Installments

"Of all installations, light industrial units are probably the easiest to deal with as they usually comprise a small office area adjoining a warehouse, workshop or both. But the owners generally want to spend as little as possible on security. This to my mind is understandable but completely wrong.

"Considering the value of information, stock and machinery which may be held on the premises, the cost of a decent security system is negligible in comparison, and this point should always be made."

Timely tips: money talks!
(One of the hallmarks of a successful business is the way that it manages its money ...)

"It may be tempting to offer easy payment terms to your customers, but do your prices accurately reflect the money it is costing you? That money could be earning you interest or financing future projects so it is wise to carefully calculate the most efficient means of your cash flow, especially if turnover is not yet substantial.

   "Similarly, are you getting the best credit terms from your suppliers? If they are allowing you 30 days, ask for 60 if you think your spend with them justifies it – and if they refuse, put some of your business another supplier's way."

Problems on the tube
(Installers had to wrestle with a burning issue before the arrival of CCD cameras ...)

"Many cameras at the lower end of the market have a 'Vidicon' type tube fitted. These tubes are cheap to manufacture, therefore keeping the overall price of the camera down. Although they are cheap they work well where constant levels of light can be maintained.

   "In a room which is well lit by fluorescent lighting they offer very good resolution but suffer one major disadvantage, which is that they are extremely prone to image burning on the faceplate. Once serious burning has occurred the tube is useless and must be replaced (now you can see why they are so cheap).

   "This problem can be minimised by very careful positioning of the camera to ensure that there is little chance of bright lights being directed into the camera. The same applies to reflections and lightly coloured or shiny surfaces, as these can do just as much damage in a short time."

It's on the old JY prog!
(The Home Office's Magpie crime prevention campaign was in need of some help from Radio 2 ...)

"All the disc jockeys on BBC Radio 2 will be putting across the crime prevention message in their shows. So we'll have the smooth Jimmy Young, the salubrious Gloria Honeyford and the suave (?) Derek Jameson proferring helpful security advice between their record requests. Tune in to Radio 2 and do some promotion for your own business that is going to be there for the taking."

A new light on fibre optics
(Fibre optics had long been associated with the protection of high risk sites such as airfields and military bases, wrote Barry Griffiths of Pilkington's Electro-Optical Division ...)

"A major advantage of the equipment is its low false alarm rate. Other alarm systems are triggered by lightning, dust storms, high wind, litter, birds, animals or moving trees. The fibre optic security product has been designed and tested to survive the harshest environments."