20 Years Ago
The January 1991 Locksmith Ledger cover theme was “Focus On Electronic Security.” Stephen Little at Ilco Unican asked, “How does the locksmith fit into the ever-changing world of electronic products?” Robert R. MacDonald wrote about Exit Alarms and Emergency Exit hardware. Billy B. Edwards Jr. reported on programming the Yale Touchcode, one of the earlier standalone electronic locks. Programming the CardAccess 25 from Continental Instruments was the subject of a T.C. Mickley article. Sargent & Greenleaf’s new High Security Exit Device was also reviewed. Jerry Levine reported on the KE-260 single-door access control system.
10 Years Ago
Like our current issue, the January 2001 cover focus was on “High Security.” Wade Landrum contributed an article on the Marks USA i-Que and Jerry Levine wrote about the Corbin Russwin Pyramid high security cylinder. Still patented, Jerry address the Corbin Russwin Pyramid in this issue as well as part of his article on Key Control and Restricted and Patented Keyways. Ken Cook gave tips on faster, more accurate door closer installations, and Dick Zunkel also provided a course on door closers. Tom Walls listed the Seven Deadly Sins of exit device installation. Additional topics included A History of Ingersoll Rand and automotive stories on servicing the 1988 Honda Accord and opening a 2001 Ford Sport Trac.
Maffey’s Security Group: 100 Years with the Right Combination
One hundred years ago Charles Maffey Sr. discovered the “key” to business success – honesty, integrity and personal service. The founder of a grinding business in 1910 who would soon become a locksmith created a combination that still serves as the keystone of Maffey’s Security Group as the company celebrates its 100th anniversary and four generations of service.
“Honesty and integrity are the hallmark of the Maffey family, combined with treating our customers as partners,” said Ed Maffey, who with his brother Andy oversees the business started by their grandfather. “We have an impeccable reputation for quality and integrity which is vital in a field that revolves around security.”
Maffey’s provides a full menu of locksmith and security services comprising: locks and security devices for homes, businesses and public facilities; safes; automobile locks and keys; and electronic security systems, including alarm, intercom and access control systems and surveillance solutions.
As the world has changed over 10 decades, Maffey’s has maintained pace with technology and customer demands. While in the 1980s Maffey’s did little electronics work, today those demands account for 60-70 percent of the company’s business.
“The business has changed dramatically in the last 10 to 15 years, especially regarding electronics,” Ed Maffey said. “Everything is IP (Internet Protocol) addressable and integrated.
“First customers said, ‘I’d like to be able to open that door remotely.’ So we installed an electric strike. Then they said, ‘I’d like to speak with the visitor first, so we put in an intercom. Then they wanted to see the person so we installed a camera. Now they can remotely see, hear and speak with a person anywhere in the world and remotely open the door right from their desktop.”
To remain current with evolving technologies, Maffey’s is committed to continuing education. In addition, the company holds licenses for locksmith and access control/burglary alarm installation and servicing, as required by New Jersey law since 2007.
“It legitimizes the business,” Maffey said. “For all those years you could have no credentials and background checks and advertise that you were a locksmith.”
Trust, however, has never been a factor for Maffey’s. The four-generation company enjoys several multi-generational relationships with customers, such as Trinitas Hospital and the city of Elizabeth, and serves as a reliable partner for such entities as NJ TRANSIT and Port Authority of New York/New Jersey.
“My late mom, Evelyn, and my 89-years-young dad, Charles Maffey Jr., instilled these values in our minds by example throughout our lives and their careers at Maffey’s,” Ed Maffey said. “It means a lot that we’ve been in business 100 years. Not too many companies can make that statement.”
Maffey’s Security Group can be reached at 908.351.1172 and visited at www.maffeys.com.
