News Archive - Unique Integrated Systems

• Back to News page
  
• Cameras Keep a Close Eye on City Link
• UIS Fits Out Wigan’s New CCTV Monitoring Suite
• Community Support from UIS
• UIS Upgrades Security at Kings Business Park, Liverpool
• Channel 5 Documentary Examines Success of Wigan's CCTV
• UIS Installation at Albert Dock
• UIS Upgrades School Security
• UIS Wins Achilles Accreditation
• Wigan Council uses CCTV as Tool in Fight Against Crime
• Comprehensive Security for Wigan School

CAMERAS KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON CITY LINK

City Link, one of the country’s leading premium express delivery companies, is using a range of high technology security cameras and domes from Bosch Security Systems at Depots throughout the UK as an integral part of its security strategy.

The cameras were specified by UIS because of their reliability, image quality and the technical support available with the installation process, according to Managing Director Paul Brown.

“City Link depots are spread throughout the UK, so the reliability of the technology we install is imperative,” he says. “The security teams have been impressed with the quality of Bosch Gen 3 domes, and want to make sure that they have the very latest technology available.”

UIS has recently upgraded systems in Aberdeen, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Preston, Leicester, Shrewsbury, Okehampton, Gloucester, Cowes, Glasgow, Exeter and Plymouth. Installations at three new depots in Coventry, Norwich and Kidderminster have included a total of 48 cameras – 15 VG4 domes, 21 LTC 0455 Dinion vandal resistant flexi-domes, and 12 VDM 0455.

City Link depots range from 25,000 to 65,000 sq ft and are normally a mixture of offices, warehouse facilities and a yard, as Paul continues: “Usually projects of this size take around six weeks, but for the three new sites the work had to be completed within four. It was quite a challenge, but again this is where being able to install cameras where we know there won’t be any subsequent issues with performance is a major advantage.”

Stuart Godman, Sales & Marketing Director, City Link commented: “At City Link we understand the importance of investing in our security systems as part of our commitment to our customers. We pride ourselves on delivering premium express delivery services and to do this we must continue to invest heavily in a safe and secure network and that is why we chose quality partners such as Bosch and UIS.”

City Link, which this year celebrates 40 years in business, has a network of 100 depots, employs more than 6,500 people and operates a fleet of 3,500 vehicles. In recent months the company has also enjoyed a number of significant contract wins, invested over £2.5 million in IT development systems and continues with its investment in its depot refurbishment.

ENDS

Back to the top.

UIS FITS OUT WIGAN’S NEW CCTV MONITORING SUITE

Unique Integrated Systems has installed a range of CCTV monitoring systems at a new monitoring suite owned by Wigan Council. Carried out in preparation for a change of premises, the project has enabled the authority to make a smooth transition from one property to another without any disruption to its monitoring capabilities.

The project was designed to facilitate effective observation and protection of a number of public spaces and council owned properties from a new, dedicated control centre in the town hall. It entailed the relocation of existing recording equipment and the installation of a new matrix, cameras and fibre-optic cabling.

The scope and sequencing of the work were agreed through discussions with Tony Hollinrake, Principal Officer of Wigan Council’s Risk Management & CCTV Section. Scheduled to run over a six month period in 2008, the project began with the installation of a Meyertech Multi-Site Matrix 256x128, which required a substantial amount of wiring on the part of UIS engineers.

In order to use the relocation as an opportunity to extend the capabilities of the existing CCTV network, Wigan Council asked UIS to fit a number of new systems including Bosch cameras, IFS fibre-optic transmission equipment, Addlestone video distribution amplifier equipment and Dedicated Micros digital video recorders.

The short timeframe meant that UIS engineers had to liaise frequently and effectively with council staff and other parties in order to ensure that work could progress efficiently. As a result, the project was completed promptly and within the agreed budget, allowing the new control centre to open a month ahead of schedule.

Describing the project, Tony Hollinrake said: “Facilitating the relocation of the new CCTV Monitoring Suite was one of the biggest tasks that our section has undertaken in the past decade. Working closely with UIS ensured that what was a complicated and demanding project was delivered with the minimum downtime, which is a credit to the UIS engineers involved in the project.

"From the design stage to full implementation, we worked very closely with UIS to ensure we delivered a fantastic purpose built CCTV monitoring suite that now rates amongst the best in the country. I feel it is a fantastic achievement and something that Wigan Council and UIS are very proud of”.

ENDS

Notes:

• Wigan’s CCTV system was recently the subject of “CCTV Cities” - a Channel 5 documentary with Donal McIntyre. “Wigan is rightly proud of its reputation – it’s one of the safest town centres in the country,” says Donal. “A crucial part in that well-deserved reputation is the part played by CCTV.”
• There are now more than 550 council-owned CCTV cameras operating within Wigan Borough. These cover town centres, public areas, council properties and various civil amenities.
• The new control room features rear screen projection units and Genie flat screen monitors.

Back to the top.

Community Support from UIS

Conscious of the importance of local communities, UIS recently made the decision to sponsor local under-nines football team, Knowsley South. The team, which is currently performing well in the Rainhill & St Helens Mini Soccer League, needed a new away strip, so UIS came to its aid.

A team photo showing the new strip, together with details of the club's forthcoming fixtures can be found on the team website. (Opens in a new window.)

Back to the top.

UIS Upgrades Security at Kings Business Park, Liverpool

UIS has recently completed a large scale security upgrade at Kings Business Park in Prescot, Liverpool. Commissioned by Commercial Development Projects Limited as an extension to a CCTV installation project completed by UIS some 10 months previously, the contract entailed fitting a broad range of CCTV cameras, video transmission equipment and external passive infra-red (PIR) detection systems.

The purpose of the project was to extend the existing security coverage to encompass car parks, roadways and additional buildings on the site in order to provide comprehensive protection for the resident businesses and employees. The scale of the site and the physical characteristics of the areas to be covered meant that a high-specification security system was required.

Following discussions with the client to design a scheme that would meet all relevant requirements, UIS engineers began work in April 2008. They installed a number of different systems including a Pelco 32X6 CCTV Matrix, Pelco SD fully functional dome cameras, Bosch vandal-resistant cameras, Dedicated Micros digital video recorders and WEC CCTV columns.

The on-site monitoring equipment is supported by digital video recorders, NVT transmission equipment and Redwall external detection systems.

In order to maintain strict control of quality and the installation schedule, UIS handled civil and electrical works in addition to the installation of the security systems and cabling.

An important factor in delivering the project on time was the need for close liaison with the local planning department. Part of the site includes an historic walled garden that is subject to a conservation order, so UIS engineers were careful to maintain excellent communications with the client and local authority staff in order to secure planning consent. Having done so, the installation team ensured that all work was delivered in strict compliance with the terms of the approved development.

“The latest project has been wholly successful,” said Dale Fox of Commercial Development Projects Ltd. “We developed a good working relationship with UIS in the original phase last year and I’m pleased to see that the company has lived up to our expectations once again. The completion of the job means that we have put in place a first class security system that provides effective, 24 hour protection for this very prestigious development.”

Back to the top.

Channel 5 Documentary Examines Success of Wigan's CCTV

On 14th July 2008, Channel 5 aired the fourth episode in its series "CCTV Cities". Presented by Donal McIntyre, the programme focused on Wigan town centre and the role that CCTV plays in keeping local people safe.

UIS has been closely involved with the design, installation and maintenance of Wigan Council's CCTV systems and was therefore pleased by the documentary's glowing praise for its effectiveness.

“Wigan is rightly proud of its reputation – it’s one of the safest town centres in the country,” says Donal. “A crucial part in that well-deserved reputation is the part played by CCTV.”

The episode can be watched by visiting the 'Demand Five' website (requires registration.)

Back to the top.

UIS Installation at Albert Dock

UIS has recently undertaken a prestigious CCTV installation project at Albert Dock in Liverpool.

Working on partnership with managing agents CB Richard Ellis, UIS has been engaged in an ongoing upgrade of CCTV systems in the area and Merseyside Police has commended its work as the best installation in the city.

The system featured the use of high performance EnviroDome cameras from Bosch Security Systems and the company has produced a detailed press release about the project, which can be found by visiting the Bosch Security Systems website. (PDF file, opens in new window.)

A press cutting from Professional Security magazine can be seen here. (PDF file, 1.2MB.)

Back to the top.

UIS Upgrades School Security

Again using Bosch cameras, UIS has recently completed a security installation project for St John Fisher Catholic High School in Wigan. Working with Tony Hollinrake of Wigan Council’s Security Solution Section, UIS installed CCTV systems that enable monitoring both on site and from a remote control centre.

For more details, please see the full press release on the Bosch Security Systems website. (PDF file, opens in new window.)

Back to the top.

UIS Wins Achilles Accreditation

In May 2008, Unique Integrated Systems was registered as a supplier on the Utilities Vendor Database having achieved accreditation from Achilles, the international supplier certification body.

UIS is now registered with a host of major utility suppliers and related organisations under two categories:

• 'Fire Protection and Maintenance Services' and
• 'Security Equipment Installation and Maintenance'.

Achilles works to identify, qualify, evaluate, and monitor suppliers on behalf of major organisations worldwide. In the UK, the Utilities Vendor Database is used by such organisations as British Gas, the British Nuclear Group, Centrica, the National Grid, nPower, Powergen and United Utilities, amongst others.

Back to the top.

Wigan Council uses CCTV as tool in fight against crime

(Press release produced by Norbain, March 2008.)

Wigan Council has had 33 Pelco Esprit cameras, supplied by Norbain, added to their already extensive CCTV system to ensure that they are using the most up to date technology to monitor activity in the city centre. The new cameras have proved very simple to operate and form an important tool in the fight against crime.

Wigan is currently undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment and an essential part of this new scheme is ensuring that people feel safe in the area. One part of the solution comes in the form of CCTV. There are currently 550 cameras in operation across the borough, with continual additions and improvements being made.

In the town centre itself, Terry Bolton, principal officer for Wigan Council, wanted to update the existing kit which was rather complex to operate and had become expensive to maintain. "We were especially keen to make zooming and focusing easier so that operators could more effectively track suspects," he explains.

Installers Unique Integrated Systems Ltd (UIS) were called in to advise on the project. "UIS have been the Council Approved Supplier for almost seven years now and the relationship we’ve built up over the years means that we know they’ll give us excellent advice and service," says Mr Bolton.

The Council has a policy of trialling their CCTV equipment before it’s purchased. "Dome cameras were initially trialled for the job, but it was found that blind spots prevented them from getting the best view of the surrounding area. The Esprit cameras offer us an overt solution to CCTV," says Mr Bolton. "People don’t know where the dome cameras are looking, but this is obvious with the Esprit cameras and we’ve found this to be more of a deterrent."

The control room has an impressive wall of rear screen projection units along with individual Samsung and Bosch flat screen monitors. "As with the cameras, we trialled a number of flat screen units before making a decision," explains Mr Bolton. "Interestingly, the morning shift favoured the Samsung screens, while the later shift thought the Bosch screens gave a better image quality in reduced light conditions. It made sense to get both so that the best pictures could be viewed whatever the time of day or night."

The Pelco cameras have all been positioned on poles that afford operators a 360 degree view of the area. Each of the columns is within view of another giving overlapping footage. This means that no key area is overlooked and, should a column develop a problem, one of the adjoining columns can cover the area.

Equipment suppliers Norbain played an important part in the project. "We’ve got an excellent relationship with them," says Mark Ashall, operations director for UIS. "They’ve really bent over backwards for us over the years and have always come through, even against very tight time scales. It’s not just about price with them, it’s the service, technical support and returns policy that really makes the difference."

Looking at the effectiveness of CCTV in the fight against crime, Mr Bolton believes that it certainly plays its part. "CCTV acts both as a deterrent and as an investigative tool for our partners," he says. "All the relevant partners need to work together and communicate regularly to most effectively tackle the problem."

About Unique Integrated Systems Ltd
UIS specialises in the design, installation and maintenance of high quality electronic security systems from intruder alarms, CCTV systems and access control systems to fully integrated security and communications packages. An NSI gold medal installer, they can handle projects of all sizes, from a simple installation to long term, multi-site maintenance contracts.

ENDS

Back to the top.

Comprehensive Security for Wigan School

Unique Integrated Systems recently completed a large scale security upgrade at Hindley Community High School in Wigan. The contract entailed the installation of CCTV, security lighting, video transmission equipment and external passive infra-red (PIR) detection systems.

The work was commissioned to provide comprehensive coverage of the site perimeter and internal areas such as corridors and stairwells. Given the school’s large scale and the need to encompass a variety of buildings, an extensive and high-specification security system was therefore required.

The upgrade of this system was designed by Tony Hollinrake of Wigan Council’s Security Section working together with UIS and the client. UIS engineers installed a range of different cameras including Bosch vandal-resistant fixed domes, Bosch G3 fully functional domes and dedicated micros. In all, the site was equipped with 57 cameras, supported by DM digital video recorders and Vista SmartTel video transmission equipment, which enabled all footage to be observed and recorded at the Council’s CCTV control room.

An important feature of the system was that it enabled the site to be watched by both school staff and by operatives at the Council’s remote monitoring centre. This meant that the project would achieve two key outcomes; maximising security and providing an invaluable tool for maintaining the highest possible standards of health and safety. The monitoring systems can be used by staff during the day to observe activity in and around the school, thereby helping to protect the safety and well being of pupils and to help prevent unauthorised entry to the grounds.

“This was a major upgrade of our CCTV system,” said head teacher, Mrs J Lees. “I want to pass on my thanks to the engineers from UIS, who were all highly efficient and accommodating. They quickly and unobtrusively did and excellent job.”

Tony Hollinrake commented: “Wigan Council’s Security Section worked very closely with Unique Integrated Systems and Hindley Community High School on the upgrade of the system. As Design and Project Manager for the Council, I can say that the service provided by UIS was excellent from start to finish. Various sections of the Council are speaking about the system in glowing terms and it is a credit to the company for the high standards of service they provided for this scheme.

“Wigan Council’s remote monitoring centre monitors the system via video transmission and provides a 24/7 service for alarm-triggered CCTV systems, which adds to the security of the school when it is closed.”

Back to the top.