France-based Synel technology to install comprehensive security system in world’s most visited art museum in effort to prevent burglary

By Sagi Cohen

With the help of Israeli technology, the Louvre Museum in Paris will stay secure. Synel, an Israeli subsidiary company based in France has just been awarded a large contract at the Louvre Museum.

Louvre Museum – Photo: AP

As part of the major project, Synel France was contracted to install a comprehensive system for security access control combined with electronic attendance. The deal is estimated to reach millions of shekels within several years.

The project, which is set to boost the museum’s security, will further entail the installation of Synel’s time and attendance management hardware, as well as the use of fingerprint verification, keypad entry, magnetic card, barcode card, proximity card, contactless smart card and facial recognition.

The verification terminals will be installed within the museum’s exhibition spaces, and will enable the Louvre’s security team to better track the whereabouts of the employees.

The Louvre is one of the world’s largest museums. Nearly 35,000 objects from prehistory to the 19th century are exhibited over an area of 60,600 square metres. Around 8.8 million visits were recorded at the Louvre in 2011.

According to Erez Buganim, Synel’s Vice President of marketing, the Louvre is continuously exposed to burglary attempts, even by employees. “Therefore, the security system is needed. It will prevent unauthorized personnel from entering areas in the museum where priceless art is held in,” he said.

Monitoring employees – Photo: Thinkstock

“There are art pieces that aren’t always on display for the public and even the museum’s employees can’t reach certain exhibition spaces at all times,” he said.

“Synel offers a technological solution which will monitor unauthorized entries into the museum and within the museum’s exhibition spaces,” Buganim added. The Israeli technology will allow for the museum’s security team to track the Louvre’s 700 employees.

Synel France and England CEO Danny Farber expects that by the end of 2012, over 200 French organizations will be using the new technology. “The project at the Louvre is one of several new projects, Synel has recently started in France and England.”

View original Ynet publication at: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4248238,00.html