July 2nd, 2004

Carlow Firm's Security System a Remote Winner [Ronan Early, The Nationalist]

 

CRIMINALS across Ireland and Britain are running scared thanks to a Carlow company .

Netwatch is the first company in Ireland to use modern satellite and internet-based technologies to provide remote visual monitoring security systems to businesses throughout the country.

They have just secured a lucrative contract with Gwynedd Shipping, the Welsh freight logistics company, based at Dublin Port.

The system provides 24-hour security and remotely opens the electric gate of the premises throughout the night, negating the need for a security guard.

"It is a massive contract for us," said sales manager of Netwatch, David Walsh.

"We currently have twenty employees here in Carlow.  Contracts like this will help us to grow that figure.  We believe that our system is the future for the security industry."

"Every camera is a security guard.  A camera doesn't fall asleep, you can't intimidate a Camera and you can't bribe a camera", he added.

Gwynedd Shipping are satisfied that their security matters are now in safe hands.

"We needed a system that would match two specific needs at our depot.  The first was   overall security.  Traditional security measures act as a deterrent but because intruders can analyse the patterns of the security operation, it would have been all too easy for someone determined to gain access to the depot to do so," said Austin Gilligan, director of Gwynedd Shipping.

"Our second requirement was for a secure system of access for lorries to the depot outside office hours.  Up to this point a security guard had been employed to open the gates to let lorries into the depot and lock them after.  This was proving to be very costly and was not efficient.  The new system installed, Netwatch, is an interactive system employing technologies which allow our premises to be watched 24 hours a day with the added benefit of recording everything, that takes place. Lorries wishing to enter or leave the depot now call Netwatch and the security gates are opened and closed from their remote command centre."

The system incorporates advanced alarm technology with the most modern CCTV techniques to create an intelligent security system, which allows the command centre to watch in 'real time' any intrusion taking place at a premises, and, more importantly, to speak directly to the criminals before they commit a crime. This technology can be adapted to provide the remotely controlled gate facility as is operating at Gwynedd Shipping.

Knowing that they are being watched and that the Gardaí have been notified is a huge deterrent - in 95% of cases recorded the intruder leaves the premises, with their only crime being trespass.

David Walsh added: "We personalise the message to the trespasser; we usually identify them by their clothing, let them know they are being watched and advise them leave the premises immediately.

"If that was a traditional burglar alarm going off, they might try and finish the job. With our system they rarely do anything but run."