The Locksmith Journal Mar/Apr 2018 - Issue 55 | Page 21

HARDWARE&SECURITY • 21 PROUD SPONSORS OF THIS PAGE ERA and its extensive product range, including traditional security solutions as well as cutting edge smartware, can offer advice to help minimise risks. ERA’s Head of Marketing Tania Tams said: “As a responsible manufacturer, we are keen to explain how investing in security now could save heartache in the future. Since fitting an inferior security product could cost the end user dearly, not only financially, but also in terms of inconvenience and emotional distress, we want to provide products that can be relied upon. “Our traditional range of locks covers all essential lock types for securing external doors, including euro cylinders, mortice locks and night latches.” Tania continued: “For example, with lock snapping widely recognised as a form of entry for intruders, ERA’s Fortress cylinder lock offers maximum resistance against entry by snapping, along with being anti-pick, anti-drill and anti-bump. The Fortress’s first defence is its British Standard TS007 3* status with the ‘3*’ clearly visible to deter any would-be intruder. “Most homeowners wouldn’t recognise that a cylinder without stars is not recommended if it is their only security line of defence, or even that a 1* cylinder is only recommended with a 2* door handle. A lot of people assume ‘a lock is a lock’ and wouldn’t even be aware of the different stars on a lock or BS markings. “Once end users understand the snapping risk is vastly increased with a standard no star cylinder, the ERA 3* Fortress becomes the obvious choice.” SECURING WINDOWS Tania said: “Similarly, whilst window locks can often be overlooked, they are a crucial line of defence when it comes to securing a property. Simple steps, such as making Clive Oakley sure window locks are fitted and used is important. However, fitting a superior window lock such as ERA’s extreme3, with 3D locking around the edge of the window, gives greater protection. We believe it is the most secure window lock on the market and the best defence against intrusion.” ‘APPLESQUE’ HARDWARE Innovation is integral to ERA’s philosophy, as exemplified by the company’s smartware range of security products, including its newly launched HomeGuard Pro, a cloud- based alarm system operated using a single smartphone app. “Being cloud-based brings benefits such as the ability to monitor multiple hubs from one account, real time alerts to all contacts and the delivery of upgrades quickly and easily directly to the hub.” HomeGuard Pro works with Lightwave to fully integrate with ERA’s new products including DoorCam, a Wi-Fi video doorbell and TouchKey, a keyless smartlock, creating a total state of the art home smartware solution. Touchkey is coming to market this spring and it will be important to ensure that customers are armed with the product knowledge and technical support. Darren Waters said: “We have to overcome consumers’ fears about security and reliability and the risk of people hacking into electronic products. “TouchKey has robustness. We have partnered with a company called UniKey, LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | MAR/APR 2018 Sponsored by Lockex 2018 - Security & Fire Safety a leader in Bluetooth locking technology, praised for its ‘fantastic software.’ Also, it’s sometimes tough to make hardware ‘pretty’ but our TouchKey is sleek, dare I say it, ‘Applesque’.” TESTING TIME Clive Oakley, supply chain operations director, had some mind-boggling numbers for visitors. The company brings in 85 pallets a day, with 40ft containers coming from the Far East, has 7,000 different products in the warehouse, produces 25,000 multi-point locks a month and master-keys cylinders which can have 70 components. “That’s like building a Swiss watch,” explained Clive. He added: “Our supply chain is complex. We have built the facility so it can grow. We are enhancing and future- proofing the traditional skills we have been using for the past 180 years.” ERA seriously puts products through their paces at its test centre, where they are effectively bashed and battered to within an inch of their lives at the security performance test rig. As well as digital ‘lock-pushing’ buttons which can test locks 100,000 times if necessary, there are tests for durability in the face of salt spray, the cumulative impact of humidity and heating and cooling cycles. Clive said: “We are looking to put products through much more realistic conditions than some other companies do.” Visit www.eraeverywhere.com