Unlocking the secret to success

Codelocks thrives after Greenham Business Park move

SINCE the move to its new purpose-built UK headquarters on Greenham Business Park, next generation lock manufacturer Codelocks has experienced rapid organic growth.

The firm, which designs and manufactures a range of keyless door, locker and cabinet locks, seems to have tapped into an emerging market – self-service access control.

“Self-service is nothing new,” said Desmond Ryan, the founder of Codelocks.

“We’ve been doing it in supermarkets and airports for several years now.

“Our technology expands on the concept, to bring self-service to pretty much any space that needs securing.”

The technology that Mr Ryan is referring to is the company’s series of new smart locks that enable businesses to control access by sending time-sensitive codes directly to end users.

Codelocks already has a range of customers putting its self-service access control to good use.

Parks Tennis is an organisation that aims to make tennis accessible and affordable for all by partnering with local councils.

The not-for-profit company uses Codelocks’ remote access locks to generate codes and send them, via SMS, to players who have booked a court.

Parks Tennis instantly increased its income by ensuring users no longer play without paying for court time; and in turn, players, have a clean and secure environment to enjoy their matches.

The next-generation locks have also been put to good use by Pirate Studios.

The company hires out studio time to aspiring musicians who might otherwise not be able to afford professional recording facilities.

Thanks to the self-service locks, which secure access to the property, as well as equipment held in lockers, the studios are completely unmanned. This reduces overheads, allowing Pirate Studios to pass the savings on to its musicians.

Founded in Newbury more than 25 years ago, Codelocks started in a small office with just four staff.

The company now has more than 200 employees, has offices in America, Australia and China, and has names like the Sydney Opera House on its client list.

Last year, Codelocks relocated to its new purpose-built UK headquarters on Greenham Business Park after spending 10 years in Pear Tree Lane, Castle Industrial Estate.

Securing the facility through Greenham Common Trust’s design and build project, the new 7,100 sq ft building has given Codelocks the space it needs to accommodate its rapid expansion.

Mr Ryan said that, despite the global success, it was important that the company stayed true to its Newbury roots.

He said: “Home is where the heart is and the heart of our company will always be in Newbury.

“It’s important to us that our head office remains here and, with our new facilities at Greenham Business Park, we have plenty of room to grow.”

Managing director Grant Macdonald said: “We’ve now got the space we need to support our customers and to carry out further research and development. We have some new and exciting products set to hit the market this year that will further expand our self-service capabilities.

“The market is potentially huge – from Airbnb owners that want to grant access to their properties, to hotels that want to streamline their check-in process – our locks provide a simple, reliable and secure solution.”