27 Mar 2008

Swiss Railways switch to VERSO CLIQ

An innovative electromechanical locking system from ASSA ABLOY will improve security and access control as well as lowering costs for Swiss Federal Railways (SBB)

“Our existing security system is good but not perfect,” explains Bruno Bönzli, Project Leader at SBB.

“It lacks an overarching concept and in certain cases, security is less than perfect and our infrastructure administration stores redundant data.” SBB set out to remedy these shortcomings.

“We put our new access and security control project out to Europe-wide tender and after evaluating the offers we chose Keso AG as our preferred supplier,” says Bönzli. Keso, a Swiss company in the ASSA ABLOY Group, is supplying 35,000 VERSO CLIQ cylinders and 14,000 keys.

When the system is fully installed, it will not only improve security and access control, it will also allow SBB to save about CHF 150,000 a year in staff and operating costs. The first VERSO CLIQ locks were installed in March 2008; nationwide installation will be complete by July 2010.

The VERSO CLIQ system combines mechanical and electronic elements. The key has a built-in mechanical code and contains an electronically coded microcircuit with a battery, and a matching electronic chip is located in the cylinder. With this system unauthorized duplication of keys is impossible; the system can be adapted rapidly and inexpensively to future expansions or organizational changes by re-coding the microcircuit. Cable-laying and alterations to buildings are not needed since the battery in the key supplies the current to operate the lock. Authorizations, with time and/or spatial restrictions, can be assigned to individual people. Locks in non-critical security locations work with the mechanical portion of a key alone, while critical installations need both portions.

 

Published 27 Mar 2008

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