The dignity of the profession

Talking with Ángel Sanz, President of the Union of Spanish Locksmiths (UCE), clear us message: the regulation of the sector for a more effective fight against the so-called 'pirates Locksmiths' is essential. For this reason the main associations of Locksmiths (Apecs, Asmace, November, group locksmith and group Vicuña) joined in February 2009 as indicated in your web page "with the main objective of develop the work aimed to establish the procedures for the business and professional self-regulation in the sector of the locksmith companies of Locksmiths of security and safety".

After the first months of associated labour, UCE has already had contacts with the Administration to achieve that end. Ángel Sanz tells us that talks have begun with the ministries of the Interior and industry, but the talks are still in its infancy. Palace things go slowly, and in addition, this has always been a market devoid of regulation. This has caused that the so-called Locksmiths 'pirate' will slip in a market that already had very prepared professionals and who are able to (the fraudulent Locksmiths) predatory pricing to customers of up to 400 euros or burst prices gaining only 20.

"Both are bad," he claimed Ángel Sanz, that the usual price of a door opening around between 50 and 60 euros. "Obviously the price may vary depending on the door and lock, but it is highly unlikely to reach the 400 euros". These 'hackers' are who have given a bad name to the profession, which, although it is dependent on each company, emergency services should not have an extra supplement for expensive service. It is not common among professionals charge for the time taken to perform the opening, so wary of those who take more than 20 minutes to open a door to then charge a surcharge of 30 or 40 euros.

But how to know if the locksmith who we have called is not 'pirate'? The most obvious is to visit the website of the UCE (www.grupocerrajero.com), where all the Locksmiths that are announced there are professional members of the Association, which is already a guarantee. But if we stay in the landing and without a computer, how to distinguish them? The President of the UCE told us: a professional locksmith should check where the customer is the owner of the flat with the DNI or talk with neighbors, or, in the event of a suspicious situation, consult the police or the Civil Guard. These do not seem to the procedures that would make a 'pirate' locksmith right?. Because the intention of UCE is that they are normal procedures in his profession, that the lack of regulation, is not yet as well. And it is not the only measure that espouse, to further ensure its professionalism, the Association will ask administration that is essential to a certificate of criminal of the workers. This would avoid that those people with a criminal record for theft, thefts or subtractions can be employed as Locksmiths.

And although they are only working a few months together, representatives of the UCE are happy with the work done, 4,500 professionals, 400 already have been associated with the Group and more than 1,500 have been included in a list of reliable Locksmiths. He has also been a recognition of the profession, "now at least we known" acknowledging Ángel Sanz, "thanks to stories as did us news Telecinco" section reporters (http://www.telecinco.es/informativos/reporteros/noticia/100009906/Tu+casa+esta+en+tus+manos). And it is true that the first step to be recognized is, though it may seem obvious, be known. This report and the work done every day by UCE approaching the Association to that goal to be known.

The dignity of a profession is essential and more if you have a great social responsibility as the open the door to the home for those who, for the reason that is, remain outside. "This dignity - said us Ángel Sanz - help us to achieve a necessary regulation in order to fight and differentiate us from the Locksmiths are not reliable". And it is true that there have been cases where false Locksmiths have exploited to steal in households that have opened previously, while the owner was not at home.

But we can not pass a key in the security business is innovation. Thanks to investment in r & d, day to day are new systems to improve the protection in our homes. In this sense, every improvement provides a better quality of life that is essential in these times. If we talk about child safety, there are many systems that protect our children from suffering accidents with water or electricity (for example what child did not want put fingers in the plug?). That's why companies like Bomboy road Dispositius is dedicated to the security at home and in public day-care centres and nursery schools. To avoid that children or older suffer the painful sensation of pinch fingers with a door, Marcel·lí Bombuy invented and patented ten years ago the so-called Antipinzadedos system.

This system provides total protection of rubber around the contour of the door, including the bottom and the hinges, managing to protect from possible hits, as well as being an effective insulation of cold and heat. It is therefore a product of excellent quality, not because I write, but because it has been approved by the EEC and has been awarded and recognized with the silver medal of the twenty-seventh International des Inventions in Geneva (in 1999), the gold medal at the Salon of inventors Eureka 2001 in Brussels. In addition, Bombuy road Dispositius took the silver medal in 'Construction', the Gold category in category 'Children and child assistance' and it was awarded as the best European invention, the three awards at the Salon of inventors Inpex 2002 of Pittsburg (USA).

In this way, we can think that this type of child protection systems are essential in children's hospitals, medical, geriatric, psychiatric centres, private homes and in all those places where there is a high risk of suffering such accidents.

But marketing has not been easy. Inventing and patenting is expensive, requires much time and much effort. The paperwork that is necessary to legalize a patent for an innovative product is more than significant and often inventions are copied, slightly modified and patented by more powerful companies that can afford long litigation while they are doing business. It is for this reason that this modest company of Canet de Mar is no question for the time present new products, but as Marcel·lí Bombuy commented, "we were planning new safety systems for vehicles, but it is not the time to embark on a company of such caliber".