Universal Building Material Merchants Company (UBM), a leading Saudi-based supplier of door hardware, specialised architectural hardware and mechanical products, has introduced a new range of electronic security products in association with the UAE-based Universal International (UI), the distributor for Amadeo products in the GCC.

UBM is the authorised distributor for Amadeo Systems in Saudi Arabia.

The i-Lock system is designed to provide highly flexible solutions for a wide range of access control applications like hospitals, student hostels, commercial offices/buildings as well as for dedicated hotel locking systems that can be integrated with other hotel management functions.

Described as the ultimate smart secure locking technology for commercial access control as well as hospitality, leisure and resort solutions, i-Lock incorporates web-based technology and utilises the latest operating systems. It is compatible with smartcards and smartphones, and hardware independent of front-of-house and back-of-house requirements.

“Advances in battery technology has revolutionised wireless access control to the point where it is now a viable alternative to purely mechanically locked doors in any internal application,” says Azim Raza Zaidi, technical Manager at Universal International.

Elaborating on the system, Zaidi says: “At the heart of the system is the i-Lock door unit, a battery-powered wireless lock which can be incorporated into a simple standalone set-up, or as an offline or online networked system depending on the application and the degree of control required.

“The simplicity and ease of installation makes i-Lock a real alternative to a traditional mechanical locking solution. i-Lock units can be configured to operate using a simple system of user and shadow cards. At the most powerful level, the system is available with full online software control with NFC/BLE (Near Field Communications/Bluetooth low energy) compatibility, allowing the system operator to use mobile devices for programming and auditing each lock remotely.”

“A mobile Masterkey App enables users to receive a ‘virtual key’ on their smartphone. In a hotel application, this permits guests to access the hotel parking and their room instantly without having to check in or visit reception,” he adds.

A major feature of the i-Lock system is the hardware independence, which allows the specifier to select their preferred lever furniture and finish. Systems can be upgraded at any time without having to change the i-Lock door units.

Amadeo also offers the use of wireless or hard-wired wall readers at strategic locations in the building that allows access permissions to be changed through the system software.