Sentry Technology Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and installs a line of video surveillance systems (VSS), and electro-magnetic and radio frequency identification based library management systems, as well as radio frequency and electro-magnetic electronic article surveillance systems.
The VSS product line features SentryVision, SmartTrack, a proprietary, patented traveling Surveillance System, and includes conventional pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) and fixe...
Sentry Technology Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and installs a line of video surveillance systems (VSS), and electro-magnetic and radio frequency identification based library management systems, as well as radio frequency and electro-magnetic electronic article surveillance systems.
The VSS product line features SentryVision, SmartTrack, a proprietary, patented traveling Surveillance System, and includes conventional pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) and fixed camera video systems. The company's products are used by libraries to secure inventory and improve operating efficiency, by retailers to deter shoplifting and internal theft and by industrial and institutional customers to protect assets and people.
THE SENTRYVISION SYSTEM
SentryVision refers to the company’s family of proprietary traveling CCTV surveillance systems. SentryVision is designed to provide loss prevention surveillance in retail stores and distribution centers, as well as to provide monitoring and deterrence of illegal and unsafe activities in a variety of other locations, such as parking garages, correctional facilities, transportation centers and public transit terminals. SentryVision may also be employed in a range of operational and process monitoring applications in commercial manufacturing and industrial settings.
As of December 31, 2008, SentryVision systems had been installed at the following customer locations in North America: Kmart, Navy Exchange, Lowe's Home Centers, Target Stores, Mills Fleet Farm, Winn Dixie, Federal Express, Cabellas, Fred Meyer, Motorola, UPS, J.C. Penney, Canadian Tire, Reno Depot, Estee Lauder, Kohl's Department Stores and Disney Direct Marketing. In addition, during 2008, the company's international distributors installed SentryVision systems in customer locations throughout Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The company's international customers include ASDA Wal-Mart, Boot Drug Stores, Carrefour, Auchan, Cora, Castorama, B & Q, Tesco, and Coop.
SentryVision is suited for loss prevention surveillance, including home centers, mass merchandise chains, supermarkets, hypermarkets and drug stores, as well as related distribution centers.
In 2007, the company installed the OperationalVideo applications in Kmart and Steve and Barry's. OperationalVideo delivers real-time images over the Internet using Sentry's SmartTrack traveling camera system and digital video server to help control safety and security, as well as remote viewing of store operations, merchandising, signage, displays, pricing and employee procedure compliance. Managers have access to store operations from the home office, regional offices and any fixed or mobile location equipped with an Internet connection.
The company’s SentryVision Mobile allows the user to view and control video images from the SmartTrack traveling CCTV system using a mobile hand held computer and wireless communication network. The SentryVision Mobile solution is being used to manage operations and security in store and distribution centers in the United States.
SentryVision Server is an IP addressable digital video server, which gives users the ability to capture, stream, view and store video images using a web browser. The SentryVision Server comes with software that allows multiple users to simultaneously connect to a variety of SentryVision DVMS (Digital Video Management System) via LAN - across TCIP/IP networks. The system uses a Windows-based application for configuration and a browser-based client for remote viewing of live and recorded video for investigation of security issues, and policies and procedure compliance.
Retail Market Applications
Home Centers: Sentry has installed systems in the home center segment of the retail market. Typical of the company's customers in this market is Mills Fleet Farm, a 32 store regional hardware, home supply, and discount retail chain. The company requires systems for floor coverage.
Mass Merchandise and Specialty Chains: Sentry has installed systems for customers including Navy Exchange, Kmart and Walgreens. The equipment package provided in each case varies with the application and location of the need.
Supermarkets: Sentry has installed systems in supermarket customers, including Kroger, Marsh, Cub Foods, Winn-Dixie and Fiesta Mart. The targeted coverage in most of the installations has been the entire retail space.
Industrial Market Applications
Distribution Centers: Sentry also provides loss prevention surveillance for distribution centers and warehouses, and has installed systems for retailers including TJ Maxx, Big Lots, Home Depot, Kohl's Department Stores, Target Stores, Boots Drug Stores, Ingram Micro, Navarre, Mastronardi Produce, Borders Group, Disney Direct Marketing, Saks, Guess, Big Dog, Food Lion, Roundy's, the Gap, Bealls and J.C. Penney.
Manufacturing and Transportation Facilities: Express package and other high throughput distribution facilities are also good prospects for a continuous tracking CCTV system for theft prevention. Installations include FedEx Freight, Symbol Technologies, Federal Express Air & Ground and UPS. In Cape Town, South Africa, The Metro Rail Network has installed 10 tracks at various terminal stations to monitor passengers at the junction of bus, railway and taxi services. SmartTrack is an integral part of an overall crime prevention and deterrence program including central management of video devices over a network.
CONVENTIONAL CCTV SYSTEMS
Conventional CCTV is a loss prevention system. Conventional CCTV uses the basic components of the video surveillance industry including fixed and dome cameras, digital video recorders, monitors, switchers, multiplexers and controllers. This equipment is manufactured for Sentry by outside vendors.
These systems allow customers to monitor remote sites using existing communication lines and a PC-based system. Video camera images are stored and manipulated digitally, substituting the PC for the VCR and multiplexer, and eliminating the videotape. Sentry markets digital video recording and a remote video transmission unit developed by third-party vendors including GE Security and TeleWatch. Its installations are made for express package companies, including Federal Express, United Parcel Service, Emery Air Freight and Airborne Express.
EAS SYSTEMS
EAS (electronic article surveillance) systems consist of detection devices that are triggered when articles or persons tagged with reusable tags or disposable labels, pass through the detection device. The EAS systems that Sentry manufactures are based upon three distinct technologies. One, the Radio Frequency (Knoscape RF) System, uses medium radio frequency transmissions in the two to nine megahertz range. Second, the Ranger system uses ultra-high frequency radio signals in the 902 megahertz and 928 megahertz bands. Third, the Electromagnetic (Knoscape MM) system uses very low frequency electromagnetic signals in the range of 218 hertz to nine kilohertz.
The principal application of Sentry's products is to detect and deter shoplifting and employee theft in supermarket, department, discount, specialty and various other types of retail stores including bookstores, video, liquor, drug, shoe, and sporting goods stores. Its EAS systems are used in non-retail establishments to detect and deter theft, in office buildings to control the loss of office equipment and other assets, in nursing homes and hospitals for both asset and patient protection.
RADIO FREQUENCY AND RANGER DETECTION SYSTEMS
The company manufactures and distributes the Knoscape RF system, the principal application of which is to detect and deter shoplifting and employee theft of clothing and hard goods in retail establishments. It also manufactures and distributes the Ranger system. The Knoscape RF and Ranger systems consist of radio signal transmission and monitoring equipment installed at exits of protected areas, such as doorways, elevator entrances and escalator ramps. The devices are located in panels or pedestals anchored to the floor for a vertical arrangement or mounted in or suspended from the ceiling (Ranger) and mounted in or on the floor in a horizontal arrangement. The panels or pedestals are designed to harmonize with the decor of the store. The monitoring equipment is activated by tags containing electronic circuitry, attached to merchandise transported through the monitored zone. The circuitry in the tag interferes with the radio signals transmitted through the monitoring system, thereby triggering alarms, flashing lights or indicators at a central control point, or triggering the transmission of an alarm directly to the security authorities. By means of multiple installations of horizontal Knoscape RF systems or installation of one or more Ranger systems, the Company's products have the ability to protect any size entrance or exit.
Non-deactivatable reusable tags are manufactured in a variety of sizes and types and are attached directly to the articles to be protected by means of specially designed fastener assemblies. A clerk at the checkout desk removes a reusable tag from the protected article by use of a decoupling device specially designed to facilitate the removal of the fastener assemblies with a minimum of effort.
Knoscape RF and Ranger systems generally have an economic useful life of six years, have a negligible false alarm rate and are adaptable to meet the diversified article surveillance needs of individual retailers.
ELECTROMAGNETIC (EM) DETECTION SYSTEMS
The primary application for both the company’s MM1 and WAM electromagnetic theft detection systems is to detect and deter theft in libraries and bookstores. The EM systems use detection monitors that are activated by electromagnetically sensitized strips. The EM targets are typically attached to the articles to be protected and are camouflaged on various products. The detection monitors used by the systems are installed at three to five foot intervals at the exits of protected areas. In addition, the EM targets can be manufactured to be activated and deactivated repeatedly while attached to the articles to be protected.
PATRON SELF CHECK BOOK BORROWING SYSTEMS
The Sentry QuickCheck patron self check book borrowing system offers an ideal solution to the library security market in North America. The QuickCheck system is RFID ready and provides users access to circulation software, automatic security strip deactivation, automatic return ticket printing, user access to book renewals, multi-lingual software interface and on-screen user instructions. Approximately 250 QuickCheck systems have been installed in Omaha Public Library, Palm Beach Public Library, Supreme Court of Canada, Harris County Public Library, Burlington Public Library, Vancouver Public Library, Ottawa Public Library, McGill University Library and Calgary Public Library.
RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID)
RFID is a wireless electronic data collection system that uses radio frequency signals to identify and track objects using readers and tiny integrated circuits in label format. Applications include library management, warehousing, parcel tracking, inventory control, asset protection and supply chain management.
DIALOC ID SECURITY PRODUCTS
The company distributes EAS systems manufactured by Dialoc ID. The 9000-P 8.2 MHz system, which is housed in slender, self-contained Plexiglas panels, provides retailers with clear lines of sight at the front end along with the durability of solid Plexiglas. The system's electronics, which are built-in to the base of the Plexiglas antenna, provide detection of 8.2 MHz labels and hard tags in aisles up to six feet wide. The 9000 PL system is offered in both single and dual aisle configurations and is compatible with existing 8.2 MHz tags and checkout accessories.
Competition
The company’s competitors include Sensormatic (acquired by Tyco/ADT); Checkpoint Systems, Inc.; GE Security; Pelco Manufacturing, Inc.; Panasonic, Inc.; and Honeywell. Outside the U.S., the company’s competitors that market other types of traveling CCTV systems include Lextar Technologies, Ltd.; T.E.B.; and Sensormatic.
History
Sentry Technology Corporation was founded in 1996.
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