New Locking Product by Willo Hits the Correctional Market

By Lindsey Coulter

DECATUR, Ala. — Willo Products Company LLC recently launched the Wedge Slim™, an advanced swinging-door locking system designed to be specified and installed into new jail and prison builds. A longtime leader in the design, engineering, and sale of detention locking systems, the company is active in the renovation and retrofit space but is increasingly being specified in new projects as well.

According to Russell Roberts, Willo president, the Wedge Slim gives architects, engineers, and facility owners the opportunity to include the reliable and tamper-resistant features of the Wedge upfront, at the time of construction.

“The Wedge product family has earned a strong reputation for addressing serious safety and security issues in retrofit applications,” Roberts said. “With the Wedge Slim, we’re building on that proven history and empowering facility owners with the ability to bring that level of protection into the design of new jails and prisons.”

Jamie Britnell, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Willo, explained that the Wedge Slim is tailored to fit within standard wide-jamb hollow-metal lock pockets, offering a semi-recessed, slim-profile design that combats common cell-door lock defeat methods. Along with the patented and patent-pending tamper-resistant features, the product includes a maximum-security lock, an integrated door-position switch (DPS), and compatibility with industry-standard door control systems.

Willo developed the Wedge Slim based on consistent feedback from a surprising source: staff members working within brand-new facilities. According to Britnell, the Wedge Slim answers a critical need in an industry where residents continue to exploit frame-mounted locks, exposing officers, staff, and other inmates to unnecessary risk and damaging the lock infrastructure. With the Wedge Slim, Willo aims to help facility owners maximize security, reduce maintenance costs, minimize disruptions, and improve staff morale by improving safety.

“We started hearing stories from maintenance teams that just weeks after occupying a new facility, residents were already defeating the locks,” Britnell said, explaining that the Wedge Slim is engineered to bolt directly into the industry-standard lock prep in wide-jamb hollow-metal frames, making it easy to improve safety and security in new correctional center projects.

“We’ve taken everything that made the original Wedge a success in renovation projects and reshaped it for new construction,” added Eric Goodman, vice president of Business Development at Willo. “The Wedge Slim integrates into the existing designs of most hollow-metal frame manufacturers, while bringing enhanced security to modern detention environments.”

This confidence comes from working closely with clients to understand the routine abuse and manipulation many doors and locks are subjected to, and once installation has completed, then hearing how the environment has improved, resulting in a noticeable relief and feeling of security within the facility. Britnell noted that ensuring lock reliability offers peace of mind for staff members as well as inmates, creating an environment of confidence and security across the board.

“Our success is evident if we’ve solved the customer’s problem,” Britnell said. “Real-world testing really matters to us. The feedback from [these clients] has been that the Wedge Slim withstood the abuse.”

“Since Willo has historically been focused on the renovation and retrofit space, the new semi-recessed design is uniquely suited for new construction, so we’re trying to get to the word out to architects and engineers,” said Britnell. “They can be specified from the beginning to improve tamper resistance and long-term performance.”

The Wedge Slim joins an expanded Wedge portfolio that includes the original Wedge and the Wedge SurfaceMax. This expanded portfolio allows detention facilities, architects, and engineers to select the right locking system based on the project phase and existing infrastructure. Watch for more product announcements later this year.