44 • CYLINDERS
PROUD SPONSORS
OF THIS PAGE
Phillip’s Arc
After 15 years as an architectural ironmonger, Phillip
Parkinson established Secure Arc Ltd in his home town of
Bolton, in 2012. Now, just six years later, his vision of ‘good
quality products at sensible prices’ has seen this fledging
business flourish. Despite his extremely busy schedule,
including the release of a new line of classroom cylinder
locks (designed by Phill himself and manufactured under the
Secure Arc brand), a new brochure about to be released, plus
a bustling workshop in Bolton – Phill, here in The Locksmith
Journal Cylinders special, exclusively explains why he
wanted to set up shop, what he has brought to the locksmith
industry so far, and Secure Arc’s plans for the future…
» » “OUR MISSION HERE AT SECURE
Arc is provide good quality, innovative
products and services at competitive
prices,” Phill explains. “And unlike other
companies in our industry, we do not
compromise quality for price, and will
never select or manufacture a product
that is below par in order to achieve a
marginally lower cost.”
Indeed, it was this ethos – combined
with architectural ironmonger Phill’s
expertise and ideas for design and
development – that first inspired the
idea for Secure Arc, and has been the
thread that has run through its business
operations ever since.
Now, at the beginning of 2019, Phill’s
eagerness and enthusiasm to provide
locksmiths with the best products at the
best prices has never wavered. And, with
a constant strive to add new products
to Secure Arc’s already comprehensive
range, and consistently improve core
lines, this year sees the launch of a
brand-new Classroom Cylinder with
anti-barricade/clutch function.
Phill explains: “in essence, a
classroom cylinder lock means that
someone cannot trap themselves
intentionally/unintentionally in a room,
as even if locked from the inside, a key
can be used to override it and open it
from the outside. While this sounds
simple enough, as with any product – in
any sector, not just security – there will
always be varying degrees of quality. At
Secure Arc, even our entry level lines are
safer, more reliable, and more durable
than most on the market; always at a fair
price. Our cylinder locks, for example,
have been designed and manufactured
to BS EN 1303:2005 with a rating of
160106C2.
“Paying particular attention to the
new and improved classroom cylinder
lock, it can be easily handed to right or
left before fitting, or on site, just with
the switching of a pin; or if you prefer an
anti-barricade system only, remove the
pin completely.”
The classroom cylinder lock is just one
small – though significant – part of the
Secure Arc catalogue. Phill and his team
in Bolton also provide a comprehensive
range of Euro Single and Euro Double
locks, oval cylinders, bathroom locks, plus
anti-ligature furniture of knobs, pulls,
hooks, turns, handles, and hinges.
In addition to the product ranges, key
profiles come with the option of SR – Semi
Restricted profile (as standard), or RR –
Restricted profile, which means that no
other key could be copied for that lock at a
third-party key-cutter. Secure Arc achieves
this by using an exclusive profile that
is uniquely designed for the team, and
cannot be replicated anywhere else.
The ‘icing on the cake’ at Secure Arc
though is the customisation of products,
from state-of-the-art colour matching, that
can plate products to match existing door
furniture, where Phill adds: “we have yet to
find a colour we can’t match to” to branded
cylinders and keys with a customer’s own
company name and/or logo.
Phill says: “The own-branding service
in particular has proved to be highly
popular, and enables our customers to
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL.CO.UK | JAN/FEB 2019
retain their own client base, achieve a
bigger turnover of repeat orders, and
look more professional, all at once. It’s
all part of the service for us – but from
my own experience before setting up
Secure Arc, and every day working at the
‘new’ business since – I’ve come to realise
how big of a difference these relatively
small touches can make, especially in a
competitive market.”
With cylinders – and more – to suit all
needs from ‘a house to a hospital’, Secure
Arc certainly has the catalogue to meet
the requirements of its customers, but its
far-reaching range of off-the-shelf items
also means the team can ensure same
day delivery for an impressive number
of orders, while extra services such as
engraving, suiting, drill and tap, and
special size requirements, further prove
Secure Arc is set to be going above and
beyond for a long time to come, just as
Phill hoped, when he set up the company
six years ago.
www.secure-arc.com