The Bureau of Reclamation awarded the security contract to IPS in July 2004.

"The mission was to provide counter-terrorist protection in a remote location lacking access to electrical power," said IPS CEO Ronald E. Scherer.

"Our solar-powered Model 400 barriers, combined with a custom monitoring system that permits authorized personnel to monitor the status of the barriers in real-time, created an ideal perimeter security system for this unmanned location."

Designed to stop a 30,000-pound vehicle traveling at 50 mph, the retractable steel posts (also called bollards) are installed underground in sets of three or four, with the top of each post flush with the roadway.

At the push of a button, the swipe of an access card, or a signal from a radio controller or satellite, the 1,400-pound bollards spring upright, reaching their full height of 36 inches in 6 seconds or less.

Each bollard has self-contained hydraulic pumps and integrated battery backup, increasing its tamper resistance. A fully redundant design with no single point of failure ensures that the system works even if one barrier fails.

"The ability to operate from solar power represents a distinct advance in vehicle barrier technology," Scherer said. "From desert locations to mountainous areas, we are taking orders for anti-terrorist vehicle barriers in places that couldn't be adequately protected prior to the introduction of our products."

IPS has had a number of other major installations and orders over the past 6 months, allowing the company to expand its manufacturing facilities in Battle Creek, Michigan. IPS systems currently protect major utility, government and corporate facilities around the U.S.

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