Missiles & Space Batteries relies on Time & Attendance system powered by Tensor

The ASB Group is the European leader and number two in the world in the research, design and manufacture of Thermal Batteries, a highly technical, added value sector. Its products are the outcome of close collaboration with players from the world of high technology, including aeronautics, space, defence, armaments and energy.

Missiles & Space Batteries (or MSB, for short) is an ASB Group division located in Lanarkshire, Scotland. MSB’s origins go back to the period just after the Second World War, at a time when Thermal Batteries were just being developed by the Catalyst Research Corporation in the USA in partnership with British and American government agencies for applications in missiles and shells.

During the 1950s, research and development activities, together with production work, were transferred to the infrastructure of the Catalyst Division of the MSA Group, established near Glasgow in the industrial heartland of Scotland, from where the business still operates.

Back in 2005, the company started evaluating the prospect of replacing their older clocking solution and in the same time implementing a superior, more secure access control system on their premises.

After a careful evaluation process of the several available solutions, the company decided to opt for a Tensor system, which was installed across their site in early 2007.

Given its size and the fact that it also includes a manufacturing plant and parking lot, the Missiles & Space Batteries site required the implementation of a rather extensive access control system.

The Tensor solution installed at the MSB site features multiple T1481G smart card scanners coupled with electromagnetic locks in order to control access from a variety of entry points (car park gate, staff entrance, garden, etc.). Additionally, vandal resistant pedestals have also been built at lorry height, thus granting entitled drivers fast and easy access to the site.

Furthermore, access to the company’s highly sensitive chemical stores is controlled via an entrance selector, while Tensor’s T8440GY electronic clocking stations are used for accurately recording the personnel’s access times to the site.

Missiles & Space Batteries runs the WinTA Access Enterprise suite, designed to provide users total control over the creation of working rules, Access Control, Job Costing and System Security. Furthermore, the company also decided to go for the WinBadge module, which allows it to produce ID badges, keep a record of the badge holders and also add the visual checking of badges as a supplementary method of control.

The Tensor solution installed at Missiles & Space Batteries is currently used for “general T&A duties, personnel clocking and managing, holiday booking, absence reporting, etc.” Ms. Terese Rafferty, the Administrator of the Tensor system installed at MSB, informed us.

Ms. Rafferty believes that the Tensor system is now used at its full potential and, when asked by the Tensor reporter what she likes most about the system, the MSB Administrator’s answer was simple and straightforward: “I like that it works fine, that it gets its job done”.

Since she is working with it on a daily basis, Ms. Rafferty believes that the Tensor system is “easy to use”, and the same applies to the smart cards, which work “fine”, in her opinion.

Ever since the system was initially installed, the Missiles & Space Batteries IT department did have to get in touch with the Tensor help desk and Operations Department on several occasions, but all the problems were ultimately solved.

In fact, when asked by our reporter whether she might suggest any improvements in terms of the quality of service supplied by Tensor, the Administrator answered that “The system works fine and I’m happy with it.”.

When asked whether she would recommend the Tensor Time & Attendance and Access Control solutions to other companies, Ms. Rafferty’s answer was a definite “Yes”. Summing up, the Missiles & Space Batteries Tensor System Administrator told the Tensor reporter that the “Tensor system is easy to use, and that’s the most important thing”.

Customer Information

Missiles & Space Batteries

Hagmill Road

East Shawhead

Coatbridge, ML5 4UZ

Lanarkshire, Scotland

Phone: 44 (0)1236 437775

Fax: 44 (0)1236 436650

Web: http://www.asb-group.com/uk/msb.asp