Net2 access control has been installed at Highlands Grow, a fully licensed industrial-scale cultivator, producing cannabis for medicinal and recreational use. Based in Lapeer, Michigan, Highlands Grow provides consumable cannabis products to U.S. based retailers, projects. The volume of produce they cultivate is of extremely high-market value and needs to be secured with a sophisticated and advanced security system as stated by Michigan state law.

Prior to the new Net2 security installation, the Highlands Grow facility was secured by traditional locks and keys. This meant that they were open to potential security risks, and their site would not meet the legal requirements to secure the higher volume of product they plan to produce as they increase the size of their ever-growing customer base. Highlands Grow contacted Existo Solutions, a consulting company specializing in services designed specifically for the budding U.S. cannabis industry. They recommended Paxton’s Net2 access control due to its customizable high-security functionality and integration options.

Chris Hernandez, operations lead at Existo Solutions, said, “Achieving compliance while growing cannabis in most U.S. states is related to the security and access of the facility. Cultivators who don’t comply can receive up to a $90,000 fine from the U.S. government, so it’s vitally important to get access control right.”

For the new security system to meet legal surveillance requirements, cameras need to be integrated alongside a remote alert system. For Highlands grow, that means monitoring 50 cameras, while securing 21 doors, which lead to large-scale grow rooms and secure vaults, storing curing cannabis and finished products. Having this functionality is crucial so the owners can receive real-time notifications and video clips of potential security risks on individual doors when the facility is at low capacity.

Hernandez continued, “What is very important for the customers in our industry, isn’t just knowing who goes in and out of a facility, it’s who goes up to a door when they are not supposed to. It’s about being aware of who tried to open a vault when no one is there.”

Existo Solutions installed Net2, Paxton’s flagship networked IP access control system, which originally launched into the U.S. market in 2007. Since then, the system has received consistent updates and integrated with many leading cameras, as well as fire and intruder alarms. The system was integrated seamlessly with VIVOTEK cameras, meaning that Highlands Grow can now remotely monitor every door on their facility 24/7, using Net2Online software and the Paxton Connect app.

“Paxton is our go to when it comes to access control,” said Hernandez. “We like the way Net2 integrates with VIVOTEK cameras, and the system just works every time. Net2 has enabled us to provide Highlands Grow with the highest security service package we offer, which is great for them.”

Paxton’s vandal resistant Entry range touch panel has been fitted on the main entrance to the facility, alongside an Entry Premium monitor in the site's security station. The Net2 software has been configured to provide notification alerts on the owner's smart devices if people are trying to enter the building outside of business hours.

Net2 readers were installed across all doors alongside the camera integration to monitor access from internal employees to grow rooms and vaults. These readers have been configured to allow different access levels depending on seniority in the company, and time restrictions added to lock down rooms with no need for frequent access.

“I think access control is so important as one of the initial means to manage the workspace and how people move around,” said Hernandez. “There are lots of locked doors in the cannabis industry and opening them using Net2 makes it easy to move around with large plants on carts. Paxton makes our job straightforward. It’s beyond simple, it’s beyond easy, and the technology is so stable that it's easy to support.”

Matt Saagman, director of cultivation at Highlands Grow, said, “Using Net2 is very smooth. Once I started using the Paxton Connect app, it has been a breeze. Almost too easy. As we expand our facility, we plan to keep building on the current system and we are interested in seeing what else it can do as we grow.”

For more information, visit: paxton-access.com.