Near field communication (NFC), a set of short-range wireless technologies used in close proximity between electronic devices—think pass pay for your credit card—will be used with smart phones to hold data enabling the phone to become a convergence platform as a credential.  No more lost cards.  No more extensive enrolling for biometrics.

By permitting Common Access Cards (CAC) and Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards to be carried on mobile devices, an organization will now be able to issue credentials over the air.  Access will be granted and changed seamlessly through cloud technology.  Now if we could just guarantee people won’t lose their phones!

If you have any access control needs, or if we can expand upon the concept of NFC, please give us a call at 816-842-3700.

ISC West is the security industry’s premier launching pad for new products, solutions and technologies in the US.  Each year, the convention hosts over 900 international and domestic security product manufacturers and over 23,000 security professionals.  One of the highlights of the show was the new Ocularis-X software which was the winner of SIA’s (Security Industry Association) New Product Showcase (NPS) Award for “Best Video Surveillance Wireless” .Ocularis-X enables users to perform live monitoring and synchronized playback of multiple megapixel cameras via any wireless device. Users are presented with much smoother video and are able to zoom into an image without losing detail, resulting in superior detection of incidents and identification of individuals. Compatible with all recent versions of Ocularis, Ocularis-X will also allow VSaaS (Video Surveillance as a Service) providers to deliver high-speed, high-resolution, multi-camera video to their clients.

In celebration of OnSSI’s 10^th anniversary, clients can get special pricing on a Software Upgrade Plan.   Whether you have an existing SUP or even if you have never purchased one before, between now and July 31^st of 2012 OnSSI is offering the latest version of Ocularis along with 2 years of upgrade  at a fraction of the normal price.  Your Kenton Brothers account manager would be happy to take a look at your Ocularis system and work up special pricing.  Just give us a call at 816-842-3700.

Kenton Brothers stepped in and gave them an S2 IP based access control system with remote management to allow for instant updates to control doors from any device via a wireless connection.  In addition, we provided a wireless I-Vision remote release system with a hand-held wireless remote control allowing Midland Metal the ability to see visitors and allow entry from anywhere in the facility.

Midland not only needed to be able to control access to the facility, they wanted to be able to observe the warehouse floor and the back dock to ensure quality control and correct order fulfillment.  Kenton Brothers installed several cameras and a hosted Watch My Stuff camera allowing a ‘cloud’-based storage solution to limit the threat of stealing stored video images.

Now Midland metal can control quality, access, and video images all via the web.  If you have access control needs, or just want someone to assess your security issues please give Kenton Brothers a call at 816-842-3700.

To help Harcros attain this goal in regards to security and operating performance, Kenton Brothers installed a fully integrated IP-based S2 access control system at the company’s headquarters in Kansas City and currently at 8 of the 28 branches with plans to add to the system.  This system will allow for control of all the Harcros facilities from one location, give them the ability to control access, and to make minor or major adjustments immediately.  The system will also have nearly endless expansion opportunities as the company expands to include all 28 branches.

By installing the S2 system, Kenton Brothers is helping Harcros to meet and exceed it’s goal for the highest standards in management and to meet the ISO 9001 registration at all Harcros branches.  If you have a need for high quality access control solutions, please contact Kenton Brothers at 816-842-3700.

Until recently, all valuable information was stored on-site: either on a disk, on a computer, on a DVR, or on a server.  The problem with storing data and images this way, is that the device can be stolen, and the data or images with it.  However, with recent developments in technology this problem has been solved.  The solution is called “cloud computing” or “cloud storage”.   Essentially, all of the vital information is sent securely over the internet to a specified/secure location where it is then stored and kept for viewing or reference.

Google, Apple, HP– they all have cloud storage capabilities.  Kenton Brothers does as well through our Watch My Stuff product line.  This is a simple solution for a client not wanting to go to the expense and trouble of installing an entire infrastructure and network to support an IP based camera system.  If you only need a few cameras, Kenton Brothers can install a small, lightweight Watch My Stuff camera that works off of an internet or wireless connection giving you the capability to monitor and store all images in a secure location.    No more chance the evidence will be stolen.  No more needing to be on-site to view your cameras.  And no more worrying that the DVR will go out.

If you are in need of a simple camera solution with secure storage and the capability to view your cameras from any internet connection, please give Kenton Brothers a call at 816-842-3700.

What many people do not realize is that most keys are made from brass.  In the recycled metals business, brass sells for approximately $2/pound; while aluminum is selling for about $0.30/pound.  That is almost 7 times as much, and if you are the Ronald McDonald House, that adds up to a significantly higher return on donations.

Since 2002, the Ronald McDonald House has been collecting pop tabs as a source of funding.  They collect the tabs instead of the whole can because the tab contains a higher concentration of metal thereby giving the charity more money at the recycling center, with less space needed to store the donations.  Unfortunately, the recession has drastically affected the price of aluminum.  It has gone from a high of about $0.70/pound to the current low of $0.30/pound.

For those of you who have  been to our shop, you may have noticed buckets filled with keys.  These are either keys that have been cut incorrectly and do not fit a lock, keys that are brought in by customers to recycle, or various parts of hardware made of brass.  In 2010, Kenton Brothers held their first ever event to help the Ronald McDonald House in their “Keys to the House that Love Built” campaign.  By asking customers to bring in old keys, and by donating Kenton Brothers recyclables we were able to donate over 306 pounds of brass to the Ronald McDonald House.  That’s over $600 in brass, compared to only $91 if it were aluminum!

This year, we are continuing to support the “Keys to the House that Love Built” campaign by collecting keys here at the shop.  If  you have old keys, or old hardware made of brass–and Barney or Vern will be able to tell you if it is–please bring these items to us at Kenton Brothers.  We plan on hosting an event later this Summer to celebrate these donations and our support of this critically important local charity.

Please stop by when you are in the neighborhood.  Our address is 1718 Baltimore, Kansas City, MO 64108, in the historic Crossroads District.

Kenton Brothers designed a system containing a high resolution camera powered by a solar panel, video analytics to follow a perpetrator throughout the site, a real-time talk-down feature to prevent a theft from ever happening, and a high powered IR Illuminator to illuminate the remote location: all available to be viewed remotely from any internet or wireless connection.

With this intelligent video solution from Kenton Brothers, the remote video monitoring company is able to follow an individual through the construction site using a virtual tracking system. The IR Illuminator lights up the remote location, high volume loud speaker lets the individual know he/she is being watched, and if the individual chooses not to vacate the premises the police are dispatched.  This system is unique in that it is a preventative measure rather than a reactive measure.  The goal is to stop him before theft or vandalism can occur.

“With the Kenton Brother’s system we have the confidence that these people will not have anymore than a few seconds at the most.  We can have our assets protected in the most remote areas and not have to constantly worry about what is going to come up missing every morning.” Chris Jenkins, Safety Director/EEO Officer with Loch Sand Construction.

In addition to the added peace of mind, Loch’s insurance company has offered to waive the deductible on any future theft or damage after installing Kenton Brother’s system.

If you have the need for any security solutions, please give us a call at 816-842-3700.

The old system in use required time consuming and costly manual synchronization of low quality videotape and order timing logs when a problem with customer fulfillment arose.  Kenton Brothers’ solution for this issue was a video-verification system that provided Glazer’s with a high quality image of the packing carton and the attached information laden bar-coded label in a format that was synchronized with the appropriate time-stamped order.

These cameras are time-coordinated with the bar-coded labeling system and record every full-case and mixed inventory carton as they move along 6 high-speed conveyor lines on their way to Glazer’s delivery trucks.

Now, when a customer identifies a potential fulfillment error, a Glazer’s associate quickly pulls up a high quality image of the packing carton and the attached bar-coded label to verify that the order was filled accurately.  The process that used to take hours now takes only minutes to resolve.

If you have manufacturing needs, or just want to have a Kenton Brothers’ associate trouble shoot some of your issues, please give us a call at 816-842-3700.

Gina and Neal recently made a trip to Springfield, MO with Dave Brainard, the Flir representative, at the request of Nick Rasey with City Utilities of Springfield to share this amazing technology with Missouri State University, City Utilities of Springfield, and the Springfield Police department.  It was a cold day outside the Flir mobile training unit, but inside the guys got quite a show.

Concerned with copper theft at remote sub-stations, Nick needs the ability to clearly see in pitch black conditions from a remote location.  Placing the mobile training unit next to the sub-station on the MSU campus allowed Nick and City Utilities to experience first hand the Flir difference.  Not only can a Flir camera show defined images in night conditions, it also shows better images in daylight using thermal imaging.  Plain and simple–it’s impossible for people to hide the heat of their bodies.

If you would like to see these cameras in action, you can go to the Flir Thermal Vision website flir.com.  If you want to see what they can do in person, just give Kenton Brothers a call at 816-842-3700.

A man walking by noticed an opportunity to enter the building un-noticed.  It was the lunch hour, so the receptionist was in the break room and not at her desk.  The man took full advantage of this walking out with the receptionist’s purse, and $1000 in petty cash the company kept in her desk.

When businesses invite the public onto their premises, the law recognizes a distinct relationship.  This relationship imposes a duty on building owners and managers to protect members of the public from harm on their property; whether caused by negligence or by intentional, criminal acts.

The owner of this company is completely liable for the theft because of the issue of foreseeability: He knew the door was non-functioning, yet he did nothing to repair it.  In addition, he did not make visitors aware of the problem.

If the owner had only called Kenton Brothers, he would have learned Nate could send a technician with a plate that would have fixed the existing door and cost considerably less money than replacing the whole thing.  The door would have functioned properly and the robbery would have never taken place.

If you have any areas of your building you are concerned about or unsure of, please call  us and we would be more than happy to have someone come out and take a look.  816-842-3700

Liability information taken from an article published on buildings.com by John Leighton, 8/1/2010.