Popcorn Protector: Doyle Security Delivers Safety and Security to Manufacturing Facility

Rochester, NY’s Doyle Security was founded in 1919 and has been committed to community security services ever since. Today, they focus on access control, video surveillance, fire, and intrusion with a reach across multiple industries.

Todd Julien, Director of Sales, speaks to the benefit of understanding multiple industries and leveraging that knowledge. “We’re all over the map in terms of markets, from franchise retail, to large manufacturing, to the public sector. Our edge is in our variety. With an almost unlimited base of potential, we understand how a variety of businesses find value in our solutions and can share this knowledge across customers. This uniquely qualifies us to be on the consultative side for any facility in any vertical.”

A recent installation at a popcorn manufacturing facility was no exception. “Our commercial security consultant, Steve Walzer, was not just a sales rep but also a consultant and a member of the customer’s team dedicated to their security operations,” Julien says with pride.

Farmer Jon’s Popcorn is so committed to their craft that popcorn is the only thing processed in their plants. They manage all stages of popcorn growth and distribution, starting with the Iowa farm that has been the source of their popcorn for three generations. Their end products include microwave popcorn, raw kernels, popcorn gift boxes, and popcorn coated in gourmet flavors such as apple pie and vanilla caramel. When Farmer Jon’s decided to renovate a 50,000-square-foot site in Rochester, NY to handle popping and coating of the corn, packaging, and distribution of a wide variety of popcorn products, Doyle Security worked alongside them to provide a complete security solution. This included a 46-camera video surveillance system, 18 doors of access control, and full security protection, which allows Farmer Jon’s to monitor every stage of the production process and control traffic inside the facility around the clock.  

Doyle Security commercial security consultant, Steve Walzer, worked closely with Farmer Jon’s co-owner, Peter Causyn, throughout the entire process. “Peter’s knowledge of the food industry and my knowledge of the security industry made for a perfect collaboration,” Walzer says with appreciation. “He was very open to my ideas on product type and setup – he had complete trust in Doyle to make sure everything was perfect.”

One of the critical concerns of the project was controlling the flow of Farmer Jon’s 50 personnel. “They had to be certain that the employees had no way to enter critical production areas unless they were authorized; only certain personnel are allowed in some areas due to contamination and safety concerns,” Walzer explains, but the building had not been designed with this flow in mind. He began by providing a crash course in access control concepts and working closely with Causyn so the building contractor could make some changes.

“Working with general contractors and door vendors to come up with the correct combination of doors and door hardware for the access control system was definitely a challenge. Sometimes we had to literally change the door if it was swinging the wrong way. Some of the door hardware, which had already been spec’d, was not conducive to access control. So there was a lot of coordination with Peter and his team to get the proper components on the job before it was too late.”

Placement of interior cameras was also a challenge, Walzer adds. “Many of the cameras were installed to watch the actual process of popping and coating the popcorn, so the camera placement was crucial.” This meant cameras pointing at “every machine, every aisle, overhead views, and side views” so managers could see any part of the process at any time, engage in quality control, and prevent recalls. Doyle Security installed 4 MP cameras with variable zoom lenses for greater flexibility in the placement and handled custom fabrication for camera supports and brackets so the cameras could be close enough to the popcorn to be effective. Doyle integrated storage devices that could store up to 60 days of footage. “In case something went awry with production, they wouldn’t have to guess what the problem was,” Walzer says.

Once the access control and video surveillance systems were up and running, Walzer provided training support. “Training is what you make it. If you make it a burden, it will feel like a burden for the customer,” he says of his approach. “Training is not only knowledge of the product, but also confidence. I’m there to build their confidence in using their new system and their confidence in the customer support Doyle provides.”

Walzer also appreciates that training others keeps him in a learning mindset and keeps his people skills sharp. For Farmer Jon’s this meant combining his expertise with Causyn’s. “He is extremely knowledgeable on requirements from the FDA and other food industry governing bodies. His knowledge of the food industry and my knowledge in the security industry made for a perfect collaboration. He had spent a good amount of money on a system that he trusted would meet his needs, and I made sure he realized it was easy to use and that if he didn’t feel comfortable with any of it, we could manage it for him.”

“The most important way to build long-term customer relationships is through our reps,” remarks Julien. “With every customer, our reps start the relationship on the opposite side of the desk and end the relationship on the same side of the desk as the customer.”

When you see Farmer Jon’s Popcorn at Wal-Mart, Wegmans, or QVC, you can remember that Doyle Security’s commitment to customer relationships helped get that popcorn into that bag, into that store, and into your home.