Amsterdam’s World Trade Center streamlines operations with digital access

Challenge

World Trade Center (WTC) Amsterdam houses a community of more than 300 companies in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district. 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. 

The absolute requirement to provide a safe working environment in WTC’s fixed and flexible offices goes without saying. However, managers also wanted more from their access and solution.

Key criteria

• A more efficient way to manage the many contractors and suppliers who enter the buildings
• A wire-free solution which made it easy to switch 1,000 doors from mechanical to digital security 
• Better oversight of movement around the building, including usage data to improve maintenance scheduling
• Intuitive management, allowing for easy changing of individual access authorizations

Solution

WTC Amsterdam managers went for ASSA ABLOY’s smart key digital access system, eCLIQ. They upgraded around 1,000 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,” says Sander Borggreve. 

Workflows are 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. The key is issued with its fine-grained access rights – covering both door-by-door and time validity – in a matter of seconds.

With the eCLIQ system, WTC Amsterdam gained not only control but also insights into usage and user flows. This data then 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,” adds Rutger Barendse of D&B The Facility Group, who provide security staff for WTC Amsterdam. “It is easy as pie!” adds Sander Borggreve.