According to information I could find at the company website, the U-Change lock cylinder entered the market place in 1972. U-Change Lock Industries is now called Security Solutions. U-Change offers cylinders that retro-fit into existing locks. Their product line is mostly for commercial store front doors, but they do offer some grade 1 lever type cylinders and their own line of padlocks.

U-Change is an end user re-key-able lock cylinder. Many retail chains install U-Change cylinders to reduce the cost of changing the lock to a new key every time a manager resigns or is terminated. There are several end user re-key-able cylinders on the market, but all of them use a removable core and a “control key,” for removing the core. The retail store must keep a set of cores on hand at all times so the locks can be changed at a moments notice. The old cores are then shipped back to the lock company to be rebuilt to a new key.

U-Change does not use removable cores, but has engineered the tumblers inside their cylinder to be re-settable an infinite number of times. Instead of keeping spare cores on hand, the retailer just needs a new set of keys on hand and a “change tool.” When the locks are changed the old keys are just thrown away and a new set of keys can be ordered. Keys are less expensive than cores.

The U-Change key is not available anywhere. Although the U-Change key is not patent protected, the blanks are not available to hardware stores or locksmith shops. The chances of someone getting an unauthorized duplicate key is almost zero.

Sometimes managers quit at the most inconvenient time, like Friday night at 9:00 PM, or on the weekend. A user re-key-able lock system will allow another employee to re-key the locks with minimal knowledge or training. Calling a locksmith out on the weekend or at night will involve overtime charges. Locksmiths are worth every bit of what they charge, but with a little planning the locksmith expense, along with the panic and anxiety can be avoided.  

Recently I installed some U-Change cylinders for a national retailer. The cylinders work like any other lock cylinder and changing the lock to a new key is incredibly easy. U-Change cylinders are a good choice for high volume lock changes. However, U-Change does not claim their product is pick-resistant. The demands of some merchandisers may require a pick-resistant cylinder. Pick-resistant cylinders are also available in a user re-key-able format, but will always require the use of a removable core.