Florida Automotive in Melbourne’s Craigieburn satellite suburb is a Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce, or VACC, certified automobile services business. With many years of experience, the repairer has become well-known in North Melbourne for their high quality work on all makes and models of vehicles.

The challenge: Rapid Growth and Expensive Assets
The business had grown in recent times requiring the move to new and bigger premises. The new premises, located in an industrial area of Craigieburn, gave them the space needed to work on multiple vehicles at once, and store clients’ cars overnight for diagnoses and repairs. Nevertheless, as it’s a rather un-busy area, especially at night, the company recognized the need for an upgraded and advanced security system to protect a range of expensive, specialty equipment while providing high-level vehicle services.

The owner of the business began to look for a comprehensive security system that would protect his premises and the assets within it, and help the company maintain compliance with regulations and security insurance guidelines. The system had to be reliable, accurate and cost-effective, while having the capability to act automatically in the event of a security incident, warding off potential intruders.

“As we grew, so did the assets we had on-site. Our new facility required greater security, but we also needed a better way to control and monitor that system. With Hikvision and our trusted partners, we have designed the ideal solution for our needs,” said Nilanga Lakshan Kirulapana, owner of Florida Automotive.

The Hikvision solution: Security at the perimeters, access points, and inside the facility
Working with the installer and Hikvision representative, Florida Automotive deployed a sophisticated, converged solution built around Hikvision cameras, NVR, indoor stations, and centralized management software.

Ten 4K-resolution AcuSense Live Guard cameras (DS-2CD2386G2-ISU/SL) were installed around the property, providing complete 360-degree coverage of the perimeter. These are coupled with Smart Event technology for intrusion detection and line crossing which triggers a built-in siren and strobe light in the event of someone crossing into a specific area once the system is turned on.

Three 4K EasyIP 3.0 cameras (DS-2CD2385G1-I) were installed at the entry and exit points of the premises, providing extra security and continual monitoring of anyone entering and exiting the building. Three Super Wide Angle Fixed Bullet Network Cameras (DS-2CD2T45G0P-I) were installed internally due to their ability to capture a 180-degree range of movement.

The 32-channel Network Video Recorder (NVR) (DS-9632NI-I8) provides Florida Automotive with a minimum of two months’ recording. RAID6 acts as a backup, in the unlikely event of a hard drive failure.

The Intercom Door Station (DS-KD8003-IME1) was deployed at the main gate, capturing a wide field of view as individuals and vehicles approach. It also provides remote control to the main gate of the repair shop for afterhours access. A two-way audio is set up at the front gate as well, allowing for easy communication between the reception or manager’s office, and whoever happens to be at the gate. A KH8 Series Indoor Station (DS-KH8520-WTE1) was deployed in the reception area to control access to the main gate.

All the security devices are linked to the Hikvision Hik-Connect software, therefore giving the business owner the flexibility to view, arm, and disarm everything in the security system with a single touch.

Additionally, two control points for the security system were created, one at the reception area, which combines with the front gate system for easy and convenient operation, and another in the manager’s office, which includes four 50-inch monitors for full and clear observation and monitoring.

The benefits: Peace-of-mind for Florida Automotive
With the total solution from Hikvision, Florida Automotive now has a large warehouse space fully monitored both inside and at the perimeter. The setup features video and two-way audio communication from the front gate to the offices inside, and line-crossing alerts set up to be triggered at night in the event of an intrusion.

The vehicle repair facility also enjoys the flexibility of managing the entire security system from the Hik-Connect App on a phone or tablet, which allows them to check in on any element of the security system from wherever they happen to be, whether it is the alarm system, outdoor intrusion, detection, video intercom, or cameras. The staff will receive automated alerts pushed to the application in the event of any intrusion. The accuracy of the alerts is ensured by the LiveGuard solution, which is calibrated by Hikvision’s representative so as to avoid unnecessary activations.

“We are very happy with our system design and infrastructure, especially the fact that we are able to check and control the system remotely. This means that we are able to avoid most of the false alarms by checking the live view and activating it from wherever we happen to be,” said Florida Automotive’s Nilanga Lakshan Kirulapana.

“It’s quite a relief that such a large area containing expensive customer vehicles is adequately safeguarded, and we are fully compliant with security regulations and insurance guidelines.”