Blog | Willo Products

In the News: The Wedge Lock Retrofit Part of Solution for System in Turmoil

Written by Willo Products on April 4, 2023.

According to an article first published in The State, county officials and jail administrators in Richland County, S.C. have taken decisive action to improve security at Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, including a $2.5 million jail lock retrofit to install The Willo Wedge. The jail faces the same problems as many facilities across the country, including chronic understaffing and persistent security issues, with the state Department of Corrections demanding a strategy for remedial action by...

A photo of Willo Products Company, circa 1950.

The Proud Legacy & Bright Future of Willo Products Company

Written by Willo Products on March 16, 2023.

When Melvin Ozier founded Willo Products Company in 1945, he dreamed of a business that would stand the test of time. Based in Decatur, Alabama, he took his skills as a draftsman and put them to use in the country’s booming steel industry. He had worked as a draftsman at Decatur Iron and Steel Company (DISCO), working on tanks and testing military ships in the nearby Tennessee River. Together with business partner Bobby Wilson, the two founded a new company and used a combination of their...

fulton county jail using the wedge locks

Fulton County turns to Willo Products & The Wedge to solve lock issue at the center of federal oversight, assaults, & lawsuits

Written by Willo Products on January 19, 2023.

For years, Fulton County officials worked to improve conditions at the county’s jail to comply with a federal consent order. But one last major renovation was required by the order – the replacement of more than 1,300 cell door locks. Because of the facility’s age, parts were no longer available to fix the old locks. Many were broken and others could be easily be popped opened by inmates. Incidents on record included repeated inmate-on-inmate violence and multiple attacks on jail staff. Fulton’s...

The Wedge: Willo’s Impact Test Certified Surface-Mounted Lock Pocket

Written by Willo Products on December 2, 2022.

You’ve hired the best corrections officers, trained them well, and trusted them to run your jail with integrity. But that might not be enough. Even with the best security personnel in place, inmates may still find a way to tamper with outdated locks. Inmates jam cloth, paper, cardboard, and even plastic silverware into locks to manipulate the bolt mechanisms and escape. One of the biggest problems with outdated locks is that inmates share historical information with each other about the...

6 Expert Tips to Improve Jail Safety & Security

Written by Willo Products on November 8, 2022.

Even with the proper equipment in place, a jail still needs some fundamental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to achieve optimal security and jail safety. While funding, staffing, and equipment obviously matter for the ultimate security of your facility, you can implement some simple safety measures to ensure the highest security possible with your current resources. Here are Willo’s 6 expert tips on how to improve your jail’s safety and security. 1 – Daily Cell Checks for...

Don’t Take Security for Granted

Written by Willo Products on April 12, 2022.

In a world where we spend our lives surrounded by things built for ease of use, it is easy to mistake how simple a device is to use with how simple or complex the device actually is. All too often, the level of detail that goes into making a device, and especially the level of care needed to keep it operating reliably, is overlooked because its day-to-day use doesn’t require much thought. As we take these details for granted, wear and tear can cause minor issues, and if ignored long enough, those...