ABLOY Electronic Keypads for Access Control Systems

The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has made us all more conscious of who is coming and going from our property. Whether it is a family home, business premises or public building, property owners want full control over access for protection and peace of mind. As a provider of access control technologies, we are seeing a growing demand for automated gates with a variety of access control systems. There are a number of considerations that buyers need to make when investing. And as an installer, there is advice that you can offer to help your clients make the right choice for their property. Here are some of the key considerations you’ll need to make and discuss with your client. Whomever you buy from, you should be offered more than a simple instruction manual. Electronic locks, magnetic locks and code security In the first instance, you’ll need to advise on the type of lock and access control available. Electronic locks release on the operation of the automation system to allow the gates to open. Locks are required for all non-locking (also known as reversible) operators and are recommended for any gate on a multi-user site or any gate over 2.5m. Apply the same logic to an automated gate as you would to a domestic door – for example, you wouldn’t fit your front door with a lock on the same side as the hinges or a drop bolt at the hinge end of a manual gate so why dispense with this logic when the gate is automated? Electronic locks release on the operation of the automation system to allow the gates to open There are a number of locks on the market including magnetic locks, drop locks that “shoot” a bolt into the ground and side latching locks. These are all designed for external use. While the gate itself will provide physical security, the customer will want to feel in control of who enters their property, when and for what purpose. Consider access for mail and deliveries, waste disposal and visitors arriving on foot etc. There is a range of options available. Intercom systems will allow the user to vet visitors, keypad entry can allow remote access for visitors with a specific code, remote controls allow an oncoming driver to open the gates without getting out of the vehicle, and a timer control can be used to open or close the gates at certain times of the day. Vehicle detection loops can be installed discreetly under the tarmac allowing the presence of vehicles to exit the gates and prevent closing while obstructed. Sliding gates versus swinging gates There are a number of locks on the market including magnetic locks, drop locks that “shoot” a bolt into the ground and side latching locks Gates can be automated to either swing or to slide open and in the case of swinging gates, the opener may be concealed underground or gate mounted. The most suitable opener for your installation will depend on the space available and the type of gate selected. Concealed underground automation is ideal for highly ornate gates. However, where gates are fully infilled (typical of many timber designs), gate mounted openers are concealed from the front of the gate by the gate leaf and present a cost-effective option. The choice between slide and swing is largely down to space - swing gates require a clear space for their opening arc while sliding gates require space to one or both sides of the gate. Sliding gates are perhaps the best choice where the drive slopes or when drive space is limited, as they use the least space when opening. Voltage Most swing gate and sliding systems are available in 24v or 230v. The 24v systems still need 230v mains power – there is a transformer built into the 24v control panels. Deciding which voltage to use can include a combination of factors such as the material of the gates, the location of the system and the safety features you want. Concealed underground automation is ideal for highly ornate gates With wrought iron gates, the wind can pass through them whereas with fully boarded wooden gates (popular because they give full privacy) the wind has nowhere to go, so they act like sails. For commercial or industrial applications with larger entrances and a heavy gate, you may need 3 Phase 400v power (sliding gates only). Installing gate motors in confined spaces The environment in which you are fitting may well influence which gate and motor you recommend. Will it be in an exposed area which is subject to the elements? Will it be positioned on a slope? Sliding gates are perhaps the best choice where the drive slopes or when drive space is limited Installers have always faced the challenge of installing gate motors in confined spaces. When fitting a pedestrian gate, there is often limited space in which to work – potentially making an installation time consuming and technically demanding. If this is the case for you, consider a gate operator which is designed specifically for installations with limited space for maneuver. An example of this is the E5 compact gate operator. The operator is not only small but has an optional slide lever attachment designed for installations where there is extremely limited space, meaning that just 8cm of the pillar is needed for installation. What’s more, improved fixing points and a simple ‘hook and fasten’ process means assembly is safe, quick and straight forward. Ultimately, you’ll be looking for a good quality, reliable product with good service. Work with a supplier that offers more than just a manual. If they are happy to offer training, their time and advice when you buy, the chances are you’ll get their support long term.

The safeguarding of premises through the monitoring of entrance and exit points has traditionally been a very manual aspect of security. Human operators have been relied on to make decisions about who to admit and deny based on levels of authorization and the appropriate credentials. The access control business, like many industries before it, is undergoing its own digital transformation But the access control business, like many industries before it, is undergoing its own digital transformation; one where the protection of premises, assets and people is increasingly delivered by interconnected systems utilising IoT devices and cloud infrastructure to offer greater levels of security and protection. Modern access control solutions range from simple card readers to two factor authentication systems using video surveillance as a secondary means of identification, right through to complex networks of thermal cameras, audio speakers and sensors. These systems, connected through the cloud, can be customized and scaled to meet the precise requirements of today’s customer. And it’s the ease of cloud integration, combined with open technologies and platforms that is encouraging increasing collaboration and exciting developments while rendering legacy systems largely unfit for purpose. Remote management and advanced diagnostics Cloud technology and IoT connectivity means remote management and advanced diagnostics form an integral part of every security solution.Cloud technology and IoT connectivity means remote management and advanced diagnostics form an integral part of every security solution. For example, as the world faces an unprecedented challenge and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause disruption, the ability to monitor and manage access to sites remotely is a welcome advantage for security teams who might otherwise have to check premises in person and risk breaking social distancing regulations. The benefits of not physically having to be on site extend to the locations within which these technologies can be utilised. As an example, within a critical infrastructure energy project, access can be granted remotely for maintenance on hard to reach locations. Advanced diagnostics can also play a part in such a scenario. When access control is integrated with video surveillance and IP audio, real-time monitoring of access points can identify possible trespassers with automated audio messages used to deter illegal access and making any dangers clear. And with video surveillance in the mix, high quality footage can be provided to authorities with real-time evidence of a crime in progress. Comprehensive protection in retail The use of connected technologies for advanced protection extends to many forward-looking applications. Within the retail industry, autonomous, cashier-less stores are already growing in popularity. Customers are able to use mobile technology to self-scan their chosen products and make payments, all from using a dedicated app. From an access control and security perspective, connected doors can be controlled to protect staff and monitor shopper movement. Remote management includes tasks such as rolling out firmware updates or restarting door controllers, with push notifications sent immediately to security personnel in the event of a breach or a door left open. Remote monitoring access control in storage In the storage facility space, this too can now be entirely run through the cloud with remote monitoring of access control and surveillance providing a secure and streamlined service. There is much to gain from automating the customer journey, where storage lockers are selected online and, following payment, customers are granted access. Through an app the customer can share their access with others, check event logs, and activate notifications. With traditional padlocks the sharing of access is not as practical, and it’s not easy for managers to keep a record of storage locker access. Online doors and locks enable monitoring capabilities and heightened security for both operators and customers. The elimination of manual tasks, in both scenarios, represents cost savings. When doors are connected to the cloud, their geographical location is rendered largely irrelevant. Online doors and locks enable monitoring capabilities and heightened security for both operators and customers They become IoT devices which are fully integrated and remotely programmable from anywhere, at any time. This creates a powerful advantage for the managers of these environments, making it possible to report on the status of a whole chain of stores, or to monitor access to numerous storage facilities, using the intelligence that the technology provides from the data it collects. Open platforms powers continuous innovation All of these examples rely on open technology to make it possible, allowing developers and technology providers to avoid the pitfalls that come with the use of proprietary systems. The limitations of such systems have meant that the ideas, designs and concepts of the few have stifled the creativity and potential of the many, holding back innovation and letting the solutions become tired and their application predictable. Proprietary systems have meant that solution providers have been unable to meet their customers’ requirements until the latest upgrade becomes available or a new solution is rolled out. This use of open technology enables a system that allows for collaboration, the sharing of ideas and for the creation of partnerships to produce ground-breaking new applications of technology. Open systems demonstrate a confidence in a vendor’s own solutions and a willingness to share and encourage others to innovate and to facilitate joint learning. An example of the dynamic use of open technology is Axis’ physical access control hardware, which enables partners to develop their own cloud-based software for control and analysis of access points, all the while building and expanding on Axis’ technology platform. Modern access control solutions range from simple card readers to two factor authentication systems using video surveillance as a secondary means of identification Opportunities for growth Open hardware, systems and platforms create opportunities for smaller and younger companies to participate and compete, giving them a good starting point, and some leverage within the industry when building and improving upon existing, proven technologies. This is important for the evolution and continual relevance of the physical security industry in a digitally enabled world. Through increased collaboration across technology platforms, and utilising the full range of possibilities afforded by the cloud environment, the manufacturers, vendors and installers of today’s IP enabled access control systems can continue to create smart solutions to meet the ever-changing demands and requirements of their customers across industry.

There’s growing noise around smart homes and smarter security. You’ve probably heard it. But there is a place where access control and more have been smart for decades: the workplace. Home automation and IoT are still playing catch-up with the commercial sector. A new insights report from ASSA ABLOY and IFSEC Global — “The Smart Door Locks Report 2018” — measures just how fast consumer smart technology is running. According to a survey conducted for the report, 61% of households now claim to own at least one smart home device or system. Energy monitors, home CCTV cameras, intruder alarms and smart door locks are the most popular, according to the report. All these functions, of course, have been available to businesses for years.61% of households now claim to own at least one smart home device or system Educating The Smart Home Consumer Paradoxically, report data also questions how much consumers really know about their smarter home. A surprising 42% of those surveyed, for example, were unaware they could control a smart door lock from their phone. In fact, many leading smart door lock models offer this feature, delivered by Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and an app. Despite a wealth of features offered by the latest smart door locks — remote and location-based locking/unlocking; voice activation; timed access; emailed entry alerts; and integration with smart camera and lighting systems — most people still have limited knowledge of their capabilities.  Smart technology is increasingly becoming the new norm in terms of home security  Only 14% of survey respondents described themselves as “very familiar” with what a smart lock can do. Even though most of them probably use smart access control solutions at their workplace. Secure Homes Through Smart Technology Monitoring and security are not the only drivers for smart home adoption. We humans also love convenience, and modern living presents us with problems that smart home technology can solve. Ironically, given the report’s findings, it takes a smartphone to really unlock the convenient possibilities of smarter living. The device that’s “always to hand” is central to the newest generation of smart door locks.A smart door lock is a convenient way for a landlord or agency to offer round-the-clock check-in and check-out If homeowners wish to remotely manage property access for friends and family, many smart door locks oblige. You let in guests remotely, send them a virtual digital key, or provide a temporary or single-use PIN to unlock the door. It is just as easy to revoke a digital key, if you don’t want its owner to come around anymore. This is a significant improvement over sharing physical keys — or hiding one under the doormat. We cannot be totally sure where a metal key ends up and have no way to track or cancel it once it’s “out in the wild”. Commercial access control offers such functionality as standard, of course.  In addition, smart door locks offer more than just stand-alone operation and clever functions. In a domestic setting, magic happens when locks work in harmony with a home automation system, connected by protocols like Z-Wave, ZigBee or Wi-Fi. "Smart" Security On The Move  The smartphone is becoming a remote control for managing a connected life beyond just home (and even workplace) security. According to Accenture, the parcel delivery services market will grow by $343 billion by 2020. Just like home security, convenience is a major driver of change. Homeowners can send guests a virtual digital key to their phones, or provide a temporary or single-use PIN to unlock the door A recent PostNord pilot in Sweden aimed to remove the inconvenience of waiting home for a postal delivery. Selected customers of some major Scandinavian e-retailers could choose to have parcels delivered inside their front door, if it was equipped with a Yale smart door lock.  Home delivery is among potential smart services covered in “The Smart Door Locks Report 2018 ”. When asked whether the ability to receive parcels securely in a porch or lobby would make them more likely to invest in a smart door lock, 79% said it would.It is easy to revoke a digital key, if you don’t want its owner to come around anymore Vacation Rentals And Smart Home Tech ASSA ABLOY research published in 2017 forecasts continued growth in the European vacation rentals sector (at 5.8% CAGR). Smart door locks are also making an impact here, at both ends of the market: for service providers — agents and homeowners — and for travelers. A smart door lock is a convenient way for a landlord or agency to offer round-the-clock check-in and check-out, without creating extra work or staff costs. Both Intersoft, in Croatia, and Hoomvip in Spain have built vacation rentals management systems around an app and the ENTR® smart door lock. Agents issue, revoke, track and manage virtual keys for all their guests, saving everyone time and hassle. travelers use their phones and an app to unlock their apartment. For these visitors the smartphone is already an essential travel accessory. It is a boarding pass, a credit card, a travel guide, and a postcard home... why not a door key, too? And if this key is backed by a trusted home security brand — and a company with vast experience in the mature market for commercial “smart” security — better still.

ASSA ABLOY has announced acquiring Olimpia Hardware, renowned glass hardware and accessories brand in Latin America and the Caribbean. "I am very pleased to welcome Olimpia into the ASSA ABLOY Group. This constitutes an important next step in our strategy to grow market leadership in emerging markets,” said Nico Delvaux, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ASSA ABLOY. Acquisition of Olimpia Hardware "The addition of Olimpia complements our business in Latin America, further supporting the growing trend of openings utilizing glass and aluminum products," said Lucas Boselli, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of the Americas Division. Olimpia Hardware was established in 1999 and serves Latin America and the Caribbean regions. ASSA ABLOY will continue to sell Olimpia branded products across the region. Sales for 2019 amounted to about 13 MUSD (approx. 125 MSEK) with a good EBIT margin. The acquisition will be accretive to EPS from start.

Can a smart card be used securely for multiple applications (and among multiple companies)? End users are demanding such interoperability, and they also want openness to switch out their access control systems in the future without being “locked in” to one vendor. Those are the goals of the LEAF Identity consortium, a collection of companies that can share encrypted access codes for numerous applications to enable MIFARE DESFire EV2 chip cards to be used across multiple vendors. Smart card systems - more secure Almost everyone in the industry now knows that low-frequency (125 kHz) “prox” cards are not secure; in fact, low-cost cloning equipment is readily and inexpensively available. As the industry transitions to encrypted cards, challenges of interoperability persist. Keeping smart card systems more secure are encrypted “keys” – strings of 32 alphanumeric characters encoded onto the card chips. Information is exchanged via radio frequency (RF) in a challenge-response interaction when a card is presented to a reader. The most recent EV2 card enables one encrypted key to be used for up to 16 devices (and among a variety of manufacturers). LEAF consortium enables encryption sharing using protocols that ensure each manufacturer’s systems can interface with a card chip in the same way. Specifically, each card has a “shared data structure,” which means that the location of information is arranged on a card chip in a predictable and consistent manner. Member companies adhere to that structure in order to be interoperable using a single credential. There are no license fees or intellectual property rights involved.  Secret key The approach involves a LEAF Custom Cryptographic (Cc), a “secret” key owned by the end user but managed by a third party. “When we present these concepts to integrators, they realize that, first, they need to get their clients to pay attention to the risks around proximity cards and to migrate to encrypted card technology,” says Laurie Aaron, Executive Vice President, WaveLynx Technologies Corp. “Then we explain the benefits of custom-owned keys and of the LEAF data structure. Then integrators can differentiate themselves by selling the value of the end user staying in control and having unlimited interoperability.” Access control manufacturer WaveLynx is implementing the LEAF concept, which is the brainchild of CEO Hugo Wendling, who saw the advantages of leveraging the ability of an EV2 chip card to authenticate access to multiple applications. Key management service WaveLynx set up the specification, maintains the website, and is involved when a manufacturer wants to become LEAF-enabled. They provide a key management service (for life) to end users based on LEAF capabilities. End users “own” the keys and can ask to share them with any other manufacturer. Sharing a key involves two key custodians (engineers), each of whom only has access to half of the encrypted key in order to keep it secure. Combining capabilities The LEAF consortium provides a way for smaller manufacturers to work together to increase their market share without putting anyone’s intellectual property at risk. Working together, smaller manufacturers can assemble systems to compete more effectively with larger manufacturers. In effect, they combine their capabilities rather than compete. LEAF Consortium partners include Allegion, ASSA ABLOY, Brivo, Eline by DIRAK, Linxens, RFIDeas, and Telaeris. Biometric partners include Idemia and IrisID. Biometric devices may either store their biometric on the card or on a central database and access it through the badge number. The LEAF standard continues to evolve in terms of where a biometric template is stored on the chip. Although the standard does not currently offer mobile credentials, mobile functionality will be available by the second quarter of 2021 (or sooner).

The simplified public tender offer launched by ASSA ABLOY on the remaining shares of agta record ag (“agta record”) at the price of 70.58 EUR per share (the “Offer”) opens for a period of ten trading days. The Offer will be followed by the delisting of the agta record shares from Euronext Paris. The French Financial Market Authority (Autorité des marchés financiers (“AMF”)) has announced that the simplified public tender offer initiated by ASSA ABLOY, via its fully owned subsidiary ASSA ABLOY Euro Holding AB, for the purchase of all of the remaining outstanding shares of agta record, not yet held directly or indirectly by ASSA ABLOY, i.e., 716,153 shares representing 5.37% of the share capital and voting rights of agta record (the “Offer”), opens for a period of 10 trading days. Swiss securities laws This acquisition was announced on 6 March 2019 and completed on 20 August 2020 On 15 September 2020, the AMF issued its clearance to the Offer. The Offer will be open from 17 September 2020 until 30 September 2020 (included) at a price of 70.58 EUR per agta record share. This price corresponds to the adjusted purchase price paid by ASSA ABLOY for the acquisition of a controlling block of 54% of the share capital and voting rights of agta record. This acquisition was announced on 6 March 2019 and completed on 20 August 2020. The Offer will be followed by the delisting from the Euronext Paris stock exchange of the agta record shares shortly following the publication of the results of the Offer (the “Delisting”). No squeeze-out procedure, or equivalent procedure, exists under French securities laws or Swiss securities laws applicable to agta record. Therefore, no such procedure will be implemented following the closing of the Offer. Report prepared by independent expert The Board of Directors of agta record, on the basis of the report prepared by the independent expert, has unanimously decided that the Offer was in the interest of agta record, its employees and shareholders and recommended the shareholders to tender their agta record shares in the Offer. In accordance with article P 1.4.2 of the specific rules applicable to the French regulated markets of Euronext Paris, ASSA ABLOY has committed to acquire for a 6-month period after closing of the Offer, i.e., until 30 March 2021 (included), agta record shares held by minority shareholders who have not tendered their agta record shares during the Offer period at the Offer price, i.e., 70.58 EUR per agta record share. This 6-month period, commencing at the close of the Offer, will not be extended. Swiss law merger procedure Under Swiss law merger procedure, the minority shareholders of agta record would receive a cash only compensation The AMF will publish a notice for the results of the Offer on 1 October 2020. Within a period of no less than 9 to 18 months (this being indicative only) after the closing of the Offer and the Delisting, ASSA ABLOY intends to merge agta record (the absorbed company) into a wholly owned Swiss subsidiary of ASSA ABLOY (the absorbing company) via a merger governed by Swiss law in accordance with the Swiss Merger Act. Under this Swiss law merger procedure, the minority shareholders of agta record would receive a cash only compensation as opposed to shares in the absorbing company. This contemplated Swiss merger would be subject to the approval of at least 90% of all voting rights of agta record as the absorbed company. Offer document ASSA ABLOY Euro Holding AB’s offer document and agta record’s response document, as approved by the AMF on 15 September 2020 under visa no. 20-457 and visa no. 20-458 respectively, as well as documents relating to the other information of each company, are available on the AMF website, and on the websites of ASSA ABLOY or agta record, and can be obtained on request and free of charge from ASSA ABLOY or agta record depending on whether they relate to one or the other company.