| ASSA ABLOY supplies its ASSA dp cylinder locks to thousands of doors in the arena |
ASSA ABLOY company ASSA has delivered lock and security solutions, including the ARX access control system and the ASSA dp cylinder lock, to the new Friends Arena in Stockholm.
The Friends Arena was inaugurated at the end of 2012 with a giant show of 2,000 performers in front of a packed stadium, with a live TV broadcast. The new, top-of-the-line national arena seats over 50,000 people for sporting events and 65,000 people for concerts. It measures 55 meters high and 100,000 square meters in area. The neighbourhood around the arena is now being augmented with a hotel, a bigger communter train station and new access roads. Events scheduled for the first half of 2013 feature world-class acts like One Direction, Kiss, Iron Maiden and comedian Eddie Izzard.
A modern arena needs a modern security solution. That’s why the arena’s owners chose ASSA ABLOY to supply its ASSA dp cylinder locks to thousands of doors in the arena, along with the ASSA ARX access control system. The ARX system is flexible and perfect for the needs of the Friends Arena.
“ARX is easy to learn, easy to use and it’s easy to understand the flows,” says Mattias Gröndahl, system adminstrator. He enthusiastically points at the screen, showing how he can assign temporary authorisation to a person standing outside a specific door.
ARX practically eliminates the need for staff to use keys in a building like this. But some technical areas and other doors with less traffic still need a mechanical lock system for the best security. Something is always going on in the arena: Either it’s being rigged for an event, an event is underway, or the sets are being struck again. Employees, temps, all contractors and people involved in an event, pass through a round-the-clock checkpoint on their way into the arena using an access card or tag in the turnstile. The arena’s managers all agree: it’s a breeze to manage the ARX access control system in a vibrant arena like this, where the security is set up differently depending on the event.
It must be possible to evacuate the whole arena in six minutes. At times like that, everything simply must work. Panic bars can’t jam, and foot traffic needs to flow in the right direction. The right places need to stay locked to control the flow of people, and exits from the arena must stay free and open.
“We’re dependent on all locks, bolts and card readers working as they should,” says Stefan Cårebo, property manager. “We’re very pleased with the products we have.”