Jeff Munsell, director of North American sales for supply chain with Vector Security Networks, identifies the gaps in warehouse security, and what it will take to close them. 

The biggest challenge in supply chains from a security perspective is an inadequate understanding of, and appreciation for, the nuances that accompany physical facility protection, Munsell says. In particular, he notes a “lack of interest” among security integrators in exploring innovative solutions.

Warehouse environments are sharply different in their characteristics from retail stores and malls, Munsell points out. The former require their own set of security measures that address the peculiarities of a warehouse operation. That includes extending the security net all the out to the perimeter, including the gate. 

The job of a security integrator is to procure equipment and systems from a variety of vendors, covering such items as cameras, alarms and card readers for complete access control. With so many potential providers in the mix, it’s important to create “a single pane of glass” for the user, resulting in “a seamless security experience.” The integrator focuses on how those disparate systems communicate with one another, then combine to provide the warehouse with the tightest possible security, along with the data need to continuously improve that critical aspect of operations.

Integrators, Munsell says, “formulate the solution mindset.” At the same time, they’re fully aware of the unique nature of each warehouse — how a given facility “is different from the next guy down the road.” Each security system, therefore, must be adaptable to the particular location that it’s designed to protect.

Munsell says the benefits of a good security system extend beyond its primary mission of physical protection. Armed with more accurate data, managers can make better decisions, yielding “efficiencies that are sprinkled throughout the entire organization.”