For many enterprises, warehousing and distribution centers are vital components of their business models.
According to an article at Kenco, a third-party logistics (3PL) company,
“Distribution and logistics are critical components of ensuring that your company’s products get where they need to go in an efficient and effective manner. Distribution centers have always been in or near centralized population centers, as those are the areas that have the infrastructure and populations to support robust logistical operations. In addition, cities that have access to large airports and seaports, as well as coastal cities in general, tend to be ideal places for distribution centers.”
According to the commercial real estate technology platform Reonomy, there are almost 501,500 warehouses in the United States. In the state of Nevada, for example, where the warehousing of retail and other inventory is an industry in itself, there are more than 3,850 warehouses and distribution centers.
The top three best metropolitan areas for distribution centers in the United States according to Kenco are:
Atlanta, Georgia
Home to the busiest airport in the world, Atlanta also has the third-fastest growing population, which offers a large job pool for companies to choose from. Atlanta’s location makes Atlanta a great option for a distribution center.
Chicago, Illinois
The third-largest city in the United States, Chicago has long served as a commercial hub for the country. Chicago also has a large airport, access to numerous interstates and railroads, and water access to the Great Lakes.
Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas
Dallas is one of the major commercial hubs of Texas and provides easy access to the Western states, the Southern states, and Houston with access to the Gulf of Mexico.
Along with being in highly-populated areas, an inherent problem with large warehouses and distribution centers is their size. While massive square footage and storage capacity is a big part of what makes them essential, this also presents a huge challenge in terms of maintaining security.
Providing Security for Warehouse or Distribution Center Facilities
The reasons for security largely involve preventing theft although the safety of personnel is also vital. In addition, security is required internally as well as externally. Security practices are made up of a variety of processes and tools.
Preventing employee theft and pilfering, for example, is more critical for some products than others. Unfortunately, dishonest employees can bypass almost any security system to gain access to high-value items such as chemicals, electronics, liquor, or drugs.
Some security best practices to help avoid these actions include:
- Front-end screening of employees including polygraph or voice-stress analysis.
- Placing high theft items in their own secure areas.
- Only allow certain employees to enter secure areas or break seals.
- Install up-to-date, hard to defeat electronic alarm systems.
- Provide high fences or guard dogs around a warehouse perimeter.
- Maintain a rigorous sign-in/sign-out procedure and a badging program.
- Use metal detectors for all employees and visitors along with security turnstiles where appropriate.
In addition, outside of emergency situations, there should only be one way in and out of a distribution center and that entrance/exit should have detectors.
Among other considerations for warehouse and distribution center facilities are the trailer yards. These can also be a high-risk security weak point as tractors and trailers can be stolen even from secured, fenced-in areas.
And, finally, the comprehensive use of high-resolution video security cameras is essential along with an expert security firm to oversee the video security systems.
But cameras alone are never sufficient for the level of security required at most warehouse facilities.
[h3] The Need for Smart Video Security
Until recently, most commercial security video systems were static devices. Essentially closed-circuit television, or CCTV, cameras, these systems provide great video quality and coverage. In addition, most digital video technology equipment is miniaturized and relatively easy to install and maintain.
Traditional security video systems provide your facility with:
- 24-7 coverage
- Archived video data
- Low maintenance
- Passive deterrence
Unfortunately, while any video can document criminal activity and serve as a visible deterrent, the cameras cannot engage with perpetrators. In other words, traditional video security cameras can record incidents of theft or vandalism, but not prevent them.
Smart video security, however, makes use of a system that has the capability to process analytics that can trigger a manual response to a security threat or breach.
By making use of a proprietary, enhanced technology security solution your system will have the capacity to detect individuals on camera. That’s because this type of video security system is a “smart” system that uses advanced AI technology.
In addition, this type of smart video security also provides barrier detection and advanced, onboard speaker technology accessible by real-time surveillance technicians.
Your Smart Video Security Solution
Smart security monitoring is an optimal solution that provides the deterrence and intervention that can replace live guards at a lower price, but still provides the comprehensive coverage that video technology offers.
This means the ability to issue audio warnings, which can reduce the risk of false alarms. In addition, our AI technology can reduce the time needed for surveillance.
A smart security monitoring solution is preferable to a human presence solution in most security situations. But existing security video technology still falls short of an optimal solution, which is why on-site personnel are still added many times.
In other words, an optimal solution would be a security system that gives you the best of both worlds without the disadvantages.
Blue Eye offers a solution that provides just that. And at a surprisingly affordable price.
Our solution is an AI-empowered managed service platform that requires no up-front capital costs.
Give us a call at 855.258.3662 or email us at [email protected]. Let us design an effective solution for your business!