Physical Security

Binns milestone

by Mark Rowe

A UK prison fencing company has reached 80 years – with the plan to double its turnover by the time it turns 100.

Binns Fencing Limited, now a part of the Zaun perimeter protection group, was AJ Binns when it was first registered in 1937, when John Binns set up business in Great Marlborough Street in central London.

As the demand for Binns products grew, the company was divided into two. AJ Binns Limited catered for the growth in the sports and leisure industry and remains in business, in changing room equipment, shop fittings and racking systems. Meanwhile, Binns Fencing installed security fencing (pictured, Heathrow, in the days it was called ‘London Airport’).

Binns Fencing MD Adam Binns, grandson of the founder John, reminisces: “Eighty years with the direct descendants of one family at the helm feels like quite a milestone in this day and age. And there have been many twists and turns and trials and tribulations in that time.”

Adam’s father and John’s son Julian joined the company in 1970, having trained as an industrial designer. He commissioned the industrial designer Sir Kenneth Grange CBE to design a new range of products. The range was given the name Variset and won a Design Council Award in 1972. From the original multiple hook system, the range has developed to include many more products.

In 1997, the company moved to its present location in Potters Bar, alongside sister business Binns Fencing, since when it has introduced the reverse hook system, coin operated cable lock and, most recently, the Hookamals range.

Meanwhile, Binns Fencing was developing its own registered design anti-climb system called the Flexible Security Topping or FST. Over the years, this has been installed in HM prisons, secure hospitals, young offender institutions and immigration centres in the UK and worldwide.

More recently, Binns Fencing has adapted the configuration of FST specifically for the utility sector. Mounted on top of utility compound perimeter fencing, it presents razor wire to a would-be intruder without posing any risk to the public.

This followed the sale of a majority stake to Zaun Limited in 2015, which bought 73pc from Adam’s brother, aunt and father Julian, while Adam retained his 27pc shareholding.

He said: “I had been looking for a new partner for a few years and had talks with other fencing manufacturers. But Zaun was the best match.

“We had worked alongside each other on a number of prison and other high security jobs over the years, including the £250m-plus super prison that opened at Wrexham this year, and this coming together was the natural next step.

“With more and more clients asking for integration of both physical and electronic security solutions as well, this acquisition alongside Zaun’s purchase of EyeLynx massively enhanced the range of systems we as a group could integrate.”

Binns recently unveiled a ‘Centre of Excellence for Prisons’ at its Potters Bar HQ and proposed a new model of perimeter security and PIDs procurement and delivery. It believes the UK Government could make savings by adopting its proposed model for delivering perimeter security, where it provides a single point of contact for a complete perimeter security package.

Adam added: “We have devised this model in consultation with the Government, main contractors and suppliers, to deliver best value and a greater potential to innovate with a single point of contact throughout procurement, delivery and installation.

“This increasing integration and collaboration is the future and I believe Binns is well placed to double its turnover in the next 20 years on the back of the trend.”

Dates

· 1937 – John Binns founds AJ Binns Ltd

· 1951 – AJ Binns Ltd divides with the creation of Binns Fencing Ltd

· 1970 – Founder’s son Julian Binns joins the company

· 1972 – AJ Binns wins Design Council award for Variset

· 1996 – Flexible Security Topping (FST) first developed

· 1998 – Company moves to present location in Potters Bar

· 2001 – Founder’s grandson Adam Binns joins the company

· 2015 – Zaun Limited acquires 73% of company

· 2017 – Launch of UK Centre of Excellence for Prisons

About Binns Fencing Limited

AJ Binns was founded in 1937, when John Binns set up business in Great Marlborough Street, central London. The company divided into two to accommodate the specialist knowledge required for the diversity of its range.

AJ Binns catered for the newly developing sports and leisure industry, while Binns Fencing Limited did installation of security fencing, based in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.

In April 2015, Zaun Limited bought 73pc of Binns Fencing from founder John Binns’ daughter, son and grandson. Another grandson, Adam Binns, retained his 27pc shareholding and remains the MD of the business. Binns is now specialising in prisons, utilities, construction, local authority and physical security.

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