Any disruption to the global supply chain can have far-reaching adverse effects and impacts. Equipping logistics centers with high levels of security is critically important in ensuring smooth operations of the supply chain.
A great many businesses outsource areas of their supply chain management to a third-party logistics company (3PL) to gain efficiency, expertise and/or cost savings. A 3PL is a service provider that either arranges or handles a variety of supply chain functions for a business. Coyote Logistics, for example, has reported that almost every shipper relies on a blend of third-party providers to manage inventory, fulfill orders, and transport freight and that, on average across 21 areas of supply chain management, 75% of shippers think at least some level of third-party support is ideal.
With such a high volume of goods and merchandise being shipped to and from warehouses / logistics centers, the need for a high level of access control is clear.
Access control systems serve to manage people, vehicles, and materials coming and going through entrances and exits on the property. Some sites opt for traditional access cards and readers, others choose biometric credentialing; either method can allow authorized users to gain entry and deny unauthorized people from entering. Access systems also provide an audit trail of each attempted entry, which is super important in pinpointing breaches and can serve as evidence in investigations.
Distribution and logistics centers are big facilities with many various points of entry. There’s a high volume of transportation vehicles loading and unloading, as well as many on and offsite personnel and sub-contractors that continually come and go. Equipping them with the correct access credentials is so important as unauthorized people could easily get in otherwise. Given the size and scope of merchandise inventory stored at logistics centers, they’re often high targets for theft and other problematic activities.
In terms of defining, and assigning access credentials, a key point to consider is how many people require – and should be authorized to – access the various locations housed in the logistics center. They will likely vary, as not every employee or contractor needs or should have access to every location on the property. And some should be allowed access only during specific timeframes. Sensitive locations such as storage areas, administrative offices, and server rooms dictate limited access to authorized personnel only.
In addition, other access control measures such as security gates and intercoms are also instrumental in safeguarding distribution and logistics centers from unauthorized entry.
NextGen has the experience and expertise to specify and implement the access control solutions that today’s logistics centers demand. And our access solutions easily integrate with other security systems, providing one centralized security management solution. Call on us to learn more.