The spices millions of people sprinkle on their food undergo a somewhat lengthy - and careful - production process before hitting grocery shelves. Operators of spice manufacturing plants must closely supervise areas of production to ensure that no foreign objects or particles fall into the spices before they are shipped to distribution centers.
At the Alferi Labs spice factory in Little Chute, Wis., company management decided about two years ago to use CCTV surveillance cameras to closely monitor production. Last year, the company decided to add an access control system
to monitor employees and vendors entering and leaving the plant, and to further ensure quality spice production.
Continuing its working relationship, Alferi
went to TECC Security Systems Inc. of Neenah,
Wis., the company that installed the CCTV
cameras as well as the spice factory's security
system, to determine the type of card access
system best suited for the facility.
Coincidently, during the time the security firm
was assessing different access systems, it was
presented with a new wireless system from
Recognition Source of St. Charles, Ill.
According to TECC Security, after seeing a
product demo for the manufacturer's Wireless
access system, it decided the product was well
suited for the application. The security firm
liked the fact that the system was
cost-effective and easier and faster to install,
primarily due to the system's integrated reader
lock, which cuts down on wiring.
Access System Further Ensures
Productivity
When it comes to processing spices, the most
mundane particles or objects, such as pencils
being carried in employees' shirt pockets or
dust from drilling holes, can pose a major
threat. A tampered batch of spices can mean
losing money and a day's worth of work.
While the CCTV surveillance cameras located
inside the plant are fixed to constantly monitor
spice production, Alferi wanted another layer of
security through a card access system. The
access system would also satisfy post-Sept. 11,
2001 security concerns.
TECC Security initially dealt with Alferi
regarding this installation sometime before May
2002 and gave the company some options on the
type of access control system it wanted. It was
determined at the time that seven doors would be
covered, and that software and visitor ID cards
would be provided. After Kuehl met with Alferi
management a second time, the plan was changed
to include nine doors.
Product Demo Convinces Firm to Use
System
TECC Security Systems, formed in 1993,
monitors more than 700 accounts. Its primary
revenue-generating business is in residential
and commercial security. Access control and CCTV
business make up another 30 percent of its
business, followed by fire/life safety.
Prior to the spice factory installation, the
security company installed wired access control
systems due to the product lines it carries.
However, it so happened that, during the time
TECC Security was determining a solution for
Alferi, a representative from Recognition Source
contacted the security firm to demo the
manufacturer's Wireless access system.
With the Wireless access product, TECC
Security concluded that the system would be
cost-effective for both the firm and the
customer. It would also be easier and faster to
install, while still providing the amount of
security that Alferi management wanted.
One of the system's components that
interested the security company was its
integrated reader lock (IRL), which combines a
door lock, card reader, request-to-exit sensor,
door position terminal, power and RF transceiver
all in one unit.
Terry Kuehl of TECC Security clarifies,
however, that the company could have just as
easily run wire for a hardwired system. But
Alferi management also liked the wireless
system's performance during the product demo.
They also liked the fact that, with this system,
less wire had to be run throughout the building.
Integrated Locks Were Learning Curve
Products
The installation at Alferi began in mid-July
2002. It took two technicians from TECC Security
approximately 130 man-hours to complete the
work. The total cost of the project was
$13,000.
The crew first got all the door controllers
up and running before mounting and wiring the
panel interface modules to the controllers.
After that, the technicians then took off the
old door locks and placed a template for the
IRLs. The crew then began working on Alferi's
front door.
There, the technicians cut in an electric
strike and placed an HID reader, and wired the
two units back to the wireless universal
interface, which runs off a 12VDC power supply.
In Alferi's delivery area, TECC Security
placed a cage there and added an HID reader
along with an electric strike. Throughout the
entire installation, minimal wiring was done.
Zero wiring was done from the IRLs to the door
controllers or panel interface modules.
With the entire system in place, the access
cards can be used on all the doors, depending on
how Alferi programs the cards. The names of
employees and vendors, and the times they enter
and leave the building, are all logged by the
software.
Kuehl says the most challenging part of the
installation was just learning to work with the
product (new to the security company). Also,
during this phase, TECC Security discovered an
internal glitch with some of the installed IRLs
because those doors would not release.
Had the system been a hardwired one, Kuehl
says the job would have still only required two
technicians, but they would have spent more
hours to pull wire. Also, the price tag on the
system would have increased $3,000 to $4,000.
From this installation, TECC Security has
decided to now use the Wireless access control
system in other applications; where there are
special requirements in buildings, for
example.
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