ID chooses NVT products to deliver first class CCTV systems to Sainsbury's dstribution

February 2008

Trading through hundreds of stores across the UK under the brands Sainsbury's Supermarkets, Sainsbury's Local, Bells Stores, Jackson’s Stores and JB Beaumont; leading food retailer J.Sainsbury plc strives to provide great products at fair prices. To meet the continual demand of supplying its stores with fresh products, Sainsbury’s utilizes a national network of supply chain distribution centres.

The security at each of its distribution centres had been operated using security solutions such as CCTV and access control systems that were due for a complete refurbishment and upgrade programme. To remedy the situation, Sainsbury’s turned to ID Technology Group to supply an integrated, cost-efficient solution that would improve their operational surveillance capabilities to their supply chain distribution centres across the UK.

ID Technology Group consulted Sainsbury’s logistics management, to identify their security, health and safety and operational concerns for each site. The system specifications had to be flexible enough to meet the needs of individual facilities, whilst cost effective for Sainbury’s so that it the solution can be used on multiple locations. Because of such criteria, the use of a Network Video Technologies (NVT) Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) camera video transmission network was used for large scale distribution centres.

Terry Baker, technical director at ID Technology Group explains the system: “With over 200 cameras at some of Sainsbury’s larger sites such as the new Haydock installation that incorporates 225 cameras and 23km of cabling, the scale of each system means using an NVT UTP cable infrastructure brings real performance and cost advantages. Using a ‘Campus Style’ system, we installed separate ‘pods’ of cameras that are connected into a main UTP cable infrastructure. This gives Sainsbury’s management greater scalability with the option to tap into the multi-pair cabling to easily add more cameras in the future, without the need or cost of installing complete lengths of extra cabling. This UTP based scaleable solution can provide the customer with massive cost savings over its lifetime.”

Each camera’s real-time video output is transmitted via NVT NV-214AM video transceivers to NV-862R and NV-1662R Active Receiver hubs located at the control room. “We liaised heavily with Sainsbury’s management around what they felt were their biggest issues at each site,” explains Terry: “From there, we used our technical expertise and experience to supply the best solution utilising the best equipment. Sainsbury’s management are very technically aware and knew exactly what they wanted from the specification of each CCTV system.”

Camera locations at the recent Allington depot installation are typical of each system specification, covering all internal and external loading bays, multiple gate houses, fuelling areas, bailing areas, site access/entry points, car parks, high value stock areas, plus lorry turning points and manoeuvring areas. These predetermined camera placements coupled to NVT UTP video transmission allows depot management to view high quality images of these areas from the on-site control suite, affording them an instant health and safety as well as a security overview. With some of the camera to control cable distances up to 750m, the crystal clear pictures delivered for monitoring means possible issues can be highlighted and resolved instantly. Terry explained: “Sainsbury’s believe CCTV is an essential part of an effective Health & Safety program which is the driving force behind a large number of the camera locations within the distribution centres. They also utilise a powerful tool to ensure correct health and safety procedures are being adhered to in the workplace, and find it beneficial to include CCTV video footage in regular staff training sessions.”

ID Technology Group increases its service offering with acquisition of Alarms division

December 2007

ID Technology Group has continued its expansion with the acquisition of Intact Electronics Ltd, a specialist security and alarms business, based in Bolton.

ID Technology Group, based in Manchester is one of the UK’s leading national providers of security solutions, specialising in CCTV, Access Control and electronic tagging systems, operating in the retail, commercial and public sectors. Working for many of the UK’s well known blue chip companies including Sainsbury’s, Philips, TK Maxx, DSGi and Wilkinson’s, ID has gained an enviable reputation for innovation, customer service and advanced security solutions.

Intact Electronics Ltd will be re-branded as ID Intact and operate as a subsidiary of ID Technology Group as a national high security and alarms division.

Commenting on the acquisition, Andy Gillies, Managing Director of ID Technology Group said:

“This acquisition is an exciting and important development for ID Technology Group. We are committed to expanding the business and the acquisition of Intact gives us a new service line to offer to our customers. It represents a very exciting growth opportunity.”

The existing management team at Intact Electronics Ltd, headed by Managing Director, David Pearson will remain in place.

David Pearson commented:

“I am delighted to become part of a larger group with a great team who have exciting and progressive plans for the future. Intact Electronics Ltd was ready to move to the next stage and this offers us a substantial platform from which to grow.”

ID Technology is part of ID Support Services (IDSS). 2007 has been a busy period for IDSS. The firm’s record turnover and acquisition announcement follows fast on the heels of an investment made in the group by Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital in March of this year who took a significant minority equity stake in the business.

Integrated surveillance, access control and alarm security system at Begbies Traynor Group plc head office building

November 2007

ID Technology Group has installed a fully integrated 35 camera, access control and alarm security system in a new 7 storey multi million pound Head Office building on Manchester’s Deansgate.

The security system was installed internally and externally throughout the premises, using unobtrusive dome cameras which would not affect the design of the building. A smart card access control system was implemented with access points at every floor level, entry doors, stairwell and reception; with break glass entry devices at every point in case of emergency.

A discrete audio recording microphone was also installed above reception. This allows conversations to be monitored in order to ensure correct procedures are followed by the receptionists and to check that visitors are who they claim to be. As a duty of care to staff, a panic button was installed in the lobby and reception desk; so that if there are any possible instances of disruption on the main street, police can be instantly called to intervene.

Working with Begbies Traynor Group was a particularly challenging project as each floor needed to have restricted access so that only designated staff could enter. As this was such a high profile office building it was also essential that the security system was operational before staff took up residence in the building.

Mike Crook, National Facilities Manager at Begbies Traynor Group commented on the success of the system: “We had to ensure that the move was as swift and straightforward as possible, and having a secure building infrastructure was paramount to that. ID not only designed and installed a complete solution that fitted our requirements, the level of service given ensured that any changes needed were dealt with quickly and effectively.”

Maximising CCTV Image Quality in Leisure Environments

The Publican, November 2007

In a late night, low lighting environment such as pubs, bars and nightclubs, the main function of a CCTV system is for prosecution purposes. The majority of criminal activity revolves around violent and anti-social behaviour, which is hard to prevent and extremely difficult to detect until the event happens. Therefore having high quality CCTV imagery is paramount for identification of criminals after the event.

With the easy and now relatively cheap introduction of digital CCTV systems, the days of dark muffled picture quality are now inexcusable, and bar owners are increasingly investing in upgrading their CCTV system, as the benefits it gives as a deterrent and for prosecution purposes is evident to customers and staff alike.

Alex Vincent, Marketing Manager at ID Technology Group, which is one of the largest CCTV installers to the casino and leisure industry comments on the new technology and benefits available to publicans.

“The recent improvement in CCTV quality and system operation was led by the Casino industry. In a high value, low lighting environments it was essential that casino’s had perfect imagery to stop cheating on the gaming floor.”

“Cameras now run at a higher frame rate due to the low costs of DVR memory, and in dark conditions, low level black and white infra-red cameras are used with built in LED’s to flood the area with infra-red light. Invisible to the human eye, customers and staff are covered in infra-red light, which fits perfect when scanning a dark area such as a bar or dance floor.”

Along with imagery, cameras now have audio facilities that can be used at staff’s discretion if need be. Verbal abuse to staff has rocketed in recent years and can be just as damaging as physical abuse. If staff are being threatened, a button under the desk can be activated that turns on audio, and also alerts security, so all aspects of an incident can be monitored giving a complete picture of the incident.

Though customer safety is of the utmost importance for publicans, a pressing issue is that of staff collusion and theft. The use of data-mining and integrating CCTV with till activity is imperative for improving the bottom line. If a manager is concerned about a till being down, or possible staff giving away free drinks, they can enable the till input to be relayed over the CCTV, so the drinks orders can be monitored and correlate if what the staff is giving the customers is the same as what was ran through the till.

CCTV images such as staff collusion, incidents of anti-social behaviour are also useful for staff training purposes. Staff can be shown real life incidents, and demonstrate how to, and how not to tackle certain situations.

Alex continues, "The world of security and surveillance has changed dramatically over the last few years and the options available to users are more sophisticated than ever. Although a very useful deterrent, CCTV is no longer a tool to simply passively monitor people - it can be an active tool for security, training and marketing purposes.”