One of the predicted future main growth areas in the Locksmiths trade is Access Control. The Locksmith journal caught up with one of the Companies that specialises in this field, North-East based GB Locking Systems Ltd.
Choosing a name for the company they set up in 2003 was pretty straightforward for founders and owners of Newcastle-upon-Tyne-based GB Locking-Systems, Gary Pearce and Bob Passmore.
They had been working together for Ingersoll Rand before they established the Company which is named after their first name initials.
Bob’s early days were at AES in Birmingham, working with a product called Corkey, an early precursor to magnetic stripe systems.
“I was really thrown in at the deep end at AES,” Bob. “I was living in a hotel in Birmingham, so I took the products back there with me each evening and learned about them by examining and wiring them in my room.”
Bob then moved to Laidlaw Thomas which is where he met Gary, and began to concentrate on access control. For nearly 20 years he stayed, seeing the company through various ownership changes – from Laidlaw Thomas through Newman Tonks and IR.
With the market rapidly changing and becoming frustrated with the lack of flexibility of a large Company they decided to go it alone.
It meant remortgaging the houses and taking risks, but it was a decision they have never regretted.
Today, GB Locking Systems – which deals exclusively with the trade – specialises in the specification and supply of access control and door automation products to the trade. The three Directors – Bob, Gary and Andy Ayre – are all committed to providing the best possible customer service at a personal level.
With more than a century of technical expertise between them, GB Locking Systems can offer a full service support package including Technical Support, site surveys, site visits, and project management, right through to commissioning. GB Locking will provide anything from a stand-alone battery-powered lock to a complete on-line, multi-site system.
“We appreciate that some locksmiths can be unsure about access control and may need some back up through the process,” he says. “We can provide that – and will effectively become part of their team, visiting sites with them or on their behalf if necessary.”
In situations where Locksmiths have an access control spec but may have reservations about how to deal with it, GB will write a schedule, price it up, provide schematics for the electrical contractor, supply the product – and even send a commissioning team if required – relieving the AI of this worry and allowing them to offer a seamless service. Recognising the value of good training, they also offer a training service to Locksmiths in the Company’s dedicated training room.
Recent years have seen some tough times for most businesses, but as this Company’s main ethos lies in its commitment to customers by remaining true to the principle of offering great customer service, quality products and add-ons such as the training and support.
GB Locking is a member of the highly- respected Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) and the directors are all enthusiastic about the opportunities this offers them and what they, in turn, can offer.
Bob and Andy are both DipGAI holders and are keen to extend this strength of learning throughout the business. Two further members of the team are going though the GAI Education programme which will lead to the GAI Diploma.
“The Diploma gives an excellent grounding in what is involved in the whole ironmongery picture,” says Bob. “It gives you a broader perspective which in turn gives you more confidence when dealing with customers.
GB Locking’s Neil Ransome has been involved with writing the GAI’s manual on access control, testament to the high regard in which GB’s expertise is held.
When it comes to product, GB Locking systems is determined to maintain high quality standards.
THE IMPRESSIVE WAFERLOCK
The impressive Waferlock is the latest addition to the GB range.
“We were looking for an exclusive product,” says Andy Ayre, “and we came across a company in the Far East that really impressed us.
GB worked with their partners to get Waferlock just as they wanted it to suit the UK market. It is much more rugged (particularly important on projects such as schools and hospitals) and the software has been adapted to British needs. The result is the Waferlock e-Link Commercial Network System which is capable of managing up to 64,000 doors and 64,000 users.
With a flexible enough network system for handling extremely complex projects, it is nevertheless extremely user-friendly and easy both to set up and manage. Using online wall readers, user cards distribute data from the software to the offline standalone doors, while at the same time audit trails and battery status from the offline doors are transferred back to the PC. The powerful software, which GB has adapted to British requirements, is easy to use with many features providing a simple, efficient and secure system for all access control requirements.
The Waferlock system is proving its worth on several projects including a busy student accommodation with over 700 rooms, where the system was selected for its ability to help overcome the problem of students accidently locking their cards or fobs in their rooms when they go out for the day.
GB chose to feature the Waferlock stand-alone shadow card/Online PC Based Systems along with the A1 high security electronic and mechanical lockset at this year’s MLA EXPO in Telford. Both attracted a lot of interest as did the new IP67 electronic cylinder which was imaginatively displayed in a water-filled container. The stand-alone battery lever-set which can be fitted in 10 minutes and programmed with just a card also impressed visitors to the stand – typical comments from locksmiths who had already used the product were the ease with which it could be fitted and programmed and the reliability comparison to similar products on the market.
“The MLA had put on a fine Expo and we intend to be at the next one in two years’ time,” said Andy.