Kwikset — a brand of Assa Abloy Americas Residential Division – has launched its first electronic access control (EAC) solution, UNITE, tailored to the multifamily market.

UNITE aims to provide multifamily property managers and owners with significant advantages. The electronic solution simplifies property management, reduces the time and costs associated with key management, and potentially increases profits. Moreover, it meets the increasing demand from renters and owners for more technologically advanced living experiences by incorporating features like Bluetooth technology and RFID, which are highly sought after in today's market.

“We recognize the unique challenges that property managers and developers face in the multifamily market, which is why we're excited to introduce UNITE — an electronic access control ecosystem that streamlines security and management for an enhanced on-site living and working experience,” said Eric Harnischfeger, senior product manager, Kwikset.

Kwikset said the foray into the multifamily housing market's electronic sector is spurred by the company's established presence in the multifamily housing market through its mechanical lock business, granting it insight into the specific needs and challenges of the sector, as well as its proven track record with electronic locking solutions, dominating the single-family residential market.

While UNITE is designed primarily for multifamily property managers and owners, it also caters to secondary markets, including builders, developers, hardware dealers, wholesale distributors, general contractors, LV systems integrators, and third-party software providers, highlighting its wide-reaching benefits within the multifamily sector.

“UNITE is not just an advancement in lock technology,” said Harnischfeger. “It's a cloud-based solution that integrates a web portal and mobile app, transforming it into an intuitive security tool that adapts to the roles and requirements of various users, from property managers to residents, without compromising on safety or ease of use. By prioritizing dynamic software and a customer-focused model, we're offering a sophisticated yet user-friendly system that surpasses our competitors, providing real-time updates and a proprietary secure channel for longer battery life and better performance, even in emergency situations.”

UNITE is particularly suited to various property types, including Class A high-rise urban and Class B garden-style suburban properties, according to the announcement. Both new construction and retrofit markets present substantial opportunities for the new smart lock unit.