B.I.G. Prefab Structures Help Costco Secure Gas Station Equipment

Costco announces its use of unmanned prefab equipment shelters to secure gas station equipment and maintain climate control in extreme weather conditions. Their Director of Gasoline Operations describes considerations for how Costco equips their shelters for maximum security and efficacy.

Los Angeles, CA. – April 8, 2011 – Responding to retailers’ demands, B.I.G. Enterprises (www.bigbooth.com) has partnered with Costco Wholesale Corporation to deliver secure unmanned equipment shelters.

Today, Costco operates more than 200 gas stations throughout North America. Prefab equipment structures serve a functional role for the gas stations’ security needs, because unlike most gas stations, at Costco, the equipment shelter is unmanned.

In an interview with Tim Hurlocker, Director of Gasoline Operations at Costco, Hurlocker explained why these shelters are necessary to their operations: “The original objective for the equipment shelters was two-fold: Guard the equipment and control the temperature around the equipment. We operate gas stations from Anchorage to Miami and from Hawaii to Minnesota. Though the outside may be very cold or very hot, we have to maintain a climate around all the gas station control equipment within a specific range.”

“For increased security, we are now buying equipment shelters with a hotel style door with auto locking. The shelters contain a lot of control equipment—for the casual thief, there is nothing that they could resell, but we have to keep the casual thief out because they think they might be able to sell something,” said Hurlocker.

For other security or facility planners in retail and commercial environments looking to use prefab structures, Hurlocker made the following suggestions:

Use self-locking doors. “It’s human nature, people will prop them open and then you defeat your security. Plus, when they’re propped open, they waste a whole lot of air conditioning and heating.”

Windows are a good idea for an unmanned station. “This may seem counterintuitive, but when your employees enter these unmanned structures, they are blind to what’s going on around them. The most valuable thing you’ve got working for you is the eyes and judgment of your people. Without windows, suddenly they are inside a dark cubicle. I would trade people seeing in versus my people seeing out anytime. If people can see in and see that there is nothing of value, you’ll lower break-ins.”

Secure your air conditioning opening. “Most equipment shelters have A/C units to condition the electric equipment. If someone can kick your A/C through the opening, the opening is big enough to crawl through. A bracket, or something that secures your A/C in the hole, is desirable.”

B.I.G Launches New “Quiet” Booth Design for High-Decibel Areas

A pre-engineered, pre-fabricated structure affords security managers a simple method of meeting security and gate access needs.

El Monte, California- B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc., a leading manufacturer of prefabricated security and revenue-control structures for over 29 years, announces the immediate availability of their Model #DC5412OB Quiet Environment Guard Booths.

B.I.G.’s modern design department has harnessed the latest CAD tools to create a uniquely soundproofed guard booth that serves the security needs of business and organizations where high noise levels are a standard operating practice. Perfect for airports, foundries, busy transit stations, factories and mills, the new booth employs modern materials and acoustic-attenuating design principals to help shield security personal from the long-term effects of high-decibel working conditions. Manufactured to meet U.L. standards for up to “Level 7 Bullet Resistance,” this guard booth also ensures sufficient ballistic protection.

“We designed this booth in response to the specifications presented to us by NASA’s Lewis Research Center,” notes Dave King, Vice President of B.I.G. “In response, we created an extremely safe and quiet guard booth that is perfect for public agencies and commercial enterprises that must operate in noisy environments.”

Utilizing radius wall corners and an attractive roof overhang with custom fascia, the Quiet Environment Guard Booth is as aesthetically-pleasing as it is quiet.

B.I.G. Guard Booths can be delivered to any site as fully approved, pre-fabricated structures that, once mounted on a cement pad and connected to available utilities, are almost immediately ready for occupancy. Factory installed electrical and mechanical systems, heavy duty commercial metal swing doors, industrial-grade floor tile, completely insulated galvanized steel construction, built-in cabinets and shelves, and insulated glass attest to the completeness and structural integrity of the booths. Total access for all security personnel is guaranteed by meeting A.D.A. guidelines.

Utilizing a proprietary “Critical Span” manufacturing technique, the B.I.G. Guard Booth’s galvanized steel construction meets or exceeds ASTM B500 specifications, and all welds meet or exceed AWS-D1.3 and A5.18 standards. High quality, impact and chemically-resistant paint finish adds to the booth’s ability to withstand most any environmental challenge.

All B.I.G. booths are U.L. approved and manufactured in strict compliance to NEC and UBC specifications while meeting the local building code standards of every major area in the United States and internationally. For a free full-color catalog of B.I.G.’s selection of 299 different booth models and their wide range of options, or to inquire how B.I.G. can custom design a booth solution to fit your specific application, contact B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc™. at 9702 E. Rush Street, South El Monte, CA 91733-1730; 800.669.1449; fax 626.448.3598; or contact: Dave King (626) 448-1449

B.I.G. Enterprises Introduces New Booth Design – The Hornblower

Multi-color Finish Stainless Steel Booth Designed for High volume Ticket Sales

Los Angeles, CA – February 17, 2009 – The Hornblower is the latest booth design created by B.I.G. Enterprises (www.bigbooth.com) the manufacturer of prefabricated all-purpose booths. Designed as a ticket booth, The Hornblower serves as a welcoming interface for visitors while providing the necessary design features for high volume ticket sales. Given the task to manufacture a large ticket booth for San Francisco’s harsh marina conditions, B.I.G. produced this architecturally harmonizing design with essential weather resistant features.

Manufactured with painted stainless steel, roll-down shutters built for repeated use, a standing seam roof and multiple color finish, the booth is an ideal addition to a marina setting. With rust inhibitive high build epoxy primer and a two-part polyurethane coat, the exterior has a superior impact, fade resistant as well as graffiti and chemical resistant finish. Designed with a recess in the overhang of the roll-down shutters to hide the drum, B.I.G. was able to increase security and the overall visual appeal of the booth. It comes complete with electrical – including provisions for data, communication and security camera systems, stainless steel shelves, and a high output commercial HVAC.

Like all B.I.G. booths, The Hornblower is delivered fully prefabricated and ready for installation. Originally intended to serve as a ticket booth, The Hornblower can be altered to serve any number of facilities or applications.

More Information about B.I.G. Enterprises:

For over 45 years, B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. of South El Monte, CA has engineered and manufactured high quality prefabricated booths for the security and parking industry. Their large selection of preassembled buildings includes guardhouses, cashier booths, portable buildings, bus shelters and a variety of custom made kiosks.

Utilizing a proprietary “Critical Span” manufacturing technique that increases convenience and strength in prefabricated structures, the B.I.G. team has booths protecting our nation’s capital, nuclear power plants, international airports, colleges, universities and corporate offices.

Ticket Booth by B.I.G. Enterprises Capable of Handling Stadium Crowds

B.I.G. Enterprises’ galvanized steel construction Ticket Processor is custom designed to shelter processing of large college sports attendance numbers.

Los Angeles, CA – Security and revenue-control booth manufacturer B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. (www.bigbooth.com) has just introduced a state-of-the-art Ticket Processor booth designed specifically for use on college campus arenas and sports stadiums. The custom designed prefabricated booth is capable of handling the large crowd volumes associated with sports events.

The demand for strong, secure ticket offices is especially high among college sports teams, who often rely on high attendance figures to win sponsorship deals and gain entry into competitive tournaments. The College Football Playoff – which struck a $7.3 billion deal with ESPN for exclusive coverage rights – is big business. And the number of college bowl games is at an all-time high, climbing from fewer than a dozen games in the 1960s to almost 50 today. UCLA’s Rose Bowl and USC’s Coliseum regularly attract capacity crowds to their 93,000-seat venues.

Safely and securely managing attendances like these within the space of a few hours requires superior facility management. B.I.G. Enterprises’ State-approved galvanized steel Ticket Processor meets those requirements. This particular unit was designed to enhance the architecture of the campus and soccer stadium at a major university.

The booth features a standing seam hip roof with a baked-on Kynar 500 paint finish. The structure is built with a galvanized steel perimeter gutter system (with downspouts), exclusive commercial steel frames, top hung transaction windows and dual pane insulating glass tinted with a Low-E coating. Both the roller track system and the paint finish come with 30-year warranties.
Key specs for the interior and exterior include:

•   LED lighting system
•   Type 340 stainless steel shelves with #4 finish
•   Energy star rated HVAC
•   Convenience outlets
•   Data/Communication J-Boxes
•   Galvanized steel plate floor covered with B.I.G. exclusive interlocking polyvinyl chloride tiles and 4” tall base cove
•   High solids polyurethane paint finish over two-part polyurethane primer

The booth was finished with a brick façade, added on-site at the campus. In the factory, brick ties had been welded to the exterior to support the onsite finishing. To match Campus/Team colors and design, a 16ga painted galvanized steel sill cap with mitered corners was applied.

About B.I.G. Enterprises:

For over 45 years, engineers and decision-makers from hundreds of transportation, chemical, agricultural, manufacturing, university, and corporate facilities have trusted B.I.G. Enterprises to produce exceptional products and designs to meet the exacting requirements of today’s corporate and industrial security environment.

“Data Sentinel” Guard Booths Safeguard Telecom & Internet Data Centers

No Breach Zones: New B.I.G. ‘Data Sentinel’ guard booths help safeguard critical telecommunications and Internet data centers

Custom security booth installations help protect our nation’s ever-growing network of data centers. B.I.G.’s custom designed and prefabricated models boast superior materials, and can accommodate blast and bullet-resistant requirements.

Los Angeles, CA – B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. – Responding to exponential growth in the construction of data centers by high-profile information, web commerce, and tech companies like Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Verizon Terremark, and Google, B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc.(www.bigbooth.com) has designed specialized, hard-wearing, prefabricated guard booths to help secure vital data centers at major IT project sites around the nation. The new model called ‘The Data Sentinel’ is all business. The sleek, no nonsense exterior design is deliberately imposing, answering industry needs for site anonymity when required. This cost-effective, high-security booth is perfectly suited to meet stringent, site-specific agency requirements for use in sensitive areas. Security experts recommend limiting entry points – controlling building access by establishing one primary entrance. Thus, the ‘Data Sentinel’ is designed to thwart breeches and play an integral role in a variety of perimeter-hardening strategies.

Guard booths are a first line of defense for commercial and military data centers, co-locations, and sensitive commercial sites. Security personnel need facilities that allow them to function effectively in varying climatic conditions, while giving them a physical advantage over potential threats. The ‘Data Sentinel’ is the newest example of data center guard booths in a range crafted by B.I.G. These custom designs have ADA accessible restroom areas, architectural finishes, and energy compliant construction to meet strict building department codes.

The booth is fabricated from the best materials, incorporates correctly-sized HVAC systems for energy efficient climate management, and is configuration-friendly to accommodate monitors, motion detectors, duress buttons, weapons storage areas, and communication and surveillance equipment. B.I.G.’s Blast and Bullet Resistant booth materials have been tested by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), H.P. White and/or the Underwriters Laboratory (UL). The ready-to-use booths can be built from Level 1 up to NIJ-IV and 50 calibers Armor piercing. B.I.G. also offers a Blast Resistant certification, a first in the industry. Special features such as continuous stainless steel hinges on blast resistant doors enable them to support the armored weight and ensure easy handling without failure.

“The current wave of data center construction necessitates a wide-range of cost-effective and innovative security booths. We are pleased to add the ‘Data Sentinel’ to our arsenal of tough, prefabricated, site-ready designs. Our guard shelters meet the exacting demands of regulatory agencies, security directors, and facilities managers.” said Vice President David King.

About B.I.G. Enterprises:

Extreme Perimeter Protection

The 22-Ton ‘Xtreme Facility Protector’ Booth has it all

Selecting a guard booth to enhance perimeter security is a serious commitment. B.I.G.’s newest blast, and bullet-resistant prefabricated model boasts superior fit and finish, and the utmost in protection.

Los Angeles, CA – The Xtreme Facility Protector booth model from B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. (www.bigbooth.com) is 45,000 pounds of extreme protection, with loads of interior and exterior customization potential.

At 120 square feet, The Xtreme Facility Protector is built to MIL-A-12560H, UFC 3-340-01, and UFC 3-340-02 specifications. This booth is the top defender made today. The booth delivers the highest level of ballistic and blast-resistance available in the industry, allowing security personnel to remain effective in the midst of the most extreme emergency situation.

In addition, when properly installed, the unit is capable of withstanding a direct hit from an F5 tornado. While this level of protection may seem extreme for some applications, it serves as an example of B.I.G.’s commitment to building guard booths that can meet any challenge. Sensitive installations of all descriptions, including data storage centers, nuclear installations, and military complexes can benefit from The Xtreme Facility Protector’s defensive capabilities.

It’s no wonder myriad government, energy, and business entities look to B.I.G. to enhance their perimeter protection strategies. Many are being proactive because guard booths are a first line of defense. Security personnel need facilities that allow them to function effectively while under duress, giving them a physical advantage over potential threats. These security structures must be configuration-friendly, fabricated from the best materials, and constructed to adapt to a wide-variety of climatic conditions and site applications.

The Xtreme Facility Protector booths are designed to incorporate a variety of security choices and creature comforts. Options include: sliding gun ports with quick-release locks, ballistic window visors, and can accommodate the extensive electrical infrastructure needed to support security, communications, and surveillance equipment.

Pre-wiring makes installation a snap. Personnel benefit from ergonomically correct fixtures and fittings, a ductless, split-system HVAC, full insulation package, and energy-saving LED lighting.

Unique to B.I.G. booths is the prep and painting system, which is completed prior to shipping. Since the booth must function in a variety of harsh climatic conditions, The Xtreme Facility Protector is acid-etched via a high-pressure wash technique, primed with a two-part epoxy, and finished off with a high-solids polyurethane paint that is impact, fade, and chemical resistant.

The units are site-ready, and delivered in one piece, lifted into place by crane. The booths are essentially ‘plug and play’ and no detail has been spared to ensure a no-hitches installation experience. This approach can add up to significant savings for customers while providing the highest levels of perimeter-hardening security.

“Many companies make ‘booths’, but when developers, architects, and contractors require fully-detailed, superior booths with bullet-proof design and construction, they turn to B.I.G. Enterprises. If you need a 45,000—or a 5,000 pound booth—or anything in between, we will deliver your unit on-time, and within budget.”

– Vice President David King

About B.I.G. Enterprises:

For over 50 years, engineers and decision-makers from hundreds of transportation, chemical, agricultural, manufacturing, university, and corporate facilities have trusted B.I.G. Enterprises to produce exceptional products and designs to meet the exacting requirements of today’s corporate and industrial security environment. For more information, visit: www.bigbooth.com.

B.I.G. Site-Ready Shelters Prove That Pre-Fab is Anything But Drab

New custom-fabricated guard booth, The Parallelogram, preserves technologically relevant design without breaking the bank.

Los Angeles, CA – Aerospace Corporation has provided independent technical and scientific research, development, and advisory services to national security space programs since 1960. When they required new guard shelters for their Chantilly, Virginia facility, Aerospace entrusted B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. with the fabrication.

It was vital that the cutting-edge booth design would fulfill three objectives: reflect the organization’s mission, highlight the technological expertise of the corporate workforce, and exemplify their shared values. But when estimates for a site-built booth proved prohibitively high, B.I.G. Enterprises was able to deliver a pre-fabricated version, one that preserved all of the original design elements, at less than half the cost of site-built.

Pre-fabricated guard booths provide a tough, user-friendly alternative to site-built booths and shelters without sacrificing architectural integrity or quality of manufacture. B.I.G.’s highly-experienced fabrication crews are specialists at bringing the visions of architects and designers to life.

B.I.G.’s new model – The Parallelogram – is now ready for your application. It is fabricated from welded, Type 304 corrosion-resistant stainless steel framing, with an expected life span of 30-40 years. The wall panels and roof are constructed from Type 304 16-gauge stainless steel, and the roof is finished with a three-part, Energy Star-compliant membrane boasting a solar reflective index of 95-plus. The booth’s stainless steel floor sports hard-wearing commercial rubber tile. The doors are top-hung sliding, with stainless steel frame, utilizing eight 2 1\4” diameter rugged steel ball bearing rollers. A stainless steel lower guide, and welded stainless steel pull handles complete the door system. Windows are high-performance, insulated Viracon® 3\4” dual-pane, set within a tough, stainless steel frame.

To top it off, the unit is delivered with the entire electrical package ready to go, complete with conduits and J-Boxes for data communications, security systems, and surveillance cameras.

The HVAC is a two-ton ductless, split system with the interior unit recessed within an acoustical tile grid. All shelving is constructed using Type 304 stainless steel with a # 4 finish. The unit is coated with a two-part epoxy primer, and finished with custom-color metallic silver polyurethane.

B.I.G.’s inaugural model – The Parallelogram – was delivered to the site in one plug-and-play package; the booth was simply off-loaded from the delivery truck, set on the prepared concrete pad, and connected to existing site-fed electrical.

“We were delighted to have been chosen by The Aerospace Corporation to craft such a challenging and innovative booth. The complex designs we’ve fabricated make designers and architects take note, causing them to re-evaluate their attitudes toward modular construction. The Parallelogram is one model that truly showcases the capabilities of prefabricated construction.” said Vice President David King.

B.I.G. designs are infinitely customizable; they’re tough, innovative, and enduring. They are aesthetically pleasing, and significantly sound. They provide a platform for creativity, security, and maximum flexibility.

About B.I.G. Enterprises:

Since 1963, B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. of California has engineered and manufactured a comprehensive line of high quality, high-end, prefabricated security and revenue control booths. Their state-of-the-art selection of pre-assembled buildings includes guardhouses, cashier booths, portable shelters, and a variety of custom-made kiosks.

Fresh B.I.G. Ticket Booth Design Sails into Bay Area

Innovative ticket booth fabricated for San Francisco Bay cruise destination is exceptionally suited for harsh marine environment

Los Angeles, CA – May 24, 2012 – Working with marina designers and architects, B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. (www.bigbooth.com) introduced The Hornblower, a B.I.G custom-fabricated design. Passengers queued up for cruise tickets at this top tourist destination are welcomed by the charming, tri-color booth that embodies Bay area style, and signifies a gateway to adventure.

But the design-savvy exterior incorporates specialized components such as integrated roll-down shutters, high-quality transaction windows, and a multi-step exterior finish that makes the booth uncommonly well-matched for punishing climates. B.I.G. fabricators are experts in the manufacture of security shelters and revenue control booths for extreme environments, and they’re known for their design flexibility.

The Hornblower is built tough to sustain constant use and withstand San Francisco Bay weather conditions, where rain, fog, and salt spray can exact a toll on waterfront structures. The ticket booth is weather tight, and features B.I.G’s proprietary paint system: a unique surface prep process, a two-part epoxy primer, and custom-color, two-component polyurethane coating. The superior finish resists chemicals, impact, abrasion, and fading from UV exposure. The attractive standing seam roof incorporates a heat protective membrane.

The Hornblower comes complete with a high-output commercial HVAC, storage units, stainless steel shelves, and full wiring for security cameras, and data/communications electronics. B.I.G. designs are ADA compliant.

Like all B.I.G. booths, The Hornblower is delivered fully prefabricated and ready for installation. Originally intended to serve as a ticket booth, The Hornblower can be modified to serve any number of facilities or applications.

About B.I.G. Enterprises:

Since 1963, B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. of California has engineered and manufactured a comprehensive line of high quality, high-end, prefabricated security and revenue control booths. Their state-of-the-art selection of pre-assembled buildings include: guardhouses, cashier booths, portable shelters, and a variety of custom-made kiosks.

Phoenix School Enhances Campus Security & Saves Money w/ Prefab Booths

With security concerns on the rise at urban and rural schools, along with increasing budget constraints, some school administrators have turned to prefab ticket and guard booths to achieve campus security on a shoestring. Mobile booths help them achieve a welcoming atmosphere that instills confidence in the student body and visitors, a secure facility for admissions receipts and concession sales, a safe and secure working environment for employees, as well as crime prevention through deterrence.

Los Angeles, CA. – June 14, 2010 – Guard booths strategically placed on campuses have created an atmosphere that instills confidence in personal safety for the student body, and the guard booths designed by B.I.G. Enterprises (www.bigbooth.com), serve as an interface for visitors while providing necessary campus security.

At a time when educational budgets in both the state and local school districts are stretched to the limit and with school shootings and gang violence on the rise in both urban and rural communities across the nation, school administrators are taking preventive measures and getting creative when it comes to campus security.

Marty Hoeffel, Principal of Alhambra High School in Phoenix, Arizona, worked for five years to find a solution for his school’s overall security and event management dilemmas. Their guard booth that checked in visitors to the parking lot during home games was more like a Navajo sweat lodge in the hot afternoon sun on game days. Their ticket booth that had to secure admission receipts and concession sales at major sporting events was secured with a hook-and-eye latch.

“On an interpersonal level, it is tough to always be nice when it is 110º in the booth,” Hoeffel said. “You are stranded for a four-hour shift on small a concrete island in sea of asphalt. Now our employees have a better working environment and as a result, are more pleasant. Not only are they our first line of defense, but they are also providing our guests with their first experience of hospitality and safety. This helps them do their jobs.”

The booths are equipped with electrical systems, including provisions for data, communication and security camera systems, stainless steel shelves, and a high output commercial HVAC. Thus booths contribute to the safety and well being of the staff as well. The booths are also flexible in that they can be moved should the need arise.

A further benefit of well-defined publicly accessible guard booths is that of crime prevention through deterrence. “These booths allow us to put on a public face,” said one recent manager. “In addition to public information, I believe that our human presence in the booth serves as a deterrent to would-be criminals—who might otherwise be scoping out our parking lot and thinking bad thoughts about what they might do there if they knew they were not being watched.”

Protecting the Source: B.I.G. Security Shelters Guard NYC Water Supply

New security booth installations secure the Delaware Aqueduct watershed. The custom designed and fabricated booths boast superior materials, and bullet-resistant construction.

Los Angeles, CA – March 16, 2012 – The New York City Department of Environmental Protection recently commissioned B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc.(www.bigbooth.com) to design and fabricate a number of bullet resistant stainless steel guard booths to secure a number of strategic areas along the vital Delaware Aqueduct, an 85-mile system that supplies safe drinking water to more than eight million people in New York City, and to approximately one million customers in surrounding counties.

The result is a new model called ‘The Water Protector.’ This high-security custom booth is perfectly suited to withstand harsh environmental conditions, and meets stringent, site-specific agency requirements for use in sensitive areas. The tough stainless steel construction and attractive stainless steel standing seam roof design means that this compact and practical shelter is easy on the eyes while maintaining a low-profile. The ‘Water Protector’ will help to ensure that this critical component of NYC’s utility infrastructure is safeguarded from potential threats.

“We are pleased to add the ‘Water Protector’ to our fabrication arsenal. Our guard shelters meet the exacting demands of regulatory agencies, security directors, and facilities managers.” said Vice President David King.

Guard booths are a first line of defense. Security personnel need facilities that allow them to function effectively in varying climatic conditions, while giving them a physical advantage over potential threats. These security structures and control centers must be fabricated from the best materials, incorporate correctly-sized HVAC systems for adequate climate management and be configuration-friendly, as they must house monitors, duress buttons, communication and surveillance equipment.

B.I.G.’s Blast and Bullet Resistant booth materials have been tested by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), H.P. White and/or the Underwriters Laboratory (UL). The ready-to-use booths can be built from Level 1, up to NIJ-IV, and 50 caliber armor- piercing, (Level 10) B.I.G. also offers a Blast Resistant certification, a first in the industry. Special features such as continuous stainless steel hinges on blast resistant doors enable them to support the armored weight and ensure easy handling without failure.

State-of-the-art blast resistant booths are designed to withstand the highest threat levels, enabling security personnel inside to respond and initiate emergency procedures, saving lives and property.

About B.I.G. Enterprises:

Since 1963, B.I.G. Enterprises, Inc. of California has engineered and manufactured a comprehensive line of high quality, high-end, prefabricated security and revenue control booths. Their state-of-the-art selection of pre-assembled buildings include: guardhouses, cashier booths, portable shelters, and a variety of custom-made kiosks.