COMMERCIAL SECTOR
The value of carrying heavyduty padlock solutions for your commercial accounts
» TERRY WHITE, NATIONAL FIELD Sales Manager for Squire, discusses why stocking a selection of high-performance padlocks for commercial usage is critical, and the options available to locksmiths.
When securing commercial environments, such as retail stores, warehouses and office buildings, right up critical national infrastructure, ensuring a stock of high-quality, high performing padlocks is crucial.
More susceptible to physical break ins, which in some cases can have catastrophic consequences to the wider UK infrastructure, it’ s more important than ever to stock a selection of dependable padlocks for customers to choose from.
The challenges According to the Office for National Statistics, in the year ending March 2025, there was a 50 % increase in robbery of business property i, compared to 2024. With many of these burglaries going unsolved, businesses are left to absorb the financial costs in replacing stolen items and fixing damaged property.
Businesses face many challenges when securing their perimeters, and the larger the site, the more difficult it becomes.
While a retail premises in a large shopping centre may benefit from additional security, such as physical guards and CCTV provided by the centre’ s owners, many warehouses, for example, can be left out in the cold.
In an industrial estate or secluded location, securing the perimeter can be difficult. With more limited resource and surveillance, businesses need to do everything they can to deter opportunists, including investing in high-quality padlock security for entry gates and shutters.
Securing critical national infrastructure environments can be even harder, as the stakes are much higher. Damage to our country’ s infrastructure can have devastating effects, including loss of power, water and public health risks.
The solution
While a layered security approach is typically recommended for commercial sectors, at the base of everything should be a high-performance padlock.
At a minimum, the padlock used should have anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-bump properties. While not the answer on their own, these preventative measures ensure that the padlock cannot be compromised by these popular forced entry methods.
When the stakes are high, look at the padlock’ s certifications. The main certification in the UK is the CEN grading system, which runs from CEN1( low security) to CEN6( maximum security). In this testing, the padlock is put through its paces across a number of tests, including the shackle’ s resistance to sawing, drilling and pulling. When working with commercial customers, it’ s always best to recommend a padlock rated CEN5 or above.
CEN6 rated padlocks are rare – but at Squire, we have developed this. The SS100CS LEV5 padlock is designed with commercial applications in mind. Rated CEN6, plus holding the accolade of the only padlock to achieve Security Rating 5 by the Loss Prevention Certification Board, the SS100CS LEV5 is the highest performance padlock on the market.
While it’ s important to ensure the perimeter is secured, it’ s also worth
suggesting upgraded locks at other entry points, including windows.
For commercial businesses with very large or multiple sites, having a highly rated wireless access control system to recommend could offer a big improvement for their physical security. As technology advances, so do the methods that thieves use to attempt entry into properties. Criminals can leverage cyber-assisted tools to help them gain entry to access control systems, so ensuring the ones you recommend are backed with serious credentials is crucial.
Opting for wireless systems which carry a BSI Kitemark™ for Secure Digital Applications( SDA) is a great starting point. Systems such as Squire’ s inigma carries this accreditation – a Level 3, which is the highest rating a product has ever achieved. This BSI Kitemark™ offers proof that the system has been tested to the highest standards, and reassurance that it maintains a high level of resilience to modern methods of attack.
Physical security is of utmost importance to commercial environments, and the steps you recommend to customers can help to deter thieves and lower the risk of breaches.
By choosing the right padlocks and systems with the highest levels of accreditations, you can confidently help your commercial customers make the right decisions when securing their businesses.
www. squirelocks. co. uk
DECEMBER 2025
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