Allan Thomson

Gloucester Services is based in theCotswold countryside, on the edge ofan area of outstanding natural beauty ASSA ABLOY UK is supplying products to an environmentally-friendly freeway service station that has been designed to reflect the local landscape. Gloucester Services is based in the Cotswold countryside, on the edge of an area of outstanding natural beauty and great care has been taken to minimize the environmental impact of the development and to preserve the views from the surrounding area. The buildings and gas station are covered in grass and local stone has been extensively used, it is hoped the project will achieve BREEAM Excellent rating. The project, opened in the summer of 2014, was initiated by a local Gloucester charity, Gloucestershire Gateway Trust and is based between junctions 11a and 12 of the M5. Research from BOSS reported that crime costs the service station industry £20million per year. To combat this problem ASSA ABLOY, Security Solutions designed the complete specification solution providing ASSA ABLOY, ASSA and UNION products. Joshua Jackson, Facilities Special Projects Manager for Westmorland, the company who own and operate the services said: “The Gloucester Services project has created something you wouldn't expect to find on a motorway. No franchises, no big brands, but instead a sense of where you are - a sense of place, homemade food and farm shops that work with the local area. “It is a green project, so it was fundamental that we worked with manufacturers who make sustainability part of their business philosophy and as a company that manufacture in the UK with an active CSR program, ASSA ABLOY proved to be one of these companies.” "The sustainability aspect ofthis project fits in with ourethos at ASSA ABLOY, as weare committed to providingproducts and services thatare environmentally sound" UNION’s emergency exit devices and Codehandle have been installed throughout the project, allowing simple, effective keyless locking and unlocking of interior doors, enabling authorized staff to effectively access restricted areas. Codehandle can provide a separate code for different shift patterns, which can be easily changed, so the administrator can prevent access to a single group at any time. Alongside ASSA’s robust modular locks, its P600 patented six-pin cylinders have been installed, which have the capability to handle complex master key systems on one key profile, crucial for the 24 hour nature of the services where different key holders will require access to predesigned doors at all times of day. Based on patented new pin technology, the P600 affords unrivalled protection against bumping and picking, which reduces the risk of theft. Stainless steel pull handles, cylinder rings, signage, and lever handles from the ASSA Scanflex range were also installed throughout the environmentally sound service station. Completing the comprehensive specification, ASSA ABLOY supplied fully finished timber doorsets, with DC300A rack and pinion closers and 4200 series floor springs. With up to 60 minutes of fire resistance the doorsets were installed throughout the buildings’ main access routes. Allan Thomson, Commercial Manager for ASSA ABLOY, Security Solutions, said: “It is brilliant to be part of such an innovative project, where a business is working closely with a charity to understand how the locals want the new service station to appear, as well as feeding some profits back in to the community. “The sustainability aspect of this project fits in with our ethos at ASSA ABLOY, as we are committed to providing products and services that are environmentally sound throughout the entire production process and the product lifecycle.”

ASSA ABLOY has provided a ‘one-stop shop’ for specifiers working oneducation projects Although many believe that Chancellor George Osborne’s pledge to invest £21billion into new schools and the refurbishment of existing buildings by 2021 will fall short of the mark, especially considering the current backlog of repair work, there has been a noticeable rejuvenation within this market. The Security Solutions team at ASSA ABLOY has in particular benefited from a commitment to repair and regenerate the current education building stock. Recent successful specifications have included University projects at Nottingham, Sheffield, Aberyswyth, Warwickshire, Oxford, Liverpool and Loughborough, where a range of solutions have been provided from masterkey suites and door furniture to access control systems and door closers. Similar progress has been made within the secondary education sector, where projects wins have included a full ASSA suite of products at Upper Shirley High School and Millbrook Secondary School, ironmongery specifications at Deyes High School, Holyport College and Perth College, whilst Priestley College may soon be benefitting from the group’s SMARTair® access control system. More specialist applications on the horizon include the Richard Attenborough Embrace Arts Centre and the Stamford School Performing Arts Centre. Specialist applications on thehorizon include the RichardAttenborough Embrace ArtsCentre and the StamfordSchool Performing Arts Centre The ability to utilize and pool together the strength of the ASSA ABLOY product and brand portfolio, combined with the value-add offering from the experienced team, has enabled the division to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for specifiers working on education projects. Allan Thomson from ASSA ABLOY, Security Solutions, said: “In addition to a strong brand portfolio and the development of market specific solutions, as a team we have been able to capitalize on the increased spending within education thanks to our consultancy services. “The increased importance of whole life costing despite the existing disparity between capex and totex spending, forms an important part of the specification process and our ability to advise on this has helped us work more closely with AIs and specification teams. Providing a single point of contact with access to a wider range of products and value-add services is key to working with and simplifying the process for education specifiers, who, at any one time may be working across multiple projects and with a variety of suppliers and manufacturers. “Education is an important sector for ASSA ABLOY, Security Solutions and we hope to continue this growth both as a first fit and retrofit provider.”

SMARTair help manage footfall around the centre, while keeping installation time and upheaval to a minimum ASSA, part of ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions, a division of ASSA ABLOY, is helping transform an historic foundry building into a state-of-the-art medical center, supplying its innovative SMARTair™ electronic access control solution. The Lion Medical Centre will provide GP services for 26,000 patients across the Stourbridge area, and will include an enhanced nursing suite, minor operations theaere, physio gym and rehabilitation area, a small lecture theater and an on-site pharmacy. The multimillion-pound development, comprising the old foundry governed by English Heritage and a modernistic extension, has been supplied with a range of ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions products, including ASSA’s SMARTair™ wireless access control system. SMARTair™ allows sophisticated proximity access control using attractive wire-free door units, which will help to manage footfall around the center, while keeping installation time and upheaval to a minimum. A range of other ASSA ABLOY products have been used in the project, including ASSA’s patented P600 masterkey cylinders; a simple and robust solution which can handle complex masterkey systems on one key profile, ideal for tailoring the security between the different areas within the facility. ASSA ABLOY cam-motion DC500 door closers have also been installed, enabling doors to be easily opened by the young, the elderly or those with a disability, assisting in fulfilling the duties required under The Equality Act (EA), specifically BS8300 and Approved Document M of The Building Regulations. Graham Sunderland of Abacus Architects, said: “ASSA’s SMARTair™ complements the contemporary style of the modern build and is competitively priced. There was no need to install complicated software, making for an efficient installation process, and allowing the project to progress quickly.” Allan Thomson, Specification Director for ASSA ABLOY UK, said: “Just as the old foundry building is transitioning from the old to the new, ASSA has been transitioning from its traditional mechanical locking roots, and evolving our extensive offering of electronic solutions, with innovative products like SMARTair™. This is a great story about the old meeting the new, both for the Lion Medical Centre and for ASSA ABLOY.”