Westminster Group Regulatory News (WSG)

20 Apr 2009 07:00



20th April 2009

Westminster Group Plc: 

New Contract Award - 2 Million Euro

Diver Detection and Security Net to Nagaa Hammadi Dam - Egypt

Westminster Group Plc ('Westminster' or 'the Group'), the AIM listed supplier of system solutions and products to the security, defence, fire protection and safety markets worldwide, announces that it has secured a prestigious contract to protect the new Nagaa Hammadi Dam complex on the river Nile in Egypt.

The contract, valued at over 2 million Euros is to supply and install an advanced security net across the river Nile; to prevent access to the dam from either vessels or divers and to protect the hydraulic control structure from any floating or submerged objects.  

The security net comprises a steel wire mesh with an integral fibre optic core woven into every strand. Any attempted attack on the net will signal an alarm and indicate the location of attack within the security control room. The net, spanning the entire width of the river Nile, will be fitted with an automatic gate which can be remotely opened and closed from within the control room, allowing authorised ships passage into the lock complex.

The net will rise from the river bed to circa 2 metres above the surface to prevent climb over and will also be fitted with a bespoke strain gauge and stress system in order to provide early warning alarms within the control room of pressure building up from the estimated 60 tons of weed floating down the Nile every day.

In addition, advanced thermal imaging surveillance cameras will be installed to monitor the net and river approaches. Thermal imaging cameras can work under extreme conditions, including zero light levels, allowing for uninterrupted monitoring from within the security control room.

The project will commence immediately and is expected to be completed in early 2010.

This latest contract comes on the heels of Westminster's recently announced £1million contract win for deployment of the company's ThruPORT scanning portals in Iraq.

ThruPORT is a completely self contained scanning solution, built within a specialised ISO shipping container which is rapidly deployable and can be shipped throughout the world. Once on site, the unit can be set up and fully operational within hours. This flexibility allows for rapid response temporary security arrangements as well as permanent fixtures.

Commenting on the contract awards, Peter Fowler, Chief Executive of Westminster Group, said:

"The Nile Dam project presented us with a unique set of challenges. The client had not been able to find a solution using existing security products or other specialist security firms. Our project managers used innovative technologies to tackle each of the individual demands of the brief to provide a bespoke and complete solution. This tailored approach is critical in differentiating Westminster from alternative solution providers.

"I am delighted to be able to announce this latest contract award so soon after our previous major project win in Iraq. Both contracts are a testament to the investment we have made in building up our Middle East operations and illustrate how Westminster can design innovative solutions for wide ranging security challenges throughout the world.

"This latest award means that we have started 2009 very positively, with a surge of new orders worth, in aggregate, in excess of £3.3million, to add to our already record order book of £4.2m at the beginning of the year (£1.4m 2008). Enquiry activity remains healthy and despite the current economic difficulties we remain optimistic for 2009".

Enquiries:

Peter Fowler 01295 756 300

Chief Executive - Westminster Group Plc

Nicholas Mearing-Smith 01295 756 300

Finance Director - Westminster Group Plc

Clive Carver 020 7600 1658

FinnCap

Tom Cooper/Paul Vann 0117 920 0092

Winningtons Financial

Notes:

Westminster Group plc is a leader in the supply of system solutions and products to the security, defence, fire protection and safety markets worldwide.

Westminster's principal activity is the design, supply and ongoing support of advanced technology security solutions. These can range from product only assignments, such as the supply of specialised scanners, to the design and implementation of an integrated system solution such as a border detection and surveillance system. The majority of its customer base, by value, comprises governments and government agencies, non governmental organisations and blue chip commercial organisations.

Notes on ThruPORT:

Each unit contains sophisticated people and baggage scanning solutions allowing for a high throughput of persons whilst maintaining a high degree of security. Typical operation would be for a person to enter the unit through a controlled door and deposit their baggage onto the conveyor belt leading to an x-ray scanner, the person then walks along a corridor and through a metal and weapon detection archway. At the same time the person is being scanned by passive standoff terahertz imaging unit which will detect hidden weaponry or substances concealed under clothing etc without any loss of privacy. Once the person has passed along the corridor they then pass through a second door into the next corridor where they collect their scanned baggage and leave through another controlled exit door.

All systems are remotely controlled and monitored from a safe distance together with CCTV surveillance and audio communications links and should a suspect device be detected the person can be directed to a separate 'safe' blast controlled search area.

Typical deployment would be some distance from the main building, such as an airport terminal, so that potential blast damage is minimised in a controlled environment. The system can in addition be deployed together with Westminster's vehicle scanning solutions for applications such as border checkpoints etc.