SMARTair and CLIQ Enhance Security at the Almería Stadium
A hybrid smart key and mobile solution enhances security, flexibility, and operational efficiency
Project: U.D. Almería Stadium (UD Almería | Official Website )
Location: Almería
Sector: Sports
Year of installation: 2025
Access technology: SMARTair Openow mobile keys, eCLIQ programmable smart keys, and RFID cards
SMARTair devices installed: 50 SMARTair i-max electronic door handles and, for glass doors, electronic knob cylinders, as well as integrated SMARTair wall-mounted readers for office turnstiles; 37 eCLIQ cylinders, 40 eCLIQ keys, 2 CLIQ Wall PD units, and eCLIQ padlocks for exterior doors and outdoor tool cabinets
Download the success story
Managing SMARTair and eCLIQ doors within a single system using the TS1000 has greatly simplified our work.
Ignacio Martín-Calpena Miranda, Director of Facilities and Infrastructure, UD Almería
Challenge
Challenge
To improve security at its 18,000-seat stadium, the Spanish soccer club UD Almería wanted to transition from traditional mechanical locks to digital access control. However, stadiums feature a wide variety of door types, so they needed a solution capable of adapting to these diverse needs while offering centralized management through a single, intuitive software interface. Ease of installation within the stadium’s existing infrastructure and the ability to equip high-traffic doors were also key considerations.
Key requirements:
- A single system with the versatility to equip a wide range of access points with appropriate digital locks
- An easily scalable solution that simplifies the management of multiple user profiles, both now and in the future
- Reliable and durable devices with low maintenance requirements that minimize ongoing operating costs
- Technical support from a specification team with experience and expertise in stadium projects
Solution
Solution
UD Almería chose a SMARTair digital access system that, starting in 2025, will also offer centralized management of digital keys and eCLIQ cylinders. The complementary benefits of SMARTair and eCLIQ ensure that Almería’s needs are met without compromising security or flexibility. All users and access points are managed online via the SMARTair TS1000 Web software. The entire digital system operates wirelessly at access points: both SMARTair and eCLIQ devices are wireless and were installed quickly, between home games, without invasive structural work.
The club selected SMARTair Wireless Online management for real-time control and monitoring of offices, locker rooms, and physical therapy rooms. In these areas, authorized staff use personalized RFID cards that also function as ID badges or as mobile keys via the SMARTair Openow® app. Visitors and external contractors receive time-limited access via mobile keys sent directly to their app, making the process more convenient and streamlining visitor management.
eCLIQ cylinders secure technical rooms and indoor service areas. Maintenance and security personnel, including the police, carry an eCLIQ key programmed with their individual access permissions. Retrofitting existing doors was straightforward: installers simply replaced the mechanical cylinder with an eCLIQ cylinder, with no wiring or batteries required. Power is transmitted to the lock via the user’s battery-powered key.
This hybrid installation ensured that all of Almería’s diverse access needs were met: only ASSA ABLOY could offer such a connected and unified system.
