Safes have provided excellent security since ancient times. Not only cash, but also other valuables can be stored in them. They protect against the contents falling into the wrong hands. In response to increasingly advanced threats, as a safe manufacturer we are successively introducing more and more advanced specialised safes – that is, products for special tasks, which offer not only effective protection against burglary, but also advanced features and innovations to meet the growing demands in the field of security. In this article, we will touch on several issues related to special task safes. The products we offer not only provide a high level of protection, but are also designed for specific industries in order to provide the best possible protection for valuables.
Since ancient times, a safe has been associated with a metal box (with more or less thick walls). Traditional safes primarily provide protection against burglary, thanks to the use of the right material (high-quality steel and special filling between the sheet metal shells), the thickness of the walls and doors, and specialised locks when constructing the safe.
However, as criminals gained access to new tools and technologies, it became necessary to develop more advanced safes. In business and finance, they are used to store not only cash, but also important documents, contracts, data backups or other important items. In the health sector, these safes can be used to securely store medical patient records or pharmaceutical substances and medicines. In the jewellery or art industry, specialised safes protect precious jewels and works of art from theft or damage.
Safes can be divided into several categories. It is advisable to familiarise yourself with these before making a purchasing decision.
These are products that are ideal for built-in use primarily due to their choice of compact and relatively lightweight solutions. In the Hartmann Tresore range, we have many safes that are suitable for insertion into furniture. These are usually safes in security class S1 or S2 (lightweight construction and design, 1 or 2 sheet metal coats when it comes to the body). Smaller values can be stored in such safes. An undoubted advantage of furniture safes is that they can even be placed on a furniture shelf. They have mounting holes in the back wall and in the bottom and various lock configurations – tailored to the customer's preferences (key, electronics, cipher, biometrics). It is worth noting at this point that even safes providing basic burglary protection (S1, S2) can store weapons.
Burglary safes are characterised above all by a more robust construction and are therefore heavier. These are safes dedicated to securing valuables (the more valuable the items – the higher the security class should be).
These armoured cash-boxes, in addition to performing anti-burglary functions, are designed to protect the items deposited in them from temperature rises caused by fire. It may seem that fireproof safes are universal products, considering the items that will be stored in them. Nothing could be further from the truth - we offer different products for paper documents and others for data carriers. Why this distinction? Data carriers are more sensitive to temperature increases, which is why a different type of filling is used in this type of safe. Fireproof safes are ideal for both the home and the office. When it comes to locks – as with furniture safes – the choice depends on customer preference.
These are non-obvious products and one of the most discreet solutions. They can be installed provided there is sufficient wall or floor thickness. The undoubted advantage of these safes is that they are concealed. These products are most often installed in houses and flats, but this is not the rule.
Key safes or combination safes (for documents, other values and keys) are an interesting product category. In standard safes, there are shelves. In key safes we have (instead of or in addition to shelves) a special perforated metal sheet with holes - the keys hang on hooks in an orderly way. They are suitable wherever there are a lot of rooms and therefore a lot of keys, or in companies with a sizeable car fleet.
The ideal product for commerce – i.e. wherever cash is handled (shops, restaurants, petrol stations). These safes are designed in such a way that cash is deposited via a special drop box or drawer, without having to open the main door of the safe (every time). Only specific people have access to the deposited cash.
We write more about this type of safe in our text on safes in the catering and petrol industry.
Safes designed for pharmacies, hospitals and medical facilities. They allow not only the protection of pharmaceuticals, but also the storage of medicines in an orderly manner. Medication safes are most often equipped with shelves and drawers with compartments to enable this orderly storage.
Today's speciality safes use advanced technology to provide the highest level of protection. One of the key elements is the correct choice of lock or locks. Compared to a traditional key lock, electronic systems offer greater flexibility in access management. The ability to programme different access codes for different users and manage them remotely makes these safes extremely functional.
Biometric security features are another innovation in specialised safes, as they allow even more precise and individualised access control. They eliminate the risk of theft of the access code or mechanical key, but also significantly increase the level of security.
Internet collaboration is the next step in the development of speciality safes. The ability to remotely monitor and control the safe via a smartphone or computer gives the user a full control, regardless of location. This is a useful tool for both individual users and businesses that need to monitor access to valuable documents or devices.
While specialist safes bring advanced security solutions, there is also no shortage of challenges. One of them is the constant adaptation to new methods of intrusion and attacks. Criminals are constantly improving their skills, so we need to be constantly on the lookout for new solutions and innovations.
The future of specialist safes is headed towards even greater integration with technology. Developments in artificial intelligence may allow for more sophisticated analysis and responses to potential threats.
Specialised safes represent the next stage in the evolution of traditional safes, adapting to new security challenges and needs. Thanks to advanced technologies such as electronic locks and biometric security, users can enjoy an even higher level of protection for their valuables and documents. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to meet the growing threats and security challenges. The future of speciality safes seems promising, combining technological innovation with a focus on ecology and sustainability.
If you want to buy the right safe – at Hartmann Tresore you have several contact options. Invest your time with a phone call or feel free to contact us directly and speak to an advisor in the shop (our showrooms are located in Warsaw and Rzeszów).
