 |
| ASSA ABLOY installed an IKON locking system incorporating 500+ CLIQ cylinders |
Ratiopharm Arena, a 9,000-seat multi-purpose venue in Neu-Ulm, Germany, has been fitted with security and escape route technology from ASSA ABLOY Sicherheitstechnik, placing it at the cutting edge of security.
Built at a cost of approximately EUR 27.5 million, Ratiopharm Arena – which opened on 9 December 2011 – is one of the most modern stadiums in southern Germany. The building’s construction was initiated by the Ratiopharm Ulm basketball team, which is now its primary tenant.
Ratiopharm Arena is a very popular venue, having attracted more than 300,000 visitors in its first year of service, and a lot of effort is invested in ensuring safety and security.
“Our guests’ safety is our top priority,” says Uwe Geyer, technical director of Ratiopharm Arena. “Despite Germany’s strict safety regulations and the wide array of preventative measures we take, it’s still possible for unforeseen incidents to spark panic whenever large numbers of people congregate. But thanks to security technology from ASSA ABLOY, we are very well prepared.”
The federal building code stipulates that evacuation routes in public buildings must be easily accessible at all times. In the event that a fire or other hazard results in an emergency, everybody in the building must be able to exit unassisted as quickly as possible. There is a natural conflict between the needs for safety and security, as any building’s operators want to prevent unauthorised entry or exit. Thanks to the installation of effeff emergency exit terminals, Ratiopharm Arena’s escape route doors operate safely at all times – regardless of whether they have locked automatically or would normally require authorization to open.
What’s more, the effeff emergency exit terminals produce a loud, unambiguous alarm in the event of an emergency. “The level of noise at events can be very high,” says Geyer. “That’s why it’s important to us that the alarm can be easily heard by all visitors.”
Other ASSA ABLOY products installed in the arena include 30 effeff 1385 series escape door control units, 70 effeff 331 series escape door strikes, effeff 807 series mortise latch bolt locks, and an IKON locking system incorporating 500 +CLIQ cylinders.
“We feel safe with ASSA ABLOY,” Geyer says. “And if our security system ever has to be expanded, it will be easy – even in 10 years’ time.”
