagher system has been an excellent deterrent to thieves. “The system has been extremely successful from our point of view,” he said. “It has been a major deterrent and does the job it is meant to do.
“Since its installation nearly 20 years ago, we have only had a handful of attempts to breach the fence line. The last time someone had a serious go at the fence they used wire cutters but only managed to cut a couple of wires before the alarms went off.”
As early adopters of Gallagher perimeter security technology, National Mini Storage has continued to upgrade its on-site security to multiple zone systems thus realising the benefits of ongoing research and development. Gallagher systems enable multiple zones to be alarmed and monitored along with direct PC on-screen control of the site.
“The zone factor has made a huge difference. If we do have problems, they are located quickly by identifying the fence zone that has gone into alarm mode,” said McFadzien. “It also means we do not have to jump in the car and go on site to solve the problem and reset the alarm. This technology means we can save a lot of time and money because we solve problems remotely.”
He attributed the use of technology based systems including the Gallagher perimeter security system as being important for the continued success of his business. “It is a major point of difference for our customers compared to other suppliers.”
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