The Concern
A mid-sized pharmaceutical company was building a new R&D and manufacturing facility in Western India. Read More
What We Did
We worked with the operations, R&D, quality, IT and HR teams to understand how people, materials and information would actually move through the site, and which assets carried the highest risk. Read More
What We Found
The facility had plenty of equipment, but the design didn't reflect how the site would actually operate. Read More
The Outcome
Before installation was finalised, the client adopted a revised security design. Read More
The Concern
A mid-sized pharmaceutical company was building a new R&D and manufacturing facility in Western India. The site would hold research laboratories, controlled material stores, production areas and data systems containing sensitive intellectual property.
Construction was well underway, but security had been treated mainly as an equipment purchase. The MEP consultant, the IT team and a systems integrator had each specified parts of the security infrastructure, often using templates from earlier projects.
Leadership wanted assurance that the facility would meet regulatory, insurance and client audit expectations from day one. They also wanted to avoid spending on systems that looked comprehensive on paper but wouldn't protect what mattered most.
What We Did
- Understood the operation. We worked with the operations, R&D, quality, IT and HR teams to understand how people, materials and information would actually move through the site, and which assets carried the highest risk.
- Assessed risk before technology. A site-specific risk assessment identified the critical assets, likely threats and regulatory requirements the security design needed to address.
- Reviewed the design. We examined architectural drawings and existing specifications across zoning, access control, video and detection systems, system integration and day-to-day security operations.
• Worked with the project team. We worked alongside the architects, MEP consultant and integrator to revise the design before installation was finalised. - Realigned the budget. We moved spending from low-risk areas to high-priority protection, keeping the overall budget broadly in line with the original estimate.
What We Found
The facility had plenty of equipment, but the design didn’t reflect how the site would actually operate.
- Zoning didn’t match risk. Research labs and controlled material stores were in the same access category as general office areas.
- Coverage was uneven. Cameras were concentrated at main entrances and reception. Service corridors, loading areas and some controlled storage areas had limited coverage.
- Systems couldn’t talk to each other. Access control, video and alarms came from different vendors and weren’t integrated, so an alarm couldn’t be automatically linked to camera footage or entry records.
- Contractor movement was unplanned. The design had no defined routes or controls for maintenance and service contractors, who would regularly need access to sensitive areas.
- Some areas were over-specified. Expensive equipment had been planned for low-risk spaces, while higher-risk areas were under-protected.
The Outcome
Before installation was finalised, the client adopted a revised security design:
- Risk-based zoning: A clear zoning plan based on asset sensitivity, with access rights matched to each role.
- Focused coverage: Revised camera and detection coverage concentrated on critical areas, perimeters and service routes.
- One integrated platform: Access control, video and alarms were linked and monitored from a single control room.
- Controlled movement: Visitor and contractor routes were defined, with escorted access to sensitive zones.
- Smarter spending: Budget was reallocated to high-priority protection, with no significant increase in overall cost.
Making the changes before installation avoided costly rework later. The facility opened with security built around its operations, ready for regulatory and client audits.
“Security works best when it’s designed, not just installed. Get the design right early, and you protect what matters without paying to fix gaps later.”