BTT Comms designed an ‘airlock’ system for Border Caravan Storage to improve caravan security and asset management. The solution uses an existing access control system and the uPASS long range reader with two separate electronically controlled gates to only permit valid caravan and towing vehicle combinations to enter or leave the site. The new system provides information in real time and site managers know which caravans and owners are on site at any time giving them total peace of mind.
The Client
Border Caravan Storage, a family run business that offers storage for 170 caravans, motor homes and trailers has been operated by Keith, Alison and Helen Rogers for over 15 years.
The Challenge
The site used an access control system to control access to the site, but there wasn’t an ideal method of tracking which units were on site at any given time. The management team had been using a manually operated display board that was prone to error, so they decided to look for a reliable automatic method of identifying which units were on site.
The Solution
The Border management team spoke to Paul Evans of BTT Comms (ex MMV), who suggested using an airlock system, where vehicles have to pass through two separate electronically controlled gates to enter or exit the site. The existing drivers’ access control fobs are used alongside passive long-range RFID tags, which are placed in the side window of the caravans for detection by a Nedap uPASS long-range reader, which is supplied and supported by Nortech Control Systems. If a caravan passes through the first gate, the second gate will only open if the uPASS tag and the driver’s fob are both detected and provide a valid match. The information is also relayed to a specially designed asset management system that keeps a real-time log of all units on and off the site.
This system has been recognised by CaSSOA, the Caravan Storage Owners’ Association, who endorse the system giving the highest level of security possible which is recognised by insurance companies, thereby reducing insurance costs for caravan owners.
The Benefits
- Simple and reliable means of monitoring the movement of caravans on and off the site
- Reliable long-range tag detection avoids manual intervention and reduces running costs
- Enhanced security reduces insurance costs for caravan owners
