Warehouses and distribution centres are facilities where large quantities of goods are accumulated.  Due to the temporary nature of storage and the need for continuous access throughout the premises, securing individual items is often impractical or impossible.  The nature of theft in warehousing is twofold:  Internal theft by employees and external theft by criminals breaking into the premises.

Internal theft usually involves small items and low quantities — albeit on a continuous basis.  It is a widespread phenomenon and tackling it is a complex task that mainly revolves around the of internal procedures, from company culture to inter-departmental communication and physical warehouse layout.

External theft, on the other hand, occurs sporadically, but when it happens, the loss for the business can be extremely high, comprising the cost of missing goods, fines, insurance costs, increased lead times, and damaged reputation.

The most effective measure for reliably protecting a warehouse against external theft is safeguarding either the facility’s external perimeter or the walls of the building itself, which are normally made of composite panels that are very easy to cut through.