Patrick Nora

Boon Edam Inc., a globally renowned company in security entrances and architectural revolving doors, has announced that despite the difficult year for all businesses, the company was fortunate to see growth in 2020, owing to 59% more sales of optical turnstiles, in comparison to the previous year. While most people began working from home (WFH) early in the year, orders for optical turnstiles, which are typically installed in the lobbies of commercial buildings, continued at a steady pace through the summer and into the fall season, indicating a strong interest among enterprises to create safe and secure lobbies, using a touchless security entry solution. High demand for touchless entry solutions Optical turnstiles have been gaining in deployment and popularity, since the Sep 9/11 attacks Optical turnstiles have been gaining in deployment and popularity, since the Sep 9/11 attacks, due to their ability to deter casual intrusion in a lobby setting and relieve busy guards by detecting tailgating attempts using near-infrared detection sensors housed inside the cabinets. The turnstiles can have barriers that either swing or slide, or they can be barrier-free. But in all cases, the optical turnstiles operate automatically and do not require a user to touch them. Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the desire to update security of buildings so that main entrances and lobbies are secure, while also touchless at the same time, has been one of the main reasons that interest in optical turnstiles continues to be healthy. Record optical turnstile sales Over half of Boon Edam's entrance products are automatic and meet the requirement for touchless entry for enterprises. As a result, the company was able to quickly adjust its operations to supply these optical turnstiles to organizations looking to immediately upgrade the security of their facilities. Boon Edam’s most popular optical turnstile is the Speedlane Swing, which features a slender cabinet style and swinging glass barriers. Another popular turnstile, the Speedlane Compact, which has a smaller footprint, was launched in the summer of 2020. Speedlane Swing and Compact turnstiles “The year 2020 was terribly challenging for businesses and people around the world,” said Valerie Currin, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director of Boon Edam Inc. Valerie Currin adds, “We are grateful that our factory has been able to continue operating safely during the COVID-19 pandemic and we anticipate continued strong demand for our turnstiles into 2021, as our customers prepare their facilities for the 'return to work' phase, while maintaining both safety and security.” New turnstile production line at Lillington facility New turnstile production line enabled production staff to nearly double the business’ capacity each month To meet the high demand in Speedlane Swing turnstile orders in 2020, the Boon Edam manufacturing facility in Lillington, North Carolina upgraded its operations to accommodate an additional turnstile production line. All of this also while maintaining safe working conditions for its employees during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The new turnstile production line enabled production staff to nearly double the business’ capacity each month and uphold promised lead times. Adherence to security and safety policies Boon Edam’s Managing Director of the Manufacturing Business, Patrick Nora commended his team for their ability to pivot so quickly to meet demand. Patrick said, “People have moved around the facility and performed jobs they’ve never done before. We’ve implemented policies that, while necessary, have not been comfortable for anyone.” Patrick Nora adds, “The team has worked overtime to ensure on-time delivery to our customers was never threatened. I couldn’t be happier with their efforts.”

Boon Edam Inc., a provider of security entrances and architectural revolving doors, has appointed Patrick Nora as the new President and Managing Director of the Boon Edam factory organization (Boon Edam Manufacturing) in Lillington, North Carolina. Patrick will work in tandem with Valerie Anderson, the President and Managing Director of the commercial organization (Boon Edam Inc.), to fabricate and deliver premium security entrances and architectural revolving doors to customers in the Americas. Management of operational efficiency As the executive officer of the factory, Patrick will oversee the management of operational efficiency, safety, and continuous improvement in a lean manufacturing environment and liaise with other Boon Edam management stakeholders to meet the ever-evolving needs of the customer. “Having seen Patrick’s passion for improvement and his leadership over the past two years, I am excited for Patrick's promotion to Managing Director of our manufacturing operations," says Anderson. “As we continue to serve some of the largest organizations in the world, which presents more demand and complexity on our factory, Patrick's experience in manufacturing and his proven commitment will be an excellent fit for continued success.” Continuous improvement processes Patrick spent 18 years as a Management Consultant, helping over 50 companies in 9 different countries Patrick began his manufacturing career at Loranger Manufacturing where he specialized in training staff on ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and QS (Quality System) requirements. He then worked at Boeing in Long Beach, CA and held management positions in Quality Assurance and Production. Next, Patrick spent 18 years as a Management Consultant, helping over 50 companies in nine different countries grow their business through the teaching of continuous improvement processes, leadership and team development. Patrick joined the Boon Edam factory in April 2018 as the Operations Manager, and immediately set new procedures in place related to improving safety, quality, and productivity. With his now recent promotion, Patrick is passionate about working to engage everyone in all roles to work together to improve results. Providing an exceptional experience “There are two beliefs that I hold strongly,” says Nora, “First, an organization’s greatest strength and only lasting competitive advantage is its people, and second, an organization is a reflection of its leadership. As we strengthen the leadership at Boon Edam and engage all of our staff across the organization, our results will improve. I look forward to working with Valerie to align our operations and commercial teams to continue providing an exceptional experience for Boon Edam's employees and most importantly our customers.” Patrick has earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Bonaventure University, an MBA with a focus on international business from the University of Detroit Mercy, and a Certificate in Business Excellence from the Columbia Business School at Columbia University.