Business Recommendations Archives - Kenton Brothers Systems for Security

Interesting Tech: The Luba Robotic Lawn Mower

October 2, 2024/in Business Recommendations, Robotics/by Neal Bellamy

By Neal Bellamy, IT Director at Kenton Brothers

We often talk about video surveillance cameras on our blog. We have also talked about commercial security robots that can patrol your business or warehouse. I thought it would be fun to talk about one of the most technologically advanced devices we have experienced recently. I am a self professed tech geek that loves new devices. This one is a home run.

It includes GPS, 3D imaging, first person remote viewing, and of course, artificial intelligence.

Introducing the Luba Robotic Lawn Mower.

I set the Luba Robotic lawn mower up in my yard in about 2 hours. The part of the project that took the longest was cutting a doggie door (that is actually a robot door) in my fence so that it can access the front yard. (We have dogs, and they haven’t figured it out yet.) I have the Luba set to run for about an hour a day, every day, to keep the grass at a manageable level and to reduce the amount of wear and tear on the mower.

What if my neighbor decides to steal it?

Well, they thought of that. And it completely disables itself if removed from the programmed area of mowing responsibility. This mower can do multiple patterns, with multiple zones of mowing, and looks professional when it is done.

The app to manage the mower is called Mammotion. It lets you set up just about everything with this mower. Schedules, mowing patterns and more. Would you believe I just watched my mower doing its thing while writing this blog at work? That’s crazy. It’s all wheel drive and there is an adaptive suspension! This thing is awesome.

Our Technology Focus

We are always looking for new technology to protect people, property and possessions. And that love of all things technical translates into our personal lives as well. When you work with a commercial security company, it is probably a good idea to hire people that live and breathe this stuff. We do. Let’s talk.

FASTVend? Wow! Check out this newfangled vending machine!

June 15, 2022/in Business Recommendations, System Design and Consulting, Warehouse/by Kenton Brothers

By Kip Phillips, National Integration Manager for Kenton Brothers Systems for Security

We’re in the service and installation business—designing, installing and repairing commercial security systems. Our security technicians needed a quick and efficient way to get products and tools to help them do their work in a timely manner instead of spending wasted hours at a big box store searching for supplies.

After trying various methods to have in-house access to many common installation materials for our technicians to use during installations, we’ve implemented the Fastenal Vending Solution. Our installations require various materials from electrical tape, screws, conduit, boxes, drill bits, hole saws, tie-wraps and many more types of items and tools.

The FASTVend System

The FASTVend system provides access-controlled cabinets, lockers and vending machines to hold the exact parts we need for our installations. By having the parts available via access control, we can track the quantity of each item being used and which truck or project the parts are being used for.

Our technicians appreciate having the convenience of picking up their installation materials at the same time they are picking up system equipment at the KB office. This saves them so much time when compared to how we used to do things. (Traveling to supply houses to get parts and specialty tools.) This is a win/win because it also saves KB some of our labor costs. It also saves our project managers and staff in purchasing time because they don’t have to preorder basic install consumables for each project.

FASTVend includes weekly restocking of the material we use.

Fastenal receives automated reports of each item consumed.

Initially, as a group, the technicians listed the standard items they prefer for installations. After refining and consolidating the list of standard materials, Fastenal set up the machines in our warehouse. User codes were programmed into the system for each technician.

The initial list wasn’t an exhaustive list. Now that the system has been in place for a few weeks, the technicians have had a chance to add items they would like to see included in the vending machines. Building a complete inventory of items, and organizing them in an efficient manner, takes time and a collaborative effort.

Keeping the Trucks Stocked

Our technicians use the vending machine system to keep their trucks stocked with basic consumable tools and installation materials as well as materials specific to ongoing projects. In the future, we’ll be able to use the locker system to receive drop offs of new tools. And we will place broken tools and dull drill bits in the locker system for pick up and repair by Fastenal employees.

This new system has significantly cut down on the amount of receipts and paid invoices we had to keep track of as new projects were started. (We aren’t in the business of storing paper…)

We still have room for improvement in utilizing this vending machine concept. But the FASTVend system is a game changer that’s already proving its value to our organization!

Bar K – It’s Like Top Golf for Dogs!

October 30, 2019/in Business Recommendations, Community/by Gina Stuelke

By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers.

Kenton Brother’s offices are dog friendly, so we’re used to being surrounded by our canine kids. And we love to have company events outside the office. So we decided to join the two… Kenton Brothers latest investment in fun took us to the hot new dog/human social club positioned on a two acre tract of ground on the shore of the Missouri River at 501 Berkley Parkway.

It’s called Bar K. (Bar for humans, Bark for dogs, get it?)

Bar K brings community minded people and their dogs together to share connections in a joyful and creative space.

Many of our peeps brought their significant pups… of all shapes and sizes. Some of our clan included Maggie, Hershey, Vespa, Boomer and Piper. In addition to great food and drinks, there were ice water stations, agility courses, puppy play spaces, adoption events in their Petfinder Park, and lots of room to run and wrestle with the other doggy guests.

Bar K is touted as the happiest place on earth. And we agree! Our team had a fantastic evening together surrounded by dogs. Thanks for a great event venue!

Motion Detection + Video Surveillance = Frederick the Racoon Being Caught

October 16, 2019/in Business Recommendations, Commercial Security, Video Surveillance/by Kenton Brothers

By Kristen Harper, Controller and HR Manager at Kenton Brothers.

Having an intrusion system is critical to protecting your property. At Kenton Brothers, we’ve recently found the importance of making sure there’s a video feed that is compatible with your intrusion system. By having motion detection utilizing your video system, you can catch intruders much more quickly.

Late one night in August, our CEO, Gina Stuelke, got an alert that there was movement in one of our warehouses. We took a look at our cameras that are tied to our motion detection intrusion system, and sure enough we had an intruder… of the four legged variety! A cute, snuggly little raccoon, (which we later adopted and named Frederick) had started to make a home in our warehouse.

We called in the boys in blue from Blue Beetle Pest Control to set up a couple of humane traps, and sure enough we caught him overnight. As we came to work that morning, nearly the whole office staff looked in on our little furry friend. Later that day, we released him in a nearby wooded area so he could resume a happy and healthy lifestyle outside of the KB Pickle Ball Court.

It was only through our intrusion system that we were able to catch Frederick so quickly and get him to a more appropriate home and minimizing damage to our facility. But we’re going to miss his cute face!

Kenton Brothers Systems for Security Product Brochure Wins a 2019 Fountain Award

May 29, 2019/in Business Recommendations, In the News/by Kenton Brothers

Can We Pick Our Partners or Can We Pick Them?

Spring is awards season. The Oscars… The Grammies… And, Kansas City has its own versions, especially in the advertising and marketing world. For any award, the winning work usually is a collaboration between partners who toil, sweat and go back and forth as they work toward their vision.

We didn’t make a blockbuster movie or record a top ten song with our advertising agency partner, but we did create a pretty slick marketing brochure that won a fancy advertising award.

The Kenton Brothers Security Product Brochure

Our security product brochure received a 2019 Fountain Award at the ANA Business Marketing and AMA of Kansas City (AMAKC) annual Fountain Awards ceremony held on March 7th at 2016 Main Event Space.

EAG Advertising & Marketing, our agency, submitted the brochure and was in attendance to accept the award. Fountain Award submissions are judged equally on creative, production, objective/strategy and results. Submission categories include advertising, brand identity, sales enablement, event marketing, public relations, internal marketing, integrated program, content, video and all forms of digital marketing.

To match the custom nature of our security solutions, we wanted a brochure that would stand out as well. Our brochure serves as a sales leave-behind for our team to share with clients. It communicates our overall brand value, leading with the concept that our solutions protect your people, property and possessions.

Design, Message and History

Design-wise, the brochure is a custom creation. The way it’s designed is to have two sections open at the front, symbolizing our ability to protect what’s inside.

Message-wise, it focuses on our primary security solutions, while the back of the brochure features a nostalgic nod to our 4th generation family-owned business history, along with the evolution to today’s technology and the consistency of the person-to-person service.

Our award-winning brochure perfectly reflects who we are and what we do. It’s an honor that top marketing associations in Kansas City think so, too.