World Trade Center (WTC) Amsterdam is home to more than 300 companies. The commitment of its security team to providing a safe working environment in WTC’s fixed and flexible offices goes without saying. However, building managers wanted more from their access solution.

More than just an office space, WTC Amsterdam has complementary onsite facilities including childcare, a gym, physiotherapy clinic, bar/café, dry cleaning service and more. All its facilities must be cleaned and serviced regularly: they sought a more time-efficient way to manage the many contractors and suppliers who come and go every day.

They also hoped a modern digital solution would provide better oversight of movement around the building, including usage data to improve maintenance scheduling. For convenience during installation and day-to-day management they targeted a wire-free solution – for simpler, less disruptive switching of 1,000 doors from mechanical locks to digital access – and intuitive management, allowing for easy changing of individual access authorizations, even at the last minute.

With all these criteria in mind, WTC Amsterdam managers decided on ASSA ABLOY’s smart key digital access system, eCLIQ. They upgraded doors from mechanical to digital access simply by swapping the existing cylinder for an eCLIQ device. Doors are unlocked by battery-powered user smart keys, with a typical battery lifespan of 10 years.

“Providing these doors with wired access control would be a huge job and become costly. Instead, we opted for the eCLIQ solution,” explains Sander Borggreve, Facility Manager at WTC Amsterdam.

Concrete improvements in operations

The ROI in terms of workflow benefits has been significant. “Granting temporary controlled access to third parties is very easy with the eCLIQ system. We can set access for a certain period of time, but we can also revoke it at any time,” says Sander.

Scheduling is further simplified by storing keys with a Traka key management system. After removing a key from the cabinet, authorized team members enter it into the adjacent eCLIQ Wall Programming Device. In seconds, the key is issued with its fine-grained access rights – covering both door-by-door and time validity.

With the eCLIQ system, WTC Amsterdam gained not only control but also insights into usage and user flows. This data now informs maintenance and operations, reducing the overall Total Cost of Ownership for the solution.

“eCLIQ works very pleasantly in practice. My employees are very satisfied with how the keys work,” says Rutger Barendse of D&B The Facility Group, who provide security staff for WTC Amsterdam.

“It is easy as pie!” adds Sander.

To learn more about managing access digitally with eCLIQ, visit https://www.assaabloy.com/group/emeia/solutions/topics/access-control/cliq/ecliq