ACEDA - NSI

ACEDA Ltd - Michael Lynch (Technical Accounts Director)

Head Office Location: Teesside
NSI Certifications: NSI Gold
Areas of business expertise: Security Systems, IT Infrastructure and Electrical & Instrumentation

Introduce your company/describe your business activities

Established in 1991, ACEDA are a leading provider of Security Systems, IT Infrastructure and Electrical & Instrumentation solutions. Over the past 30 years, we have built a strong client base across a number of vertical market sectors, including Utilities, Universities, Health, NHS Authorities, Retail. Customer satisfaction is a key business objective and is reflected in our excellent, ongoing customer retention rates.

As a turnkey service provider, we work with clients throughout the lifecycle of a project, offering design, installation, support and maintenance solutions.

We are a process-driven organisation, guided by established procedures. Our certifications are externally vetted and include NSI Gold, ISO 9001 for Quality Management, ISO 14001 for Environmental Management and ISO 45001 for Occupational Health and Safety Management and Cyber Essentials.

What are your company's main drivers for gaining and maintaining NSI certification?

NSI is recognised as the UK’s most trusted and respected independent, UKAS accredited certification body within the security sector. Many of our clients recognise that NSI certified installers operate to a high standard and meet current legislative requirements.

It provides our clients with assurance that our systems, processes and procedures have been externally verified by a trusted certification body. Furthermore, NSI provides us with relevant codes of practice which form an essential element of our ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.

Once we have completed an installation, our clients are provided with an NSI Certificate of Compliance. This not only meets our client’s insurance requirements but provides peace of mind that the system was installed by a competent, certified installer and meets rigorous industry standards.

What benefits has NSI certification brought to you and your business?

We have been NSI Gold certified for around seven years, and it is now an integral part of our business strategy and company certification portfolio. NSI certification has benefitted our business in many ways, working with auditors during annual assessments, we have refined elements of our documentation, procedures and practices, allowing us to enhance our security offering.

Being NSI certified means prospective employees are joining a credible organisation working to industry best practices. We are made aware of any new legislation and security industry matters through regular communication bulletins. Any relevant updates are communicated to employees, customers and wider business stakeholders.

We regularly attend the NSI Regional Meetings which give us the opportunity to network and communicate with other industry professionals.

How has NSI certification benefitted your customers?

NSI certification gives our customers assurances that we are compliant with all relevant standards and NSI Codes of Practice, and that our installation and maintenance services are provided by a competent, reputable provider.

Using an NSI certified organisation means many of our customers are able to comply with their insurance policies in the event of an incident.

Our customers are able to use the NSI website to verify our certification status and access any relevant technical and legislative information.

We are able to fulfil NSI’s requirements and respond to any fault calls within the stipulated four hours. All documentation provided to our client throughout the lifecycle of a project meets the relevant technical and legislative standards.

What preparation does your team undertake in advance of NSI audits?

NSI legislation and standards are embedded within our everyday business practices. All project related information is logged within our bespoke CRM system and can be easily accessed and reviewed by the auditor.
We are confident that we would achieve a successful audit outcome 365 days of the year due to our meticulous working practices and rigorous procedures. We effectively communicate NSI requirements throughout our business on a regular basis from internal meetings to onsite toolbox talks.
Regular internal and external audits are completed by our Quality Manager in accordance with our ISO 9001 Quality Management System.
The main area of preparation goes into arranging onsite visits with the NSI Auditor and gaining necessary approvals from our clients.

Looking forward, what do you consider to be the industry’s key challenges and opportunities?

Challenges:

There are many challenges that the industry faces at the moment. Rising costs and a shortage of components have affected many of our solutions. Alternative, more cost-effective systems are being considered by some of our clients. A shortage of components has significantly affected many of our project deliverables. We proactively work closely with our supply chain partners to manage expectations at every available opportunity.

Cyber security and cyber threats are of increasing concern to many businesses. We have invested in Cyber Essentials certification, to ensure our internal systems and proposed solutions maintain the highest level of resilience.

In recent times we have experienced a shortage in skilled Engineers. We aim to attract and retain skilled and experienced personnel by offering many employee benefits and a positive working environment. Furthermore, we work with local training providers offering Security Apprenticeships to the next generation of Engineers.

Opportunities:

We are working with many of our clients to replace and upgrade legacy systems with new systems that offer advanced technical capabilities. Working with clients, we develop and upgrade paths that suit both their budget and operational requirements.

The security industry has expanded considerably over the past ten years and CCTV is now being used for other business purposes such as Health & Safety monitoring and improving manufacturing processes. We work with leading manufacturers to offer our clients leading security technologies that enhance and optimise their overall business operations.

New technologies such as AI, Smart Integration and Automation are all areas of opportunity that we embrace. We offer our clients a multidisciplinary approach and can ensure their IT Infrastructure will be well-positioned to leverage new technological enhancements.