Sonic Communications Select SDC

SONIC COMMUNICATIONS SELECTS SECURITY DESIGN CENTRE TO PROVIDE SECURITY.

What do James Bond and Security Design Centre (SDC) have in common? The answer is that they both work for agencies protecting the public and national security!

Sonic Communications, a UK government security cleared company, “trusted by all of the major police and security organisations in the UK”, is a genuine Q laboratory from the James Bond films. The company, based in Bickenhill, Birmingham, produces a vast range of intercommunication products for industrial, military, security and leisure applications. It has recently chosen SDC to provide all the security at its purpose built, 40,000 sq ft site, ensuring one the nation’s protectors is protected.

Security Design Centre managing director, David Trimmer, explained, “It is an accolade to be selected to provide security for Sonic Communications, especially given the nature of their business. It would seem they would have the least need of expert security help! In practice, they produce a huge range of commercial and specialist products involved in national security and the protection of high profile individuals. We, on the other hand, are the experts in designing and installing integrated intruder alarm, CCTV and access control systems. We included remote, off-site monitoring in our specification and offer advice on site operational procedures to optimise the entire system effectiveness.”

SDC were aware from the start that any security system they installed had to operate at the highest level. Access control was essential and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) cards were introduced to control and manage staff access around the site. Employees, eventual product users and the purpose of some of the products produced require protection and have a huge element of secrecy and confidentiality surrounding them. Intruder prevention was also essential so SDC installed infra red beams and detectors designed to trigger alarms out of hours. All the site’s internal and external CCTV camera footage is recorded on the premises and the system is watched 24/7 by The Corps remote monitoring centre, using 360 Vision’s Linearis digital video recording and transmission unit. Duplicate recordings of all critical incidents and alarm activations are also recorded off-site by The Corps. Incidents or alarms alert trained operators who send a verbal warning asking intruders to leave the site. If that action fails to elicit the desired response, police intervention is requested which, because the alarm is verified as genuine, is immediate.

So why did the Sonic Communications choose SDC? We asked David Bryan, the managing director and co-founder of Sonic Communications to explain, “We provide specialist communication equipment to our customers. We have designed and developed complex products to ensure safety in specific situations. For example we produce a mass pack UVA (unarmed video aircraft) which will transmit images to a ground control unit from a 12 mile radius for up to 90 minutes. We also produce tethered blimps, complete with geo-stabilised thermal imaging cameras, for monitoring traffic or major events. We are experts in our field and this is what we were looking for in our site security provider. We wanted a company with specific expertise and a proven track record that could take care of our security in a reliable and well thought out manner. I believe this is what we now have.”

Sonic Communications began in 1977, literally operating out of a shed. Initially, the founders designed and manufactured two way radios for motor cycle helmets allowing verbal communication between rider and pillion passenger. The company now produces helmet intercom systems used by F1 drivers, industrial workers on high and inaccessible sites, the fire service, the military and the police. Further products include air to ground helicopter communication systems, ground to air audio and video systems for the RAF, including their parachute team, telephonist head sets and public order communication systems.

Sonic Communications produces both high volume products for commercial use and one-offs for specialist applications. Sonic Communications has an extensive list of high level customers including the beefeaters at The Tower of London protecting the crown jewels, the FBI, Special Branch, L.A.PD and the Metropolitan Police Special Escort Group.

When a company dealing in national security asks for a security system the chips are raised and only the very best will do. SDC is doing a great job of protecting the real world of Q and team! Who will they look after next?