Silca DUO: an Italian- Indian collaboration

Transcription

1 Security update No. 39, Edition 1/2009 page 4 Silca DUO: an Italian- Indian collaboration Development and engineering of a new product line. page 26 Central access management for cargo port A report from Barcelona. page 40 How to secure goods-in-transit? High-tech security applications for goods transport.

2 Product development is the driving force for our success. Today, India s fast-growing economy is the fourth largest in the world after the United States, China and Japan. Whereas, initially, growth was driven primarily by the service sector, industry is now booming as well. Our Silca DUO project saw two worlds join forces: Silca in Italy and Minda Silca in India. Find out more about the project and about the results of this exciting collaborative venture on page 4. Jean-Luc Ferrazzini, Chief Communications Officer Once again, we have taken a major step into the future: with RCID, doors unlock without a key simply through touch. Experts have reacted enthusiastically, and this world s first has won two awards. More on page 14. In conversation with Professor Niels Kuster, a specialist in the field of on-/in-body wireless communication at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH), we explored the potential of this technology. What trends are emerging in contactless communication? How will these affect our company and our lifestyles? Answers to these questions can be found on page 10. I wish you an enjoyable read! Jean-Luc Ferrazzini Imprint Publisher Kaba Management + Consulting AG, 8153 Rümlang (Switzerland), Design Wirz Corporate AG, Zurich. Publishing System Multimedia Solutions AG, Zurich. Print Printlink, Zurich. Editor Kaba Corporate Communications. Photography Alexander Gempeler (p ), Andreas Mader (p. 3, 10 13, 29, 32), Jonas Kuhn (p. 2, 3, 17 18, 36), (p. 24), Port de Barcelona/Lluís Castellá (p ), Pierre Adenis (p. 30), Klaus Andorfer (p. 8, 35, 37). Reproduction is subject to permission from Kaba. Security Update is published in spring and fall in English and German. Kaba, Com-ID, Ilco, La Gard, LEGIC, SAFLOK, Silca, etc. are registered trademarks, CardLink TM, etc. are trademarks of the Kaba Group. Due to countryspecific constraints or marketing considerations, some of the Kaba Group products and systems may not be available in every market.

3 p. 4 Silca DUO: an Italian-Indian collaboration Engineers from Silca and Minda Silca have jointly developed an attractive new product line: My First Silca. A project report. Content The rewards of innovation 14 Kaba has received two awards for its groundbreaking RCID technology. SAP integration made easy 19 A new access and time + attendance system increases efficiency for the Action Supermarket retail chain. Convenience and luxury at all levels 20 Orchard Scotts in Singapore ensures maximum convenience for its guests including in access management. Central access management for cargo port 26 All access systems at the port of Barcelona are integrated into one solution by Iberkaba. Flexible access management 29 Less administrative work for Migros Bank in Switzerland thanks to a new central access system from Kaba. Isolated solutions connected up 30 A comprehensive access and information system opens all doors for the tenants of Q 205. p. 16 Westside: tailored door solutions At Westside leisure and retail center, doors from Kaba Gilgen provide secure and convenient access. Spotlights 22 Close-up: Elke Weniger 32 The missing piece of the puzzle 34 Products 36 How to secure goods-in-transit? 40 News 42 p. 10 SMS is a technology which was invented as a sort of sideline Ulrich Wydler, Head of Access + Data Systems EMEA, in conversation with Professor Niels Kuster. Security update 1/2009 3

4 Silca DUO: an Italian-Indian collaboration Two teams of developers, two locations, two different cultures one project. The Silca DUO project saw developers from Kaba s Italian subsidiary Silca and from Minda Silca in India working together for the first time. The resulting product line My First Silca is a very attractive one. A project report. 4 Security update 1/2009

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6 Successful collaboration: in only ten months, the project team developed and launched the new product line My First Silca. Pramode Parasramka, Managing Director Minda Silca 6 Security update 1/2009

7 A strong will to succeed and trust in our partner shaped project Silca DUO. Pramode Parasramka, Managing Director Minda Silca I n 2006, Kaba s subsidiary Silca and the Minda Group in India set up the joint venture Minda Silca in the industrial city of Noida, southeast of New Delhi. The purpose of this collaborative venture, which represents a new operational base for Silca in the Indian growth market and in South- East Asia, is the manufacture of key cutting machines and keys for the replacement key market and the OEM sector. Today about two years since the venture was set up Minda Silca with its distribution partners already covers a large part of the Indian subcontinent. An efficient production line turns out high-quality keys with over 300 different profiles as well as plastic heads. Further advances are set to follow. This successful venture should be expanded, said the people at Silca, and they sought out new opportunities. How can better use be made of synergies? Where are the gaps in the huge Indian market? The answer soon became clear: through the Silca DUO project, a new type of key cutting machine was to be developed, specifically suited to the low-price segment of the growth markets in Asia, South America and Eastern Europe. Two locations one team The project was launched at the beginning of April Under the leadership of Corrado Fischer from Italy, eight developers four from Minda Silca and four from Silca in Italy began working on the new product line. The members of the project team had to have serious organizational and communications skills. Developing a product together when the members of the team are thousands of kilometers and several time zones apart is no easy undertaking. At the end of the day, the constant exchange of ideas is what makes any development process work. Modern forms of communication like videoconferencing helped but more than that was needed. From the outset, we encouraged the members of the team to visit the other location, to get to know each other personally and to learn from each other s abilities, relates Corrado Fischer. The project plan also involved regular meetings in situ to sort out technical problems and discuss how things were to proceed. Differences in background brought some challenges for the project team, too, with two different corporate cultures and philosophies to grapple with. However, from the start the differences in working methods and cultural background were regarded as an opportunity. We successfully brought together different ways of communicating, reports Fischer. The launch of the new product line just ten months after the project started proves his point. Complementary expertise The team members from Italy were the driving force when it came to project management and expertise. As a technology leader, Silca is accustomed to updating its product portfolio on an ongoing basis, keeping abreast of a market which constantly requires new key profiles and quicker and more userfriendly machines for key manufacture. Thus, over the years, Silca s R&D department has acquired a great deal of in-depth knowledge and experience. In the Silca DUO project, this expertise came to the fore particularly in the efforts to combine design and technology. In this area, Minda Silca entered new territory to an extent, as both the product and the technology used were new to the developers in India. The knowledge transfer was a big challenge. We were developing a key cutting machine for the first time. That also meant building and testing prototypes, explains Anup Kumar Gupta, Unit Head Minda Silca. Giovanni Pupo, Quality Manager Silca Italy, observed a high level of motivation and great skill in his Indian colleagues: They did perfect work from the start. Minda Silca played a strong role when it came to engineering, procurement and quality assurance, says Pupo. The Indians set up contact with suppliers that produce the sought-for quality at low cost. The highly qualified Indian team also added valuable experience from developing products for the car industry, which brought new approaches to improving the design. In product engineering we benefited from the perspective of our Indian partner from the outset, says Corrado Fischer. As the project progressed, they showed us ways in which we Security update 1/2009 7

8 Interview with Roberto Gaspari, COO Key + Ident Systems Europe/Asia Pacific Roberto Gaspari, how has the joint venture Minda Silca performed over the last two years? Very well. We have doubled our operations and now produce key blanks for Europe as well. In the local replacement key market, our team has already established a significant customer base; our business covers now most of the Indian subcontinent through our twelve distribution partners. It goes without saying that there is still much to do. could easily produce other parts for other machines at Minda Silca. A welcome synergy effect, which Silca will obviously make use of. The strengths of our two operations complement each other ideally, observes Fischer. For example? In the coming months we will be negotiating with other prospective distribution partners, and we will also develop a product catalog in Hindi and make point-of-sale material available. We will be staging some events, too, with a view to enhancing familiarity with our brand and our business model. What challenges did you face in setting up the joint venture? The joint venture was a new experience for us all. Unlike acquiring a company, entering into a joint venture requires a partnership between the two companies based on mutual understanding, shared goals and trust. Happily, we established a good relationship with our partner even at the negotiation stage. The teams from both companies know each other personally; regular meetings at both locations and our success in mastering the different challenges together have fostered a team spirit and created shared values. The production location challenge Silca DUO is in many respects an ambitious project. And this extends to the choice of production location. For the first time ever in Silca s history, key cutting machines will not be made at the headquarters in Italy. In order to enable production to take place in Noida, adjustments had to be made to existing production methods. The complex mix of components needed to make the key cutting machines required an improvement in process setup. Silca equipment also had to be integrated into the manufacturing process. In order to ensure high Silca standards were maintained in the new product line, the project team developed quality assurance processes along with a failure mode and effects analysis. It was on this basis that production for the new product line was set up: every tool and every step in the process were put precisely in place. Successful collaboration Anup Kumar Gupta regards the experience of the last year as a very positive one. His team has developed extraordinary skills and a great deal of technical expertise in key cutting machines. The collaboration, he believes, was an excellent thing at all levels. And: Communication was affected less by cultural differences than by differing local realities. Giovanni Pupo agrees with him. Everyone expanded their horizon. He felt the contact with another culture and the exchange of know-how was enriching. His summing up of the partnership: Successful at all levels! And the future? I see many opportunities for Minda Silca. I have great confidence in our Indian partner. Pramode Parasramka, their managing director, is an experienced manager with great technical competence. He understands our needs and the market and he has the ability to motivate the team to achieve even better results. 8 Security update 1/2009

9 The product line My First Silca specifically caters to the needs of customers in emerging markets. Corrado Fischer, Project Manager Silca DUO With its My First Silca product line, Kaba s subsidiary Silca is setting new standards for mechanical key cutting machines. A dual function now means that for the first time two key profiles can be cut on the same machine. My First Silca is the result of an extremely successful R&D collaboration between Minda Silca and Silca in Italy (see also the report on pages 4 to 8). The aim: to develop a product which would allow customers to buy a key cutting machine at low cost and without sacrificing quality. The product line created, My First Silca, enables different key types to be cut on one and the same platform. With this dual function, flat keys can be cut on one side and double-bit keys on the other. The machines are distributed under the name of Silca DUO and have been developed as entry models aimed in particular at customers in Asia, South America and Eastern Europe. In these markets, price and margin competition is particularly fierce, so that cost is the first question which arises in any purchase decision. If a customer buys a Silca DUO machine, they get double functionality on the same machine: so the purchase price is lower than it would be if they bought a separate machine for each functionality, explains Corrado Fischer, Project Manager Silca DUO. As a reliable partner, Silca also offers valuable expertise and top-class service worldwide. However, My First Silca does not only set new standards in terms of product engineering and pricing: the time between the original idea for the new product line and it going on sale is just ten months. A period which is a lot shorter than usual industry standards. In addition, for the first time the machines will not be produced at Silca s Italian site but at Minda Silca in Noida (India). The products will comply with the standards Silca sets regarding quality, Fischer adds. The My First Silca product line consists of five models adapted to regional needs. The first model, Silca DUO Basic 220V, is expected to be on the market at the end of February. The 110V model and the version for South America will be available in April, while the European plus version will come onto the market a little later. > cfischer@silca.it Clever dual function: the new Silca DUO machine is able to cut two differing key profiles at the same time. Security update 1/2009 9

10 SMS is a technology which was invented as a sort of sideline Wireless communication is all the rage. Where are the trends in contactless communication leading? Which technologies will prevail? Ulrich Wydler, Head of Access + Data Systems EMEA at the Kaba Group, talked to Professor Niels Kuster, Director of the Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society. 10 Security update 1/2009

11 Prof. Niels Kuster Ulrich Wydler Prof. Niels Kuster (NK) A technology only establishes itself if it can be applied in a way which brings benefits to the user. In mass markets, the technology also has to be cool. Ulrich Wydler (UW) It is always fascinating to see which ideas end up catching on and which ones don t. It is surprisingly difficult to predict. Biometrics is a good example: 20 years ago, widespread use of biometrics was being predicted. NK Yes, but only the terror attacks awakened a need for clear identification and helped this technology become better established. UW The greatest skill in marketing is the ability to awaken simmering market needs. We succeeded in doing this with our electronic safe locks. Now we are the world market leader. And we are at the same stage today with our new RCID technology. NK I d install this technology right away. I ve never liked badges. In fact, I almost prefer keys. But something which works smoothly and invisibly I d go for that every time. UW As part of our work in the Global Technology Management Team, the Kaba Group s think tank, we came across patents from the 1960s which revolved around capacitive data transmission using the human body. We gave a team of young developers who were fascinated by the idea the chance to try it out and develop the TouchGo product line. We have put in seven patent applications for this so far. After four years of development, we now have the first pilots installed, to test out the technology in a day-to-day environment. If everything goes well, the first product will be on the market in the fall of this year. NK So you ll be the first to introduce concrete uses for RCID. The application makes a lot of sense. So I think the Security update 1/

12 products stand a good chance of establishing themselves. UW I agree. And we are also combining the whole thing with RFID. This means RCID is not replacing RFID but complementing it. You do research in a related area, wireless technology. Where are the trends leading to here? NK It is difficult to predict these things accurately. In the past, the predictions about mobile telephony had to be constantly updated. A few years back it was inconceivable that there would one day be more cell phones in Europe than people, or that approaching four billion people worldwide would be using them. SMS, too, is a technology which was invented as a sort of sideline, and nobody imagined it would be used so eagerly and that a business could be created out of it. On the other hand, the appeal of wearable computing applications was hugely overestimated. In the mid-1990s, MIT predicted that this technology would soon be booming, but no serious applications have yet appeared on the market. UW The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology is mainly a teaching and research institution: how are your technologies turned into marketable applications? NK Since the end of the 1980s the Institute has been helping and encouraging researchers to set up spin-off companies. We research the technologies, and our three spin-offs then develop them for the marketplace. By turning technologies into UW I think that s the main reason why commercial applications, the spin-offs biometrics has not seen the level of takeup people expected. We see these prob- create highly skilled jobs and generate earnings which are then invested in our lems with RFID technology as well. Instead research. The result is a very high level of of one standard, there are several, which expertise. have to be combined using multifunctional readers, a difficult task. Prof. Niels Kuster was born in Switzerland in He received his master s degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. In 1993, he was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering at the ETH. He has been a visiting professor at Motorola s Electromagnetics Laboratory in Florida and at the Metropolitan University in Tokyo. In 1999, Niels Kuster became Director of the Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society. His research interests are currently focused on measurement technology and computer simulation for physical processes in biology, and related technological and medical applications, including applications for reliable on-/ in-body wireless communication. Niels Kuster is a member of several standardization bodies and has advised a number of government agencies on safety in mobile communications. Ulrich Wydler is a Swiss citizen. As Head of Access + Data Systems EMEA, he is responsible for Kaba s closely connected business in physical access systems, access management and time + attendance systems in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Ulrich Wydler has worked for the Kaba Group since 1984 and has been a member of the Group Management Committee since From 1972 to 1984 he was employed by Oerlikon-Bührle Contraves as Head of Development with responsibility for major projects in the air defense division. Ulrich Wydler is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bridge Betriebsdaten AG. He studied at the Technical University in Brugg (Switzerland) and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering. UW Taking technology to the marketplace NK Do you see advantages or disadvantages in early standardization? also involves standardizing it. NK That is true, and it is extremely important. We invest a lot of time and energy in technology leader, you have to give a lot UW Well, that s a bit of a dilemma. As a standardization. But it s not always easy. away to the competition to allow a standard to be created. On the other hand, a Often every company does its own thing, in an effort to gain an advantage in the new technology will rarely establish itself market. And at some point it is realized on the market without competitors. A middle course is licensing, as we did with Legic that the different products are actually very similar. But then it is difficult to create a common standard. up the options. What technology for RFID. With RCID we are still weighing would A technology has to be cool and bring benefits to the user. Prof. Niels Kuster, Director of the Foundation for Research on Information Technologies in Society 12 Security update 1/2009

13 It is fascinating to see which ideas end up catching on and which ones don t. Ulrich Wydler, Head of Access + Data Systems EMEA at Kaba Group you like to see in the future in the field of locks and access solutions? NK For me, Kaba is synonymous with keys. Both my grandfathers worked for Securitas. So I ve always been impressed with big bunches of keys. But I m fascinated by RCID. It would be great if a person s different physical characteristics could be used for identification. UW You mean, if certain features could be isolated in a person s electromagnetic properties which could be used by biometric applications? So that a door will only open if the right person is carrying the RCID chip? NK The idea of an electromagnetic biomarker fascinates me. The possibilities and limits of this could be investigated quite easily. UW I would be very happy to do research in that direction. And if the application could also draw on energy from its environment, then the RCID components would be so small that you could place them anywhere. NK What is your target market? UW Market analysis has shown that older people will draw great benefit from our TouchGo products. The authorization medium is carried close to a person s body, such as in a trouser pocket. When you touch the door handle, the lock identifies whether the person is authorized to open the door or not, and then opens (or doesn t). This means you don t need to rummage around for your key a big relief for the old and disabled. We identified this segment as our first target market. But there are also countless other areas of application. RCID is not a closerange mode of communication like RFID, but is very selective and extremely convenient. To this extent we are confident that TouchGo will find a wide range of applications. NK Which takes us back to the central point: it is the application of the technology which makes the difference. With RCID, Kaba has a compelling technology, and knows how to make effective use of it. That gives it potential. Security update 1/

14 The rewards of innovation RCID opening doors without using a key. Simply through touch. For its ground-breaking TouchGo technology, Kaba has had two awards bestowed upon it. Following the Security Innovation Award in gold at last year s Security Essen trade fair, it also received a silver Swiss Technology Award. 14 Security update 1/2009

15 The two prizes are wonderful: they are a recognition of our innovative strength. Rudolf Weber, CEO Kaba Group O pening doors through touch was the leitmotif of Kaba s exhibition at the Security Essen trade fair in the fall of It was presenting a world s first: RCID (Resistive Capacity Identification). The technology elicited a great deal of enthusiasm. Experts recognized its potential immediately, while the judges on the award panel were equally impressed. A technology for the future Visitors to Kaba s stand got a glimpse of what access control will look like in the near future: when you went up to the sensor barriers they opened as if of their own accord. And to open the high-security door next to them, all that was needed was a gentle touch. No key was to be seen anywhere. Magic? No, RCID! Kaba TouchGo is the name of the new product line which will use RCID for the first time. The wings of the sensor barriers open when you step on a TouchGo mat. The lock on the high-security door, operated by RCID technology, responds to a light touch. With TouchGo, Kaba has once again demonstrated its role as a pioneer, says Gerhard Wenger, Senior Vice President Competence Center Mechanics + Mechatronics. Convenient and secure The electronic lock system TouchGo opens doors without the need for a key. All you need to do is touch the door handle and the lock immediately registers whether you are authorized to enter or not. Rummaging around for your key will be a thing of the past. RCID makes this possible, together with a transponder. This tiny access medium is carried in your trouser pocket or jacket close to your person. The signals are transmitted to the receiver built into a lock, for instance with the help of the body s own static electricity. The receiver filters the signals and controls the security system. RCID is distinct from radio solutions like Bluetooth because of its inherent selectivity, explains Gerhard Wenger. In other words, only the target system knows whether a medium is authorized or not, and reacts accordingly. Doors cannot open by mistake as a result of uncontrollable radio signals. Wenger points out that the body is not exposed to any undue radiation, and that this also means there is a high level of protection against signal interception: Kaba TouchGo is the ideal solution for those who expect their lock system to provide not only security but Top: Kaba wins the Security Innovation Award in gold at the Security Essen trade fair in Rudolf Weber (CEO Kaba Group, left) receives the award from Dr. Klaus Reich (Director of Messe Essen, right). Bottom: Further recognition at the Swiss Innovation Forum in Basel Dr. Andreas Häberli (Head of Research and Development at Kaba) gladly accepts the Swiss Technology Award (second place) from Ursula Renold (Director of the Swiss Federal Office for Professional Education and Technology). maximum convenience as well. The first products are expected to appear on the market in the fall of gwenger@ksw.kaba.com Security update 1/

16 Westside: tailored door solutions On 8 October 2008, the Westside leisure and retail center opened in Berne-Brünnen. Doors from Kaba Gilgen provide secure and convenient access and merge harmoniously into the overall design. well-being, of enjoying them- T selves. Top US architect Daniel Libeskind his was to be more than just a shell for a shopping center. Visitors should have a feeling of sees Westside as a destination to linger in. Everyday things take on a new quality. There s nothing like this anywhere else in the world. This seamless coexistence of shopping center, senior citizens residence, hotel and leisure facilities in harmony with nature, the new Brünnen residential superstructure and buildings in the old part of Berne close by is unique, says Libeskind. Interplay of form and function Embedded as it is in the surrounding landscape, the architecture is striking self-consciously so. Westside does have some right angles. But it also has slanting wooden facades, and crystalline forms jutting out like giant pieces of rock. An observer might rightly ask: how many headaches did the project cause when they were planning it? How often did the construction workers on the site shake their heads at such unconventional design? The courage to think beyond the conventional has paid off. Patrick Sahli, Business Manager at Westside, tells of enthusiastic 16 Security update 1/2009

17 feedback. And this feedback demonstrates that the architects in Libeskind s office were not merely interested in shattering conventions, in being conspicuous for the sake of it. Visitors enjoy the pleasant ambience, and the architecture is widely admired. The Westside experience is proving a draw. More than just a shopping center, it functions as a modern district of the city in its own right, alive day and night. Doors tailored to their environment With the retail facilities, restaurants, fun bath and cinema, the hotel and the senior citizens residence, we were confronted with more or less every kind of challenge imaginable when it came to security and access, says Patrick Sahli. But, in close collaboration with their partners on the project, sound solutions were developed throughout. The customer s wishes were met. In questions of design, the customer was not presented with finished models but instead was invited to provide constructive input. Fire doors for the shopping mall and underground parking, sliding doors for offices, restaurant kitchens and wine cellars, specially designed sliding doors for washrooms and locker areas, porches for the main entrances René Fankhauser s list goes on and on, including a total of 55 different installations. The Senior Project Manager at Kaba Gilgen is particularly proud of the fire safety solutions. They were developed specially for the project, complying with norm EI30 and requiring specific approval. Nor were there any standard solutions on the market for the sliding doors at the wellness center which are installed on an incline of up to 15 degrees. Specially developed fire doors connect the underground parking areas with the shopping mall at the Westside leisure and retail center. Security update 1/

18 Interview with Patrick Sahli, Business Manager at Westside leisure and retail center, Berne-Brünnen (Switzerland) What makes Westside so special for you? As a leisure and retail center, it is both a modern marketplace and at the same time a place to relax. Shopping and recreation, as well as regular events, all take place under the same roof. It is not the individual parts or the architecture in itself which make the place exciting. It is the combination, the whole package, which makes the center such a special experience. Fulfilling high expectations The fact that Kaba was able to meet these requirements was part of the reason why the developers awarded it the contract. According to Patrick Sahli, Kaba is very well known and could be trusted to meet the quality standards, using the latest technology. However, for himself as Business Manager, it was equally important that efficient maintenance would be ensured, that service would remain on hand whenever needed and that replacement parts would always be available. On such a major construction, he needed to be able to keep the number of partners involved to a manageable level, so that the coordination work would not get out of hand. Sahli was very satisfied with how things proceeded. Although there was a lot of time pressure, deadlines were met. All our partners were united in a common cause, observes Sahli. We worked together in a pragmatic and effective way. rfankhauser@kgs.kaba.com Where did you face the biggest challenges? With an investment of 500 million Swiss francs, Westside was one of the biggest private developments in Switzerland. The construction time, from laying the foundation stone to seeing the finished product, was 40 months. The project involved some clever engineering and often entirely new solutions, in order to meet the architect s stipulations, both technically and aesthetically. What is your own personal motivation? Such an extraordinary project is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As the person responsible for operations and security in the center, it is this aspect which motivates me, well beyond the initial construction stage. Does Westside meet expectations in terms of the number of visitors? Very much so. Since it opened on 8 October 2008, we have already had over 1.5 million visitors. Customer feedback shows that the combination of shopping and recreational facilities has been well received. Westside is much more than merely the hulk of a shopping center. It is a living space. Daniel Libeskind, architect 18 Security update 1/2009

19 SAP integration made easy A new Kaba access and time + attendance system means increased efficiency for the Action Supermarket retail chain. S urprisingly comprehensive, amazingly good value is how the motto of the Action Supermarket retail chain translates. Founded in 1993, it sells a broad range of non-food products in around 200 stores in Belgium and the Netherlands. With its sophisticated inventory management system, the retailer s distribution hub has a constant overview of more than 60,000 palette locations and deals with over a 100,000 trans actions on a daily basis. In 2003, a SAP-based commissioning system was introduced, which has led to a huge improvement in logistical efficiency. In order to improve its operational efficiency, the company decided to integrate staff administration into the existing system. With a pilot installation in the distribution center, Kaba demonstrated its worth: thanks to Kaba s wide experience with SAP interfaces, the time + attendance system was fully up and running within a very short space of time. We were impressed with the smooth integration of the new system into our SAP environment, explains Harrie Grent, Head of IT at Action Supermarket. We therefore decided to equip the distribution center with an SAP-integrated access control system as well. To do this, they relied on Kaba exos 9300 management software in combination with CardLink and B-Comm ERP for SAP. Two sensor barriers and two Kerberos tripod barriers with B-Net card readers as well as 120 Kaba elolegic digital cylinders were installed on the huge site and linked into the software. The combination of wired online and unwired stand-alone components ensures optimal security for the customer. The system is currently being extended to all Action retail premises. Employees working hours will be recorded via their badges (Legic cards) at about 200 Kaba Benzing terminals; access authorization for all the tills (POS system) can also be managed using these same badges. The result: a fully integrated system providing optimal efficiency. Customers in the stores will feel the benefit of this, as greater operational efficiency means products can be offered at low prices. rclaasen@knn.kaba.com Security update 1/

20 Convenience and luxury at all levels A recent prestigious addition to the city skyline of the bustling metropolis Singapore is the Orchard Scotts luxury hotel. Far East Organization, Singapore s biggest real estate developer, once again entrusted its access solution to Kaba. 20 Security update 1/2009