Crowdguard Ltd. - Experts & Thought Leaders

ATG Access, a foremost innovator of vehicle barriers, road blockers and bollards, and part of the HS Security group of Hill & Smith Holdings PLC, has promoted former head of marketing, Lucy Ketley, to marketing and sales director. Lucy has an MBA in Business and is a graduate of the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme. Since joining the business in 2011, Lucy has been instrumental in developing and implementing ATG Access’s marketing strategy as well as gaining an excellent knowledge of the products, hostile vehicle mitigation and physical security sector, whilst forging strong relationships with customers, distributors and supply chain. Depicting the breadth and depth of succession planning Lucy’s promotion is a testament to the positive culture of ATG Access, further demonstrated by numerous long-serving colleagues and the breadth and depth of succession planning. The internal support and progression opportunities available within the business have empowered Lucy to become a highly experienced, senior professional. Lucky is looking forward to continuing the growth of the business across the UK and internationally. Commenting on her appointment, Lucy said: “ATG Access has been a fantastic place to work for the last 11 years. I am very grateful to have experienced strong internal support that has led me to my newest role. I very much look forward to continuing the growth of the business across the UK and internationally alongside our fantastic ATG team.” Authority comment Richard Ellis, interim managing director at ATG Access, said: “I am delighted to welcome Lucy to the ATG Access board. She is a respected, driven and forward-thinking professional with a solid knowledge of our international sales and distribution environment. Lucy’s knowledge and experience will complement and enhance our ability to deliver upon our strategic growth objectives in the physical security sector for many years to come”. This internal succession follows the departure of ATG’s Lain Moran at the end of May to join ATG’s temporary security partner – Crowdguard.

The US events market is to benefit from the exacting standards of UK crowd safety and security, following the establishment of UK specialist, Crowdguard, in the United States of America (USA). An industry-renowned event safety and security specialist in the United Kingdom (UK), Crowdguard, has garnered an enviable reputation for providing an end-to-end service for event organisers, venues and those responsible for public realm environments. Crowdguard enters US market The company combines detailed threat, vulnerability and risk assessments (TVRA) with tailored solutions and quality assured installation practices. Compliance requirements and industry practice for event security are much stricter in the UK than in the USA, and Crowdguard US aims to bring a safety-focused approach to the US events sector, protecting people and events with robust solutions and improved consistency. ATG Surface Guard Among the market-renowned solutions that Crowdguard US will offer is ATG Surface Guard Among the market-renowned solutions that Crowdguard US will offer is ATG Surface Guard, a popular hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) system and the company’s flagship product. ATG Surface Guard has been tested to the IWA 14 standard and is proven to stop a 5500 lb vehicle, travelling at a speed of 30 mph and a 15870 lb vehicle, travelling at a speed of 20 mph. Supplied in single units, the surface-mounted, modular system can be installed across a single roadway, within as little as 40 minutes, by Crowdguard’s experienced technicians. Crowdguard US headed by event security experts Crowdguard US will be headed by Herb Ubbens and James De Meo, both experts in outdoor event risk assessment and security. Both professionals are US based and understand the US safety and security landscape. Herb Ubbens is Board Certified in Security Management (CPP) and Physical Security (PSP) and is a SAFETY Act DHS Assessor in BPATS (Best Practices for Anti-Terrorism Security), while James De Meo holds professional memberships with both ASIS International and the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security-NCS4. Event protection and HVM solutions Herb Ubbens said, “There are a lot of companies in the US offering event protection and hostile vehicle mitigation solutions, but the process of installing these solutions is much more heavily regulated in the UK. Being able to roll out that best practice in the USA will be a game changer.” With Crowdguard’s record in the UK, we are able to offer end-to-end delivery for US customers" Herb Ubbens adds, “By bringing the expertise and processes established by Crowdguard in the UK, to the US market, we can give event organisers and venue-owners confidence in their supply chain. With Crowdguard’s record in the UK, we are able to offer end-to-end delivery for US customers, with proven HVM products, installation expertise and service protocols.” Approach of due diligence and quality management Crowdguard will take the same approach to due diligence and quality management in the USA, as it does in the UK, focusing on deploying the right solution and installing it to ‘as tested’ standards. The company’s service will centre on understanding risk and threat, advising customers on the most appropriate solution, in order to meet the needs of their event and its attendees, along with quality assured deployment. Enhanced event safety and security measures James De Meo said, “Today's ever evolving threat continuum presents numerous challenges for event organisers. Whether they are enjoying outdoor events, or attending stadiums and venues, people want to feel safe and they should come to expect 21st-century enhanced safety and security measures.” James De Meo adds, “Crowdguard has the proven safety technology and expertise to revolutionise the entire special events ecosystem, and I am excited to be part of the new venture in the US, and the positive change it can achieve.” SIA GovSummit 2022 Deborah will join Herb Ubbens and James De Meo, to attend the SIA GovSummit 2022 Deborah Ainscough, the UK Operations Director at Crowdguard, will also take a hands-on role in developing the US business and working with clients in the USA. Deborah will join Herb Ubbens and James De Meo, to attend the SIA GovSummit 2022, which is taking place in Washington DC, from May 24-25, 2022, a conference that focuses emerging policy trends, the technology needs of the government and changes in the risk environment. Safety and security fundamental to protecting people Deborah Ainscough said, “Safety and security are fundamental to protecting the most important asset for any venue or event - customers. That’s why Crowdguard US will focus on the same principles as our successful UK company, understanding the risks, deploying a suitable solution and installing and maintaining those market-leading products to the highest standards.” Deborah Ainscough adds, “With Herb and James at the helm of Crowdguard US, we have the right experience and in-depth understanding of risk, combined with our experience of UK installation standards, to achieve those goals and I am very excited about what we can deliver in the USA.”

Birmingham’s hospitality businesses have benefited from significantly increased outdoor dining space, following the deployment of ATG Access’ Surface Guard system at a number of locations around Hurst Street. With many businesses struggling as a result of the restrictions placed on public venues by the government, Birmingham City Council was keen to make it possible for people to return to the city’s usually bustling bars and restaurants in a safe, socially distanced way. It recognised that pedestrianising key areas would significantly increase capacity and enable venues to take advantage of the government’s pavement licence scheme. However, the council also wanted to keep the roads open to normal traffic between Monday and Friday to minimise disruption, while allowing bars and restaurants to use the carriageway for outside dining space at the weekend. Vehicle access extension plates Requiring an innovative, flexible solution in order to achieve this temporary pedestrianisation, Birmingham City Council contacted renowned event-protection business, Crowdguard. With less than 24 hours’ notice, Crowdguard deployed 65 metres of ATG Access’s hugely sought-after Surface Guard barrier system in five different locations across the city centre, with four locations having Vehicle Access Units. Surface Guard is a completely surface-mounted system, meaning that there is no damage to the underlying road Thanks to the specialist vehicle access extension plates, the barriers provide access to normal traffic from Monday to Friday, while also creating safe, pedestrianised areas with no unauthorised vehicle access on Saturdays and Sundays. Surface Guard is a completely surface-mounted system, meaning that there is no damage to the underlying road, with a lightweight and modular design that makes it quick and easy to deploy with no machinery required. Crash test standard Without appropriate security measures in place, pedestrianising busy city centres can render the public more vulnerable to hostile vehicle attacks, thanks to greater numbers of people gathered in outside areas. A Surface Guard barrier can withstand the impact of a 7,200kg vehicle travelling at 32kph and has been tested twice in accordance to the IWA 14 crash test standard, providing world renowned protection against such attacks. The barriers are also designed to allow people to flow in and out of an area with minimal disruption, preventing the unnecessary build-up of crowds. This makes them ideal for facilitating social distancing, while also providing further protection from vehicle as a weapon attacks. The temporary pedestrianisation of Hurst Street was hailed a success after its first weekend of operation, which saw an estimated increase in trading of up to 50% for participating venues. Offering flexible solution Iain Moran, Director at ATG Access, commented: “Birmingham City Council has done a brilliant job supporting its hospitality businesses, recognising very quickly the value that pedestrianisation could bring to the sector. Increasing capacity in this way has only become more important in light of the new 10pm curfew, so we hope to see more councils and local authorities following suit to give venues the best chance of survival." In this situation, Surface Guard offered the perfect flexible solution, ensuring all needs can be met" "However, it’s also vital to keep public safety and security front and centre when making any changes to our urban landscapes, as well as bearing in mind the impact that pedestrianisation can have on other businesses in the area. In this situation, Surface Guard offered the perfect flexible solution, ensuring all needs can be met.” Support hospitality businesses Deborah Ainscough, Operations Director at Crowdguard, said: “We are proud that, through innovations such as Surface Guard, we have been able to make a real difference to Birmingham’s hospitality sector, helping as many people as possible to show their support for local businesses in a safe and secure way.” James Betjemann, Head of Enterprise Zone and Curzon Delivery at Birmingham City Council, commented: “Crowdguard provided the council with a number of temporary barriers to facilitate a series of weekend road closures to help support hospitality businesses deal with the impact of COVID-19. Deborah and the team were able to mobilise and install the barriers at very short notice and provided excellent customer service throughout the scheme.”