Year: 2022

Euralarm started a new initiative focusing on diversity and attracting new talent. The importance of the initiative is underlined by the rapid engineer retention and the lack of competent and qualified engineers.

The fire and security industries are industries with a long and rich history.  Major changes in the industry have always occurred with the advent of new technology. What has not really changed so much over the past 50 years, however, is the composition of the workforce. The industry is still recognized as a male-dominated field although in recent years there has been a positive shift in the number of women working in the industry. With this change, the industry is diversifying, and the need for women officers is growing.

Attracting young talent

With the baby boomers approaching their retirement date and the industry’s aging becoming increasingly apparent, it becomes increasingly important that the European youth is attracted to our industry to build a more inclusive, diversified, greener, and digital future.

“As the industry continues to grow and technology develops, attracting new talent into the sector is key to sustainability and improving the quality of working standards. The UK and Europe have struggled of late with engineer retention, lack of competent and qualified engineers, and attracting talent. Of late, there has been a shift in the sector where more and more installers are seeing the benefit of growing their own talent as a model that will provide sustainability for both the sector and their businesses. Over the last three years, we have seen the level of apprentice recruitment in the sector more than quadruple. This is the industry responding to the inevitable skills crisis where there is a reported shortage of around 30,000 engineers needed across the UK. With current levels of recruited apprentices, it will take over 25 years to resolve that skills shortage. We need to recruit and attract ten times the current level of recruited apprentices to resolve the crisis in as little as three years,” said David Scott, Managing Director of Skills for Security.

Diversity of thought

On the importance of attracting new talent, Chief Technical Officer Cristina Rivas Saiz of Euralarm industry member and leader in monitored security Verisure adds: “For us to remain at the cutting-edge of our industry, we must have a diversity of thought, perspective, and culture. That enables us to continue to deliver the next step-change technology to protect our customers even more effectively”.

“Attracting young people and young talent is an absolute necessity for our industry”, says Patrick Van Liempt, Secretary General of the Belgian security association ALIA Security. “In Belgium, we are trying to attract new talent for the security industry because of the shortage of personnel and the rapidly developing market. “Although many people still think that security is part of electrical installation, our industry no longer needs only electrical engineers. In fact, we are increasingly looking for other types of personnel as our systems are increasingly integrated with IT systems.”

Great initiatives, but fragmented approach

Many initiatives across the sector already focus on the industry’s diversity and inclusion. Initiatives like Worldskills are just one example of that. “However, the approach is fragmented and not driven by a central body or resource, and therefore, the positivity is quite often not shared widely enough”, according to David Scott. “For example, WorldSkills UK competition aims to shine a positive light on the sector and promote it to school children across the UK as a career of choice”.

A new research report from Memoori shows that the global market for physical security products (access control, video surveillance, intruder alarm & perimeter protection) has demonstrated both resilience and adaptability in the face of growing geopolitical tensions and looming economic recession.

Trade tensions between China and the US have seen a series of legislative moves that have disrupted the flow of both physical security products and key product components. These tensions are also spilling over into Europe. If further trade barriers are erected, we will see a polarisation of the physical security global market.

Memoori estimates that annual revenues from the physical security product market increased by over 9% in 2022, rising to $42.3Bn. Going forward growth will be tempered somewhat, averaging 6.5% per annum to 2027.

Video surveillance makes up nearly 58% of the market in 2022, with China continuing to dominate sales in this sector, accounting for just under one-third of the total global market. Whilst China’s Sharp Eyes projects are winding down, Memoori analysts suggest that continued state investment into smart cities as well as programs such as the Safe China initiative should continue to drive sales of security products in China.

Video analytics becomes stronger

The development and commercialization of new technologies continue to drive growth in the physical security market. Memoori’s recent analysis of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Smart Buildings found that the security market, and particularly video analytics generated the largest share of overall AI revenues in smart buildings, representing just under 50% of total sales in 2020 at $558 million.

Little appetite for 5G

However, the research explains that clearly, not all new technology has the same impact. For example, despite various projections, Memoori finds little current momentum or market appetite for the deployment of 5G wireless video surveillance at scale. The research company estimates that the introduction of 5G for video surveillance data transmission will take at least another 5 years to achieve the levels of coverage, reliability and falls in cost to have any kind of real impact.

A new research report by Marketsandmarkets, the global perimeter security market is projected to grow from USD 70.8 billion in 2022 to USD 100.2 billion by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% during the forecast period. Factors attributed to driving the market growth include, increasing security breaches and perimeter intrusions worldwide, rising demand for perimeter security solutions such as video surveillance, access control systems, and others, and the proliferation of smart technologies such as IoT, AI, and ML.

In terms of components, it is the systems segment that the analysts expect to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period, because of their versatility and wide use by businesses for various applications including video surveillance, perimeter intrusion, access control, alarm and notification, and others, to enhance security operations. An increase in crime rates and the advancement in technology are also helping the services segment to grow. Furthermore, the growing need to secure external premises and stringent government regulations are leading to growth in this segment.

Video surveillance leads the application type

The research divides the perimeter security market into the categories of perimeter intrusion detection, video surveillance systems, access control systems, alarm, and notification systems, barrier systems, and other systems based on the system applications. Video surveillance is expanding more rapidly than the other categories because of technological advancement and the growing need to secure airports, malls, retail stores, and other important infrastructures. As a result, the video surveillance system section is predicted to hold a larger market share during the forecast period.

Asia Pacific to grow at the highest CAGR

A rise in criminal activity and growing public concerns are predicted to increase security costs in the Asia Pacific region. The nations with the fastest economic growth rates, include China, Japan, India, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Due to the swift and sophisticated adoption of new technologies, the Asia Pacific region is a profitable market for perimeter security products and services. Smart cities and infrastructure are being built in the region, which will increase the need for perimeter security solutions. Additionally, due to successful government programs for modernization and technology breakthroughs, perimeter security systems have the potential for rapid expansion. Consequently, the Asia Pacific area is anticipated to increase at the greatest CAGR throughout the expected period.

Key market players

Honeywell, Dahua Technology, Bosch Security System, Hikvision, Axis Communications, Senstar, Pelco, Raytheon Technologies, Teledyne Flir, Thales, Johnson Controls, Fiber Sensys, Ameristar Perimeter Security, Optex, Panasonic, Southwest Microwave, Avigilon, Advanced Perimeter Systems, Cias, Gallagher, Ingersoll Rand, Infinova, Rbtec Perimeter Security Systems, Sorhea, Puretech Systems, Sightlogix,  Scylla, Veesion, Pivotchain, Prisma Photonics, Openpath, Density, Barrier 1 Systems, Alcatraz, and Kisi are some of the key players in this market and mentioned within the new research report.

Axis Communications is launching a private bug bounty program with Bugcrowd, a leader in crowdsourced cyber security. The private bug bounty program helps strengthen Axis’ commitment to building professional relationships with external security researchers and ethical hackers, and it reinforces the company’s efforts to proactively identify, patch, and disclose vulnerabilities in Axis OS, the Linux-based operating system that drives most Axis products.

In working with Bugcrowd and its Security Knowledge Platform, Axis will benefit from the company’s cyber security expertise, engineered software-as-a-service, and global network of ethical hackers.

The bug bounty program will follow the criteria below:

Leveraging its Crowdmatch AI-based matching technology, Bugcrowd will select and invite its registered researchers with relevant skills and experience, while Axis will make Axis OS-based products available for testing. Researchers who discover vulnerabilities will be eligible to receive a “bounty” cash reward with payments that will vary, depending on the severity of the vulnerability. Axis will then transparently disclose vulnerabilities externally and provide patches to affected Axis OS versions accordingly.

Axis welcomes interested security researchers and ethical hackers to participate in the bug bounty program and encourages participation through the vulnerability reporting process.

Following the successful EMEA rollout of its FlipX Standard indoor sensors in September, OPTEX, the leading global sensor manufacturer, has announced the launch of its new Grade 3 FlipX Advanced series.

OPTEX FlipX sensors feature a bespoke pyroelectric sensor for increased performance that adapts to the human shape, and a unique lens that can be ‘flipped’ to provide both wide and narrow detection in a single sensor.  By rotating the lens through 180°, the sensor can protect narrow or long areas such as a corridor or warehouse aisles up to 24m, or a wide, open area like a lobby or high-value retail store to 15m at 85°.

In addition, to provide a higher level of security, the Advanced models feature intelligent IR-Antimasking, which protects both the PIR and microwave sensors, generating an alert if they are covered. It’s also equipped with additional algorithms to ensure stable detection and reduce false alarms. Double conductive shielding means nuisance alarms caused by changes in light, temperature, or Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) can be avoided. FlipX Advanced sensors also feature a ‘super high PIR sensitivity’ mode, which when set, enables the sensors to maintain stable and highly reliable detection even when the temperature difference between the human and the environment is very small, this ensures greater catch performance for high-security, high-risk sites where missed alarms are unacceptable.

Masaya Kida, Managing Director for OPTEX EMEA, says the cutting-edge technology behind FlipX Advanced makes it ideal for high-security indoor environments: “The ‘flipped’ lens is a time-saving and cost-effective solution that provides installers with two sensors in one to provide both wide and narrow detection within any high-security environments, including banks, high-value retail, logistics, and high-end residential applications.

“As Grade 3 sensors, FlipX Advanced can be seamlessly integrated with intruder alarm and control systems. Our advanced pyro sensor, designed following significant research and investment into our customer needs, ensures highly accurate and reliable indoor detection performance, to ensure any attempt of intrusion, unauthorized access or theft can be identified quickly and accurately to protect people, property, and valuable assets.”

The sensors feature a sleek and compact design, with flexible mounting height options (between 2-3m) meaning they seamlessly blend into building aesthetics and buildings with higher ceilings.

For quick and simple installation, FlipX Advanced has an easily viewable LED, a terminal block for easy wiring, and an EOL plug-in resistor socket.

FlipX Advanced is available as a PIR model – FLX-A-AM – and for more challenging indoor environments as a dual-technology (PIR and microwave) model – FLX-A-DAM. The latter is equipped with OPTEX’s robust Tough MOD 2 microwave module, ensuring the durability of the sensor in challenging environments, particularly humid climates, and higher levels of capture performance by tailoring the microwave to the PIR detection area.

Following the launch, OPTEX plans to release further models in the FlipX series in early 2023.

For further OPTEX information, contact: optex@optex.com.pl, www.optex-europe.com.