When NYK Logistics moved into four massive individual warehouses in Northampton, the company’s security manager, Howard Smith, decided to implement a detailed security plan that set out the specific operational requirements for each CCTV camera.
Smith’s previous experience of working with security installer, OCS Security Services, led him to ask the company to assist him again with the specification and design of a fully integrated security system for the warehouses in Grange Park and Brackmills.
“When you are committing a company resource of over £500,000 spread across two financial years, you need to be confident in your choice of installation partner,” says Smith. Initially, Steve Hodges, Security Manager at OCS met with him to conceive and evaluate solutions.
Said Hodges: “We discussed every security and management scenario NYK Logistics faced, and audited the degree of threat each posed.”
OCS had to provide a solution that got the balance of security equipment and level of integration absolutely right, whilst permitting NYK Logistics’ 24/7 business activity to flow unimpeded. “We clearly needed to secure access to the sites, to prevent unauthorised intrusion. To do this, we planned to secure the ‘box’. By this, I mean making watertight the sites’ perimeters, entry and exit points, and internal areas.”
The brief also demanded close monitoring of the warehouse stock and the distribution process. One issue that had to be addressed was the possible theft of stock internally. NYK Logistics required images to support claims of variation on a delivery in or out of the warehouses.
Said Hodges: “To fulfil this requirement, we needed to secure video footage of the precise nature of all incoming and outgoing stock. The quality of this video information needed to be extremely high in order for NYK Logistics to be able to effectively identify and evaluate the precise quantity of any particular stock, and verify its condition in any distribution movement; perhaps as evidence to confirm a customer query, or to support an insurance claim.”
The solution OCS supplied integrates CCTV, access control and intruder alarm systems to provide a high-level of protection.
Although each warehouse has a standalone security system, OCS installed fibre-optic links to the site’s main gatehouse located control room, to enable 24-hour monitoring of all its facilities from one central point. In the control room, all security sub-systems are controlled from within an ergonomic environment designed by OCS.
A core surveillance system was installed comprising Panasonic WJ-SX550 camera switching matrix and WV-CU550 controller To secure high-resolution surveillance of the sites’ main entry and exit roads, microphonic alarmed perimeter fencing, 50 loading bays, 450 car parking spaces and internal warehousing areas,. This allowed operators to readily select any of the site’s 200 colour cameras.
Alarm outputs from the site’s Menvier TS2500 intruder alarm systems were also fed into the matrix equipment, giving the CCTV cameras essential ‘pre-set’ positioning information and enabling precise visual verification of any alarm triggered. The massive size of the warehouses themselves posed a challenge to the installation.
Said Hodges: “To reduce the risk of poor video signal transmission or the possibility of cable breaks causing loss of signal in the coaxes, we opted to run the camera cables as continuous length runs, using 600m drums. This has proved to work well, with the high quality of the transmitted images being remarked upon by the client.“
However, the task of laying the coax cables to cameras located high up in the warehouse roof spaces necessitated the use of one of the tallest cherry-pickers available, complete with a 60ft extension!
To achieve a consistent level of clarity and detail of picture content throughout the range of lighting conditions at the packaging and loading bay door areas, i.e. full sunlight through to night time backlighting, OCS specified a mix of WV-CS854 colour domes and WV-CP474 static cameras. These advanced digital signal processing colour cameras with high-resolution imaging (570 TV lines) and day/night time switching allowed the company to make detailed identification of consignments. The warehouses use 480-line resolution colour cameras to capture clear images of the own fleet of 300 vehicles, drivers and number plates, along with other delivery trucks.
To meet requirements for fast access to high quality visuals, OCS specified and installed a 2.2 Terra Byte digital recording system. It is programmed to meet the ‘security risk’ assessment needs of each individual camera and its area of coverage. The digital information is recorded and stored for either 30 days, or up to three months, and at differing resolutions.
lntelligent use of recording media
This ‘intelligent’ use of digital recording media helps to make the most of the storage capacity, and reduces the amount of media storage required. This means a welcome reduction in capital outlay for the client.
Further intelligent use is achieved by using in-built motion detection to trigger recordings only of cameras viewing activity, again helping to save valuable digital storage capacity.
In the warehouses different categories of stock have also been ‘risk assessed’ and allocated different levels of security risk. For instance, in the wines and spirits section where individual stock items are more accessible and therefore perceived as more vulnerable, zoned areas are guarded by the additional cameras linked to ‘dual knock’ motion detectors. To protect the sites’ fully-fenced off perimeter, OCS also installed a ring of RedNet beams. They are linked to pre-set cameras mounted on adjacent 6m Altron poles.
Said Hodges: “In many distribution environ-ments, you’ll often find that the trailer parking is along the site perimeter, next to the loading bay area. Our experience of siting the beam towers has taught us to make adequate provision for clearance, as the long overhang of a reversing trailer may well reach far beyond the kerb; with the real possibility of a truck backing a trailer into and perhaps demolishing a beam unit! “
On activation of a zone sensor, any triggered alarm activation activates an instant start-up recording, or switch from a time-lapse recording mode into a more useful ‘real-time’ mode. The digital footage may be downloaded to traditional recording media, such as VHS tape, or CDROM.
This degree of system planning and flexibility has paid real security and site management dividends, and is the result of the detailed work put into the initial consultation process by the installation company to create a thorough site security audit and specific threat analysis.
Says Hodges: “NYK Logistics’ security systems can be described as being in a constant state of development with additions and restructuring undertaken on an ongoing basis to meet with the client’s evolving security and business needs.”
Security manager, Howard Smith said the level of technical support they received gave them peace of mind that the equipment specified forms a reliable, high-quality solution.
“Quite clearly, the level of knowledge and experience displayed by OCS is reflected in their ability to provide us with practical, cost-effective solutions that are tailored to our operational needs. The Grange Park and Brackmills project is the result of a great working partnership between ourselves and the installer. OCS demonstrated a caring and professional approach to our security needs and provided us with the in-depth product and technical installation support to deliver a high level of security and safety for our premises, stock and personnel alike.”
Part of a £13bn group
NYK Logistics is a division of the $13 billion global logistics conglomerate the NYK Group. NYK Logistics (UK) Consumer & Retail Ltd (formerly known as New Wave Logistics), is part of a network of modern, high-tech warehousing facilities spread throughout Europe. The rapidly expanding company services the storage and distribution requirements of clients with high value, or specialist products.
In addition to its quality warehousing and distribution operation, NYK Logistics offers its customers an extensive range of value added services with a comprehensive portfolio including high-security warehousing, next day delivery and complete logistics and supply chain management.
NYK Logistics has around 2 million sq ft of space spread across nine warehouses throughout the UK, the largest of its facilities are situated in Milton Keynes and Northampton.
NYK Logistics' distribution centres provide a fully integrated logistics service with high security and bonded storage facilities for a host of top brand customers including, Sanyo, EPSON, Pioneer, Samsung, Suzuki, Dr Martens and Philips.
Installer's equipment list
Hardware:
Matrix System 550
WV-CU550 System Controller
AV20 Video Codec
Cameras:
WV-CS864 External Dome
WV-CS854 Super Dynamic II
WV-CP474H Super Dynamic II
WV-CP464 DSP.
Monitors:
WV-CM1480
Equipment supplied by Panasonic UK.
Source
Security Installer
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