Page 13 - Control Panel Q3 2019

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: CANNABIS GROW OP
Southwest Microwave.
For our purposes, we are going to look at one of
our latest installations with HEXO Corp (formerly
Hydropothecary Corporation). According to their
website, HEXO produces for both the adult-use
(recreational) and medical markets from their 1.8
million sq. ft. in Canada, as well as establishing
operations in Greece for the Eurozone area.
HEXO Corp. has locations where plants are
cultivated in Gatineau and Niagara. The crop
from there is transported to the 2+ million sq.
ft. former Sears Distribution Centre in Belleville,
which they are retrofitting for processing and
packaging of the product. The building had
legacy systems for video, alarm, and access.
It was being monitored for both intrusion and
fire before HEXO took it over. It will be their
main processing and distribution site, as well
as eventually housing a brewing facility and a
showcase storefront.
The original building is at least ¾ km wide, with
80’ ceilings. This can cause challenges with
installation due to cable lengths and for our
technicians to work at that height. Due to the
sheer size, our techs onsite have their own golf
cart to travel inside the facility.
This new 2 million sq. ft. is not a location where
the crop is cultivated and grown. Cannabis is
transported from the HEXO grow facilities for
transformation. Extracted oil will be used for other
products such as edibles and drinks. The Facility
is one of the highest security facilities we have
worked on, higher than most prescription drug
production facilities.
At current count, with Phase 1 complete and
phase 2 of 5 underway, we have installed:
Over 400 cameras
20+ video servers, with them probably needing
100 servers when all is complete
400+ cardreaders, in and out readers on each
12
door
Hundreds of alarm input points
Many door controllers, perimeter laser sensors,
looking for people who cross into the secure area,
and mag locks on the perimeter fire doors with
electric strikes on the other 100+ doors.
This is the largest new AFX enterprise site we
currently have underway. This system includes
the ability to count all the people who enter a
room. Once all the people have left the room, the
alarm system automatically arms the area so that
no one can enter without having a designated
person disarm that area.
When completed, the Belleville production
facility will have a brewery for cannabis infused
beverages when licenses are available. They
will also have a full production kitchen in place
to produce any edible products that are allowed
by the Health Canada regulations. It will also
planned to have a store front operation showing
the products that are produced in the building.
On top of production and packaging, this building
will include a whole level of administration and
support staff that are not present at most grow
locations.
For Chubb Fire & Security, each phase large order
which takes months to install and turn over to the
customer. For the Town of Belleville, which was
hard hit after the Sears warehouse shutdown, this
is bringing in new jobs for many people.
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