Northern Ireland firm is keeping an ever-watchful eye on big business

Last week saw the return to our television screens of Big Brother, the long-running reality TV show in which housemates live under the watchful eye of millions of viewers 24 hours a day, in the name of light entertainment.

However, in the real world outside of the Big Brother house, a different sort of reality exists for business-owners wanting to protect their property from vandals and thieves.

Against this backdrop, a Northern Ireland company is enjoying significant growth in providing 24-hour monitoring services to an increasing number of blue-chip clients across Ireland, the UK and further afield.

Working with security companies, installers and in-house security teams, Lisburn-based Everwatch offers clients advanced round-the-clock monitoring solutions to help enhance the security and safety of their businesses and protect their assets and personnel.

The added security and peace of mind that 24/7 monitoring offers has seen demand for Everwatch services grow by 25% year on year, across all its remote monitoring services, which include CCTV systems, intruder alarms and fire detection – as well as lone worker, social care and elevator monitoring.

Within this, remote CCTV monitoring has enjoyed the biggest growth at 32% year on year.

Everwatch employs a professional team of highly trained monitoring operatives to keep a watchful eye on client businesses 365 days a year and respond swiftly when an alarm is triggered – reaching out where necessary to authorities such as the police and fire service, as well as contacting designated keyholders.

State-of-the-art technology also allows for remote vehicle entry and other automation-driven controls to enhance security management and convenience.

“Crime poses a significant threat to businesses, costing millions in damages and losses annually, so there is an ever-increasing demand for a 24-hour monitoring solution,” said Everwatch managing director Liam Cullen.

“Our commitment to innovation has fuelled significant growth over the past 18 months, as more customers recognise the value of integrating technology to monitor their assets and enhance security across their estates.

“Everwatch not only safeguards your assets against criminal damage, theft and accidents, but also provides early warnings of unauthorised intrusions, ensuring peace of mind and security.

“Through our proactive approach, we have successfully thwarted thousands of intrusion attempts, saving our customers millions by preventing crime and minimising risk.

“As a trusted security partner, Everwatch has helped safeguard assets and reduce liabilities across a wide range of industries, working with security companies, installers, and directly with clients’ in-house security teams, to provide the monitoring services they need.”

Everwatch already monitors thousands of devices across Ireland and the UK for a wide range of businesses including the Almac Group, HMV, JP Corry, Cameratec Ltd (Northampton), SAS Fire & Security (Dublin), Balloo Hire Centres, Lynas Foods, and The Glen Garage (Wicklow).

The company has also developed a specialism in monitoring large shopping centres with multiple retail clients, including the Park Centre (Belfast), Ropewalk Shopping Centre (Nuneaton), Springhill Retail Park (Bangor) and Newkirkgate Shopping Centre (Edinburgh).

“From global blue-chip companies to local SMEs, we are dedicated to providing clients with the highest quality monitoring services to give them that peace of mind that their businesses are being watched and protected,” said Liam Cullen.

“Our remote alarm receiving and video monitoring centre is staffed by experienced operators trained to identify and respond to security breaches and other potential situations swiftly. For example, on detecting an intrusion, we immediately escalate the situation to the PSNI or the Garda Síochána, ensuring rapid response to potential threats.

“We also offer the unique capability to engage directly with intruders through a live audio challenge. This innovative approach successfully deters intruders in 99% of incidents, effectively preventing damage and theft before they occur,” he added.

“Similarly, if a fire is triggered, our staff are equipped to assess the situation quickly and take immediate action, ensuring the fastest possible response from emergency services to mitigate damage and protect lives.

As a stand-alone division within the Mercury Security and Facilities Management group, Everwatch holds the highest level of accreditations from security industry bodies such as NSI Gold (UK) and PSA (Ireland).