An energy installation company has protected its plant equipment from theft at construction sites across the UK by using a forensic marking product.
Mark Group deployed SelectaDNA Trace in June 2013 to mark scaffolding tubes that could be targeted by thieves. Since then there have been no thefts of Mark Group’s own property. Building sites suffer an estimated £100m of plant theft a year, including scaffolding, excavators, compressors and even cranes.
SelectaDNA Trace, from security company Selectamark, is a marking product which comes in an aerosol that contains two identifiers: Trace nanoparticles which authenticates the mark as a genuine SelectaDNA product, and metal microdots which identifies who the registered owner is. The code on the metal microdots is linked to a secure database used police via a secure online login.
Rhys Willis, Scaffolding Senior Field Manager at Mark Group in Leicester, said: “We wanted to find a solution that would work as a preventative measure for us and protect our property from metal thieves. For well over a year now, SelectaDNA Trace is proving to be a brilliant option and ‘does exactly what it says on the tin’.”
The only losses the company has suffered since June 2013 are of hired-in scaffolding, not marked. Mr Willis said: “Thieves did target some hired-in scaffolding we borrowed from another company, but they completely left our marked property alone, no doubt put off by the deterrent warning signage we have erected around our sites that indicate that our equipment is DNA-protected.”
Mr Willis adds that the scaffolding looks better when it is not visibly marked. “Using an invisible product like SelectaDNA means that our scaffolding still looks brand new when it is on site. Other companies mark their scaffolding with paint which doesn’t look so good and can make the site look untidy.”
As an extra feature to protect the scaffolding tubes and visibly identify them as belonging to the Mark Group, the company is also using TESA labels from SelectaLabel. Resistant to temperatures of minus 50 degrees C, they are suitable the makers say for outdoor use.
Mr Willis said: “The labels leave no one in any doubt that the tubes belong to Mark Group and they are the toughest option available, which is essential when the scaffolding is open to the elements and is being constantly erected and dismantled. Using SelectaDNA in combination with TESA labels is having a massive effect on making sure thieves stay away from our materials.”
