Vilsbiburg, close to Munich in Germany, is the location of the Flottweg SE headquarters and production plant. Here, the separation technology specialist builds plant and machinery for solid-liquid separation on a site covering about 110,000 square metres.
In 2021, the company inaugurated its new Factory II, expanding its production area by approximately 18,000 square metres. A decisive element in protecting its business premises of just over six hectares and maintaining its status as an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) is the video surveillance solution supplied by Regensburg-based manufacturer Dallmeier.
The largest decanter centrifuge in the world
What do crude oil, water, liquid chemicals, and beverages such as beer have in common? Before they can undergo further industrial processing, they have to be purified, or certain constituents must be separated. The systems that perform this mechanical separation are made by Flottweg SE.
At its factory facilities in Vilsbiburg, among other products, the company manufactures the largest decanter centrifuge in the world. Flottweg is very proud of its “Made in Germany“ credentials and its record of preserving and creating jobs in the region. Responsibility and quality are inseparable elements of the company philosophy. This applies not only to process optimisation and product quality assurance but also to protecting its employees and the company premises.
Security for six hectares of company premises
Flottweg and Franz Sicherungstechnik developed a new security concept with the Dallmeier portfolio
For the new building in Vilsbiburg with about 18,000 square metres of production area and six hectares of property, the company searched for a security solution that met the latest technical standards, not least to enable it to satisfy the criteria for AEO certification. Robert Waxenberger, Deputy IT Director for Flottweg SE, describes the requirements for the new solution as “Innovative, sustainable, Made in Germany, GDPR compliant“.
His experience from working on Factory I, in which single-sensor cameras from Regensburg-based manufacturer Dallmeier have been working reliably for years, was decisive for this new selection. In close cooperation, Flottweg and the security installer Franz Sicherungstechnik developed a new security concept for Factory II with components from the Dallmeier portfolio, consisting of the Panomera® multifocal sensor cameras, megapixel dome cameras, the IPS 10.000 recording system, and the SeMSy® Compact video management software.
“Unmanned” test run
The centrifuges and decanters undergo a stringent test procedure before shipping, and the test runs are conducted under camera surveillance in nine test bunkers built especially for this purpose. “If anything untoward should happen during a test run, the parts would come at you with unimaginable force. For the safety of our employees, the test process must be carried out “in the absence of humans”.
"But since we also have to observe the proper conduct of the testing, this is where we use cameras,” explains Robert Waxenberger. The dome cameras help the operator monitor the process.
No AEO certification without closed perimeter protection
With an export ratio of about 80 percent, certification as an Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) is immensely important to Flottweg, as this simplifies shipping arrangements enormously.
One part of the requirements for obtaining the certification is a triad of physical security measures. These consist of securing the perimeter, ensuring surveillance of the dispatch hall, and visual supervision of the loading area. The premises surrounding the factory hall are monitored inside a “closed perimeter“.
High-quality image resolution
Movements of any origin, by people or vehicles for example, can be tracked for long stretches with no loss of recording
Each section of fence with a corridor of about 90 metres is subject to uninterrupted detection by Panomera® S-series cameras. The multifocal sensor systems are ideal for long distances along the fence because their special sensor concept allows them to guarantee high-quality image resolution even at long distances.
Consequently, movements of any origin, by people or vehicles for example, can be tracked for long stretches with no loss of recording or camera switches. And besides protection against unauthorised entry and assistance with the incident investigation, the 1,700 square metres of shipping hall and dispatch area as well as the loading area are subject to visual monitoring by cameras.
More expensive hardware – but lower overall costs
Apart from the image quality, the low costs of infrastructure were a powerful argument in favour of installing the Panomera® systems. “If you only consider the hardware components, comparison offers are cheaper. But if you look at the overall situation, we only need a fraction of the infrastructure in terms of cables, masts, networks, and cameras. So as regards overall costs, the Panomera® is the least expensive variant."
"And it also makes the operator’s job much easier because he no longer has to keep track of the images from countless cameras on the monitor wall, there are only a few to watch,” explains Andreas Franz, Managing Director, Franz Sicherungstechnik.
Alarm activation at the gatehouse and integrated site plan
For alarm activation and analysis, Flottweg uses the “SeMSy® Compact” Video Management Software (VMS). SeMSy® Compact is the optimum VMS solution for smaller and mid-level requirements, and as an innovative assistance system makes it easy for operators to find sequences of interest rapidly with the “Convenient search” function.
In conjunction with a graphical user interface in the form of a linked site plan and a user-friendly dashboard, incidents can be categorised quickly and enable efficient investigation management.
Easy installation due to Mountera®
A Panomera® system weighs 17 kilograms, and the quick-lock design makes installation much simpler"
For Flottweg too, the prize-winning Mountera® installation concept (iF Design Award & Red Dot Award Winner) proves its efficiency when installing the Panomera® cameras.
Andreas Franz is impressed, “Mountera® has made our lives much easier. A Panomera® system weighs 17 kilograms, and the quick-lock design makes installation much, much simpler.”
Time-saving with number plate recognition
Behind the automated access management system for employees is the new Dallmeier number plate recognition system. The ANPR cameras and associated software read the vehicle number plates and the barrier opens automatically for numbers that are registered.
“For the employees, this makes convenient access by vehicle possible, and Flottweg has the certainty that no unauthorised vehicles are present on company premises,” says Andreas Franz. But suppliers and shippers which were approved by Flottweg as part of the AEO certification and have been registered in advance also benefit from easier access to the loading bays.
Data protection – “Privacy & Security by Design”
“As a manufacturer, we have a responsibility to supply our customers with safe products,” says Christian Linthaler, Dallmeier Sales Director national/international. “With our guiding principle “Privacy by Design“, we offer a comprehensive range of options for data protection and data privacy settings on our products.”
The privacy of employees can be protected via "Privacy Zones" in the camera settings. Sensitive employee areas can, for example, be "blacked out" or completely excluded from the surveillance area. Furthermore, access concepts provide comprehensive protection.
Sustainability has a lot to do with “Made in Germany”
The use of Panomera® means that far smaller quantities of material, products, and infrastructure are needed
The creator of the full coverage solution concept is a manufacturer with extensive vertical integration in research, development, and production, which develops and manufactures its components at its Regensburg site. “Made in Germany“ with the highest possible quality specifications in respect of material and particularly service life.
The use of Panomera® means that far smaller quantities of material, products, and infrastructure are needed. Moreover, almost all components can be brought up to date via upgrades without having to be replaced. All factors taken together save resources and conserve energy.
Conclusion
“We were extremely satisfied with the customer-orientated solution and project handling by Franz Sicherungstechnik. They did excellent work,” concludes Waxenberger.
“As global players with local roots, both Flottweg SE and Dallmeier combine tradition with leading-edge methods. At the same time, we have the same requirements when it comes to quality for planning, implementation, and products. We are very glad that once again we decided on a Dallmeier solution in cooperation with Franz Sicherungstechnik.”