Kwikset Offer First Electronic Access Control Solution for Multifamily Locations

Introduction of UNITE™ Signals Major Push Into Multifamily Housing Sector; Product Will Bring Myriad Benefits to Property Owners and Managers

  • Apr 05, 2023

Kwikset® brand of Spectrum Brands, Inc. – Hardware & Home Improvement Division, the leader in residential security, introduced its first-ever electronic access control (EAC) solution to the Multifamily market at ISC West 2023.

UNITE™ will give property managers and owners in the Multifamily sector a number of noteworthy benefits. Besides providing a more effective way to manage their properties, it will reduce key management time and costs while increasing profits. What’s more, it allows for increased occupancy, retention, and rental rates, as renters and owners of Multifamily units are demanding that their apartments offer more technology to enhance their living experience; therefore, locks using Bluetooth technology and RFID are in exceptionally high demand.

Kwikset’s entry into the electronic side of the Multifamily housing market is being catalyzed by three key factors:

  • The company has extensive experience in the Multifamily housing market via its mechanical lock business. Consequently, Kwikset is familiar with the specific needs, objectives, and pain points of this unique sector.
  • Kwikset also boasts a great deal of expertise with electronic locking solutions, as evidenced by its overwhelming share of the single-family residential market.
  • The company has long been a well-known and respected entity in the residential security space, having been recognized as the top selling U.S. lock brand since 2006.

While Multifamily property managers and owners will comprise the primary audience for UNITE, secondary sales channels include builders and developers, hardware dealers, wholesale distributors, general contractors, LV systems integrators, and third-party software providers. Clearly, UNITE will be a product that holds benefits for a wide variety of audiences in the Multifamily sector.

There are numerous properties for which UNITE is a solid fit. Both Class A High Rise Urban and Class B Garden Style Suburban properties will be critical targets for the new unit entry smart lock. What’s more, there is ample opportunity in both the new and retrofit markets. In fact, both property types represent meaningful potential in new construction and retrofit.

According to Sean Artz, Kwikset’s Senior Business Development Manager – Multifamily EAC, the introduction of UNITE comes at a perfect time.

“Both renters and owners are looking for greater levels of convenience and efficiency in their living situations, with security being a foundational need,” he said. “With UNITE, they will be getting just that.

“At the same time, property owners and managers need security systems that not only provide better access control and are simple to use but can seamlessly integrate with existing property management systems. UNITE will do all that – and more.”

Kwikset partner companies like DHI Communities, AMLI, Crescent Communities, and Woodfield have effectively helped to develop the UNITE platform. These firms worked alongside Kwikset throughout the entire development cycle, providing valuable input which include:

  • Feedback on existing platforms, pros and cons.
  • What they would like to see in a new solution.
  • On-going input on design considerations.
  • Future involvement in beta testing.

The UNITE platform is expected to be available by third quarter of 2023. It will be sold through pro channel distributors and dealers.

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.