10 Years Ago
Electronic Access Control was the cover focus of the December 2013 issue of Locksmith Ledger. The article "Access Control Upgrade, One Door at a Time" detailed an installation with one infinias eIDC controller locally at each door, connected to the nearest Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch with a single Cat-5/6 cable. Doors can be added anywhere the network goes, building a system one door at a time. Schlage provided an article about their flexible AD-Series installation at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Tim O’Leary wrote about ECKey, which enabled any Bluetooth device to serve as access control credential. An article on fire-rated openings outlined code requirements in 2013. We’ve covered many code updates in the last 10 years. Sargent and Greenleaf introduced the Model 2740B electromechanical combination safe lock. Jerry Levine took a look at inverters for locksmith service vans. We also reported on new commercial van models from Ford, Nissan and Dodge. Levine explained some options for credit card processing in the field.
Keys To A Profitable Future: Locksmithing In 2014 And Beyond
In December 2013, our forward-thinking editor Gale Johnson wrote an article titled Keys To A Profitable Future: Locksmithing In 2014 And Beyond. He was an early advocate for education about all things electronic, while noting that locking mechanisms still will require mechanical components like a latch or bolt.
“During the last twenty years there has been a slow but steady movement towards introducing electronics into the security field. Car locking systems are a prime example. The basic similarity between electronic locks and mechanical locks is that they both secure an opening. Each type of system requires a latch or bolt to do the fastening. Securing an opening is what locksmithing is all about. Electronic locking systems are just an extension of what locksmiths have been doing for hundreds of years,” Johnson wrote.
Locksmiths gearing for the future must do several important things, Johnson wrote 10 years ago. These bullet points are still valid today.
- First, they must attend every available educational opportunity to learn about electronics.
- Second, electronic business requires sales effort. Let your customers know about the new types of security products you can install. Competitors from other fields are already up and running. You will be competing with bids for jobs that once were closed only with a handshake.
- The security business is changing and locksmiths must change as well. There are 100 million individual homes in the USA and every one is a possible sale either for electronic security or for a decorative hardware upgrade.
Locksmith Ledger’s First Edition
Some interesting artwork caught the eye of Locksmith Ledger sales representative Brian Lowy at the Yankee Security Convention, Oct, 28-29 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He spotted the very first edition of Locksmith Ledger, published Oct. 4, 1939.
Locksmith Ledger Webinar: Strategies to Convert Entryways to Electronic Access Control
Dec 7: 3 p.m. Eastern, sponsored by NAPCO and SDC
Register today for our EAC webinar and earn ALOA CEU credits upon completion. This roundtable-style discussion will address:
- Types of access control system to choose from: Keypad systems are typically the cheapest and biometric access control systems are the most expensive
- Licensing and servicing fees: Ongoing costs to operate the door access control system
- Installation considerations: Number of access points, if any electrical upgrades are required, and whether the client decides to use an integrated security system with video surveillance and/or alarms
- Choosing the door access system that best works best for the client
- Cloud-based vs. traditional access control
- Server hosting options
- Types of integration
Panelists will include two locksmiths with EAC expertise, Glenn Younger from Grah Safe and Lock, and Joshua Sands, Key City Locksmith and Security, as well as representatives from our sponsors.
Register at https://www.locksmithledger.com/home/webinar/53075899/strategies-to-convert-entryways-to-electronic-access-control#anythinghere or scan the QR code.
