Every year, manufacturing sites lose $35 billion due to product theft. The financial impact of manufacturing losses is immense, so finding ways to prevent these losses is crucial for manufacturing sites to maintain profitability and efficiency.
Manufacturing losses due to theft affect your bottom line on several levels, as they involve costs associated with replacing stolen items as well as production delays. A theft incident also damages your reputation with customers, suppliers, and stakeholders.
As a site manager, you need practical ways to prevent manufacturing losses and address security challenges faced in these environments.
Types of Manufacturing Losses
Manufacturing losses occur in various forms, impacting a site’s profitability and operational efficiency. These losses can arise from theft, inefficiencies, quality control issues, supply chain disruptions, labor-related problems, and energy wastage. Unlike anticipated production losses linked to the manufacturing process, theft causes high unplanned replacement costs, production downtime, and supply chain disruptions.
Here are some common examples of manufacturing losses due to theft:
- Raw material: Thieves often target raw materials due to their high value and ease of resale. Commonly stolen raw materials include metals, chemicals, textiles, and lumber.
- Equipment: Equipment theft leads to operational disruptions and financial losses. Small tools, heavy machinery, generators, and appliances are frequently targeted at manufacturing sites.
- Finished goods: Finished products are at risk during transportation or when stored in warehouses. These items, like electronics, clothing, and household goods, are often ready for distribution. Completed construction materials, such as doors, windows, and plumbing fixtures, are also major targets.
Vulnerabilities in Manufacturing Site Security
Some of the most common gaps in manufacturing site security include:
- Weak perimeter security: Many manufacturing sites rely on chain-link fences. Experienced thieves easily breach these fences by cutting through or climbing over them.
- Surveillance limitations: Unmonitored cameras help identify criminals after the fact but do little to prevent theft or recover stolen goods. On the other hand, outdated security systems can also create issues, such as CCTV security cameras not working correctly. Common reasons why your security cameras are not working include connection problems, faulty wires, or firmware issues.
- Multiple access points: Large manufacturing sites often have numerous entry and exit points, making it challenging to monitor all areas. This complexity can lead to security oversights and increased vulnerability to theft.
- High traffic: The frequent movement of personnel, including delivery drivers and product transfers, increases the risk of unauthorized access. With so many people entering and exiting the site, ensuring no unauthorized movement occurs becomes a challenge.
- Remote locations: Many industrial complexes are situated away from highly populated areas, making them less visible and harder to monitor, especially at night.
- Inadequate storage security: Without proper access controls and monitoring, storage areas of raw materials and finished goods become prime targets for theft.
- Inadequate lighting: Poorly lit areas create blind spots that thieves exploit. Inadequate visibility increases the risk of theft and makes it difficult for security to monitor activities effectively.
4 Tips for Securing Your Manufacturing Site
Lower your site security vulnerabilities by following these four tips.
1. Implement a Layered Perimeter Security Approach
Implementing a multi-layered security approach is one of the most effective methods of securing your manufacturing site and warehouse. Combining multiple perimeter security measures creates a robust defense against theft and unauthorized access.
Start your strong perimeter defense with electric fencing. Electric fencing provides a complete barrier around the property, delivering a safe but memorable pulsed electric shock to deter intruders. The best fence solutions operate on solar power, ensuring protection even during power outages.
Other ways to make your perimeter security more robust include:
- Angled fencing: Angled fencing is designed to prevent thieves from tossing goods over the fence. Installed at a 45-degree, inward angle, it also prevents access from on top of a building or piece of equipment.
- Vegetation control: Overgrown bushes and trees around the site create hiding spots for intruders. Keeping vegetation trimmed and well-maintained sends a message that the site is actively monitored. Clear sightlines also allow for better monitoring and quicker detection of suspicious activity.
- Signage: Post clear trespass warning signs to inform potential intruders that the site is protected and an attempted breach will have consequences.
2. Enhance Access Control Measures
Enhancing access control measures is another essential step for preventing theft and ensuring the safety of your operations. Here are a few measures and strategies you can implement:
- Security gate access control system: Secure the site with an advanced access control solution at entry and exit points. This system can be customized to site needs and prevents unauthorized access. Plus, it’s scalable for enterprise-level businesses, allowing for seamless integration as your operations grow.
- Gate auto-arming: Gate auto-arming works with manual or automatic gates. These gates arm automatically without relying on the last person out to manually secure the premises.
- Building intrusion detection systems: Protect your inventory by keeping unauthorized people out of warehouses and other buildings on your property.
- Limited access to sensitive areas: Enforce strict access control measures to limit entry to manufacturing and storage areas. For example, implementing keycard access systems allows you to control who can enter certain zones. Biometric scanners provide an additional layer of security, which cannot be forged or misplaced like keycards.
3. Invest in Comprehensive Perimeter Surveillance Systems
One of the most common problems with security cameras is incorrect placement. You should cover as much of your external perimeter as possible with commercial video surveillance by following these guidelines:
- Install CCTV cameras at entry and exit points.
- Be mindful of blind spots and gaps in coverage, as thieves often exploit these vulnerabilities.
- Integrate your surveillance system with 24/7 monitoring capabilities for real-time observation of activities on-site.
- Choose systems that allow for remote access and monitoring via smartphones or computers.
- Set up your surveillance system to send instant alerts to security teams or management if unusual activity is detected.
- Combine your surveillance systems with access control systems and intruder alarms.
4. Improve Lighting and Visibility
Improving lighting and visibility is a crucial step in lowering the chances of theft or vandalism, as criminals are less likely to target locations where they have an increased chance of being seen. Proper lighting also provides a safer working environment for employees working late or in remote areas.
From a perimeter security perspective, alarm-based lighting systems offer advanced lighting solutions that integrate with electric fencing. When an alarm is triggered, the lighting system activates and floods the area with light to alert security teams. These lighting systems allow you to create security zones that focus on high-risk areas around the perimeter.
Prevent External Theft on Manufacturing Sites With AMAROK
Electric fencing is a physical barrier that makes it difficult for thieves to access your manufacturing site’s valuable equipment. It’s a proactive measure that forms the heart of a comprehensive security strategy. Even with one CCTV camera not working or another issue with your video surveillance, a solar-powered electric fence is always doing its job. Our electric fences prevent 99% of external theft for our customers.
Investing in perimeter security systems can lead to long-term cost savings by reducing theft-related manufacturing losses. These savings make perimeter security a valuable solution for manufacturing sites and warehouses looking to protect their assets and improve their bottom line.
At AMAROK, our electric fencing products and perimeter security solutions come at a manageable monthly fee and with no upfront costs. Maintenance and repairs are covered under your monthly subscription, ensuring your fence stays functional and keeps your property safe for the long term.
Contact your trusted perimeter security partner or request a free expert threat assessment of your site to get started.
