Member Article

ATG Access’ counter-terror contributions recognised with prestigious award

Surface Guard, an innovative vehicle barrier system designed by ATG Access, has been named the winning product in the Physical Security category at the Counter Terror Business Awards 2019.

Taking place in London on the 5th March 2019, the annual awards acknowledge excellence in the fight against terrorism, with organisations and individuals from both the UK and overseas recognised across 20 different categories for their contributions to reducing the global terror threat.

ATG Access, the world’s leading manufacturer of road blockers, bollards and vehicle barriers, competed against four other shortlisted organisations for the prestigious Physical Security award. An award that acknowledges products that provide effective physical security to protect against, and mitigate the effects of, a terrorist attack.

Designed in response to the recent surge in vehicle attacks on pedestrians around Europe, the cutting-edge Surface Guard system can withstand the impact of a 7,200kg vehicle travelling at 32kph, and has been tested in accordance to the IWA 14 crash test standard.

The system’s lightweight and modular design means that it can be deployed quickly and efficiently by four men in under an hour without any machinery, minimising disruption to the surrounding area.

The surface-mounted barriers also do not require any bolts or attachments, preventing damage to surfaces which makes them the ideal security solution for temporary events. As an additional benefit for local authorities and event organisers, the polyurethane barrier covers can be modified to accommodate signage or sponsorship decals.

The Surface Guard system has already been deployed over 350 times at a variety of high-profile, high-risk events both in the UK and abroad. Recently, Surface Guard was selected by the City of London to protect a number of the city’s major events, starting with the Lord Mayor’s Show which attracts over 50,000 visitors.

Gavin Hepburn, managing director at ATG Access, commented: “Our Surface Guard system was born out of the desire to provide a practical, discrete and above all reliable method of protecting public events.

“When it comes to pedestrian-permeable, temporary event security, no other solution can match Surface Guard’s effectiveness or ease of installation. The response since its launch has been incredible, and highlights that there truly was a gap in the market for a product like this.”

“Innovation is crucial in the face of an ever-evolving range of terror threats, so we’re absolutely thrilled that our commitment to product development has been recognised with such a prestigious industry award.”

Winners on the evening were announced by former Defence and Home Secretary, Lord John Reid, who held seven cabinet positions between 1997 and 2010 under Prime Minister Tony Blair.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Michael .