While they might not look significant, the right security seals are a trusted and cost-effective tool for deterring and preventing theft or tampering.

Modern security seals have come a long way from the old days when people used stamped wax to seal envelopes. Today, security seals have become more sophisticated. They are available in a multitude of types, sizes, and functionalities. And they’re used widely in a variety of places, from truck trailers to tankers, containers, totes, cash and jewelry bags, utility meters, fire extinguishers, and more.

While they might seem like relatively simple devices, the diverse array of security seals available and the applications they serve can be confusing to navigate if you’re unfamiliar with them.

Here are some simple tips to help you pick the right security seals for your needs.

Know What Fundamental Qualities to Look for in Security Seals

There are some key things to look for when it comes to picking security seals. When you’re shopping around, make sure you’re checking for quality, strength, and functionality.

It’s important that you purchase security seals made with quality materials to ensure they’re strong enough that they can’t be broken but flexible enough to allow ease-of-use.

You will also want to check for certain functionalities and tamper-evident properties such as sequential serial numbers and barcodes that can indicate whether a seal has been broken and reconnected.

Understand the Types, Terminology, and Uses for Security Seals

There are a ton of different security seals that can be used for a number of different applications. Becoming familiar with them all will help ensure you’re picking the right ones. At Northern Specialty Supplies, we offer security seals that fall under six main categories:

• Truck Seals: Utilized mainly for transportation purposes, these plastic security seals are used on transport trucks that need to get to their destination without being opened or having their contents altered. They offer the benefit of insurance that the vehicle and its goods haven’t been opened or tampered with during their journey and that everything is arriving as it was intended to. We offer high-grade, fully customizable Truck Seals which boast 60 pounds of tensile strength as well as variable numbering sequences and barcoding for added security.
• Tamper-Evident Security Seals: When you need to transport things like confidential documentation or other types of sensitive materials, it’s imperative that they are delivered securely and viewed only by their intended recipient. That’s where Tamper-Evident Security Seals come in. With their sequential security numbers, they are paired up with security bags, like our Keyless Security Expendable Inter-Office Mailer. These types of seals and security bags are frequently used by government agencies, particularly by branches that deal with citizenship and immigration paperwork.
• Cable Seals: Among the most heavy-duty security seals on the market are Cable Seals. Constructed with an aluminum body and equipped with stock serial numbers, these C-TPT compliant seals are certified for high-security. That’s why they’re often used in high-value transportation, on industrial gas meters, and at construction projects to secure the site’s electrical breakers.
• Pull-Tight Seals: Similar to standard plastic seals, Pull-Tight Seals come in a variety of strengths, but they can be adjusted to meet specific needs. These versatile tools can be used on almost anything and can often be found sealing hazardous waste, fire extinguishers, cash bags, and vehicle doors.
• Metal Bolt Seals: These are some of the toughest security seals out there. They are often used to secure things like shipping containers, trucks, and trailers. This is especially important for high-value cargo and cross-border shipments where the stakes are high for ensuring the goods being transported arrive exactly as they were sent out.
• Twin Tote Seals: You’ll often find tote containers being used for interbranch courier shipments and high-value merchandise protection. And to secure totes, you need a special kind of security seal. These twin serial numbered seals fasten either end of a Lockable Courier Tote. With multiple possible points of entry, you need multiple seals to ensure your container hasn’t been tampered with.

At Northern Specialty Supplies, we offer a wide array of high-quality security seals. To learn more, or if you have questions about how to find the right seals for your needs, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re here to help!