Security lock distributors carry a number of different kinds of locks for the many potential hazards common to the shipping industry. At any place along the supply chain, theft is possible . . . and the more vulnerable the target, the more likely it is to be stolen. Competent security lock distributors should address each security threat and which locking system best protects against it.

Security Lock Distributors Carry Just About Everything

For every potential weak link in the supply chain is a tool to strengthen that link. For example, an exposed king pin on an unattended trailer may invite a thief to use a truck's fifth wheel to move--that is, steal--the trailer. The solution: a king pin lock, available from most security lock distributors. (Getting underneath the trailer to attach the king pin lock is a little dangerous and very dirty, but well worth the effort if it saves an entire trailer's theft.)

Another way to steal a trailer is to access its brake system. By accessing a trailer's "glad hands" and getting into the air brake line, a thief could release the brakes of the trailer, and tow it somewhere else. Ask your security lock carrier for a glad hands lock to prevent this. They are much easier to install than a king pin lock, and just as effective.

Other locks that secure trailer handles or trailer doors deter criminals from removing the handle or trying to pry open locked doors. While traditional mechanical locks are still widely used, newer electronic locks are also available. They cannot be duplicated and retain digital information on who opened which locks, when, and for how long.