GE Security, which has developed its CommerceGuard Container Security System, has been recognized by market analysis firm Frost & Sullivan for its initiative in this market. Frost & Sullivan tapped GE for its 2007 Market Leadership of the Year Award in the field of container security devices (CSDs).
GE has earned some renown, launching its CommerceGuard system when container security and the threat of dirty bombs really began to register as a possible threat. The device is designed to be able to retrofit onto existing containers, snapping on and affixing via a strong magnetic. The unit can arm quickly, using controls from a PDA, and is located inside the container. It uses a proximity sensor to detect tampering and broadcasts its signal using encrypted radio transmission. The units are typically read at ports to ascertain whether unauthorized breaches occurred since the container was sealed and armed, thus enabling supply chain security staff to give the cargo an inspection.
Frost & Sullivan noted that part of the reason they awarded the CommerceGuard technology and program with a market leadership award was that the units have been able to provide a false alarm rate of less than 1 percent. The unit is being deployed by a number of providers, including Siemens, Samsung and Mitsubishi as GE reaches out to international markets.
