Uncategorized Archives - Willo Products

Quick Survey: Share Your Insights for a Chance to Win Prizes!

Written by Willo Products on April 4, 2024.

At Willo Products, we’re committed to driving innovation and progress within the corrections industry. But we can’t do it alone. That’s why we need your help! Why Your Voice Matters Your insights and experiences are invaluable in shaping the future of our products and services. By sharing your thoughts, challenges, and suggestions, you’re not just helping us improve – you’re contributing to the advancement of the entire corrections sector. Introducing Our...

Beyond Bricks & Mortar: Prioritizing Safety & Security over ‘Lowest Bid’ in Correctional Facilities

Written by Willo Products on March 19, 2024.

In the correctional facility landscape, physical safety for staff and residents is becoming more difficult with high vacancy rates and aging infrastructure. News headlines highlight the numerous events where violence has occurred inside detention facilities. Many times, the staffing and security conditions within facilities result in conditions where acts of violence occur, involving both staff and the incarcerated. The failure of locks on the cell door is often a culprit. Besides...

Is your detention door hardware as safe as you think it is? The truth about low, medium, and high security detention doors and locks

Written by Willo Products on February 1, 2024.

As new security innovations emerge and testing standards are updated, it can be challenging to evaluate the current security level of detention hardware in a given facility.

Control room with console and computer screens

Future-Proofing Aging Correctional Facilities: Revitalizing Security with The Wedge Retrofit

Written by Willo Products on August 15, 2023.

Future-proofing aging prisons is essential to ensure their continued functionality and adaptability. As jail administrators and maintenance supervisors navigate the challenges of maintaining safety and security within aging correctional facilities, any solution adopted has to both address present security needs and also ensure long-term effectiveness. The Wedge retrofit for swinging doors offers an exceptional approach to future-proofing security in aging prisons, creating a safer environment...

The Human Costs of Old, Broken, and Faulty Jail Cell Door Locks

Written by Willo Products on July 18, 2023.

When considering jail cell door upgrades, it is crucial to understand the human costs associated with old, broken, and faulty locks.

The hidden costs of old, broken, & faulty jail cell door locks

Written by Willo Products on June 20, 2023.

When considering jail cell door upgrades, it is essential to evaluate both the monetary costs of maintaining old or broken locking mechanisms and the hidden costs.

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...