Adriatic region in 2023: Unified Market Dynamics Between East and West
In this year’s survey of the security market of the Adriatic region, we interviewed nine representatives of well-known global manufacturers of security equipment. The findings are, without exception, positive. Business growth, diversification of projects, and utilization of advanced security solutions marked the past year in South-Eastern Europe
By: Damir Muharemović and Mirza Bahić: E-mail: redakcija@asadria.com
The Southeast European security market has fully recovered from the effects of the pandemic, disruptions in the distribution chain, and inflation. Several years of uncertainty have turned into an opportunity for a new beginning in the form of more comprehensive security solutions and services that have applications beyond the traditional security framework. Producers and their regional partners have resourcefully resisted the economic and market challenges and are now achieving increasingly better results. There are many project opportunities and it’s just a matter of being ready to compete in offering more customized, reasonably priced, and technologically sophisticated solutions.
Separate focus
We discussed the state of the projects in this flourishing field with the regional directors, key customer managers, and business development managers of nine big names from the security world: Ajax Systems, Avigilon (Motorola Solutions), Axis, Bosch, Konica Minolta, Supreme, Uniview, VIVOTEK and ZKTeco. Everyone spoke highly of last year’s business in the Adriatic region and beyond, with the difference in favoring one country over another and certain verticals over others. Each country has its specificities, but it is important to note how the region, as a market whose constituents naturally rely on each other, establishes its recognizability as a link between Eastern and Western Europe. “Our notable success in the Balkan region, marked by a 36% growth from 2021 to 2022 and a subsequent 30% increase from 2022 to 2023, underscores the region’s unique market dynamics and justifies its distinct focus apart from Western or Eastern Europe,” says Artem Arifov, business development manager at Suprema Europe. He also specifies how the Balkan region offers a rich landscape of its globally competitive software development companies specializing in TnA solutions, for example. “This trend aligns with the growing demand for custom advanced TnA solutions among end-users, positioning Suprema favorably for continued success and innovation in collaboration with these local developers,” adds Arifov.
The Balkan region offers a rich landscape of its globally competitive software development companies specializing in TnA solutions. This trend aligns with the growing demand for custom advanced TnA solutions among end-users
Consistent and visible growth
“Our Adriatic region has many countries that are smaller compared to other Western EU countries, and whose development is affected by many different influences. Whether some of the SEA countries will be recognized as being safe for foreign investments depends on many factors. This is precisely what affects the development of the security market, so that each of the countries of the SEA region, with its specificities, affects the creation of the overall regional average. We estimate that the entire region will have an average growth of around 5%. At the same time, we also see Hungary as the only country that will have higher growth than this average”, says Danijel Jerković, CEO of the South East Adria Safety Solutions at Bosch Building Technologies – Security Systems. Regarding investments and their annual growth rates, Jerković analyzed their trends over the past ten years. Based on this, he points out that almost all countries in the southeast Adriatic region have had a similar growth in foreign investments depending on the year, between 1.2% and 4.5%. More positive trends are found in Slovenia which recorded growth in foreign investments of up to 6% for that period.
At Avigilon, a company owned by Motorola Solutions, they note uneven investment cycles from country to country, and from year to year. Yet, looking at the region as a whole, they note “consistent and visible growth, which applies both to EU countries and to those that they are not members of the Union”, adds Andrej Ćuraković, sales director for the Balkans and Middle Europe for video security and access control with the company.
Manufacturers achieve success
Economic and investment trends have had a positive effect on all providers of security products and solutions in this area which, according to Axis, achieved 50% growth compared to 2022. “I still don’t have an insight into the complete state of the regional market. But what I have had the opportunity to see so far are extremely positive indicators that suggest that all manufacturers on our market have had a great year,” says Stjepan Šurmanović, Axis Communications’ key account Manager for South-East Europe which, apart from the countries of the former Yugoslavia, covers the markets of Albania, Bulgaria and Greece (from January 1st). For years, the Serbian market was the largest one for Axis in this region. But things are changing at the top. “Serbia did not disappoint in terms of end-year results in 2023, but the majority of our investments were in Bulgaria.” The markets of Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, and Bulgaria record a marked growth every year. But it is noticeable that the south of the region is also gradually rising and more interesting projects are now popping up in those countries as well. We have yet to explore the Greek market this year, but the entire Axis team for Southeast Europe is looking forward to this challenge because we believe that we know how to work with developing markets. We plan to use the experience gained from the development of the region in Greece and offer our partners a high level of cooperation and support”, points out Šurmanović.
Excellent success in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia
Along with Greece and Cyprus, Bulgaria is singled out as the best place for business in 2023 by Ilia Yashmakov, sales director for the Balkans & Adriatic at Ajax Systems. He adds that like “most European economies, the security market had very mild organic growth” and that 2023 was very successful for them. Uniview, on the other hand, recorded double-digit growth in Serbia, but achieved the greatest success in Bosnia and Herzegovina – a 100% increase. “The success is particularly noticeable in Bosnia, thanks to the hard work of our partner and close cooperation with our Bosnian team. We successfully won several projects in the bidding and eventually achieved growth over 100%,” says Tsing Tang, director of Eastern Europe at Uniview Technologies.
Significant growth is also expected at ZKTeco which has been present in the Adriatic region market for years. “We have a network of loyal partners that help us grow year after year. We have the strongest presence in Croatia, Serbia, and Albania. And we are looking for distributors in other countries of the region. Therefore, we still see a huge opportunity for growth,” said Kinga Zarzycka, general manager of the distribution business unit at ZKTeco Europe.
Given that the region covers a large area stretching from Ukraine to Greece in the south and Slovenia in the west, the area of coverage is highly diverse for Đorđe Baćić, business development manager at VIVOTEK. Within the area covered, the largest market is Ukrainian due to the high demand for security equipment. “Even with increased demand for a country in war, business is difficult, so my job is to help partners in Ukraine as much as I can,” says Baćić.
Economic and investment trends have had a positive effect on all providers of security products and solutions in our area
Focus on the solutions that go outside the standard security scope
Vito Lalić, MOBOTIX’s business development manager for the Adria region at Konica Minolta, stresses that the growth trend continues in all markets in the region without exception, even in higher percentages than expected. He explains that this is mostly due to a series of solutions that are going beyond the standard security scope, with a focus on two essential security features. “The first one is business security, where we noticed that it is not just the standard focus on the protection (like perimeter protection) but rather on the manufacturing security via thermal EN54 cameras, for instance. It can give more results and information and provide a level of protection that a conventional camera cannot. Another type of market demand has to do with digitization and integration of data sourced from cameras such as traffic monitoring, monitoring the integration of logistics processes, and analysis of metadata. It can be used by several services for better planning and response. You can certainly feel the shift towards non-standard solutions”, says Lalić. In Konica’s case, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina excelled in the logistics and waste control sectors, while the other countries focused more on traditional security solutions. It is a motivation and a message for manufacturers to strengthen communication to make the market better aware of new solutions.
PROJECTS
All major global companies that participated in our survey reported positive business outcomes in the past year. They supplied their products and solutions for several projects from different verticals. This indicates not only the economic recovery of the Adriatic countries and increasing investments but also the diversification of the production portfolio of a large number of manufacturers. This allows them to occupy a position from which they can meet the increasingly complex demands of the market, such as those for more advanced analytical technologies in the mid-price device range.
Quality before price
However, the best news is the growing demand for quality solutions that adhere to European standards and norms. For decades, price was the deciding factor when choosing security equipment and services. Yet, the focus is gradually shifting to quality and reliability. “It was not easy to convince regional integrators to give a chance to and consider solutions that are not based solely on low prices, but rather provide value and a long-term business and technological perspective. Throughout this period, the market has rewarded our efforts and the idea that the cheapest is not always the best. And, ultimately, the cheapest is not exactly “cheap” in the long-term perspective of the prolonged life cycles of projects,” says Šurmanović. He adds that Axis is recognized as a reliable supplier of solutions that provide added value to projects. This pioneering company in IP video surveillance, known for its work in the enterprise sector, has mostly implemented advanced solutions related to the protection of industry, critical infrastructure, traffic, and smart cities.
EN54 standard
Bosch continued its multi-year business growth in the region last year. The reliability of its brand name was a decisive factor in the selection of its equipment for tenders. “It is obvious that the markets in the Southeast Adriatic region are increasingly aware of the importance of implementing reliable fire detection systems within the framework of the EN 54 standard, and that they have found a reliable partner in Bosch. We are pleased with the increasing interest of installation companies in Bosch’s fire protection products and solutions”, says Jerković. What gives that company an advantage is its understanding of the specifics of the requirements of individual branches of the economy. “We can offer a wide range of solutions for very complex requirements that depend on the types of investments in individual countries within the SEA region. Thus, in eastern SEA countries, we are active in the health and industrial sectors of the economy, while in the countries of the central SEA region, the same goes for the industry, logistics, and transport”, says Jerković, adding that they implement fire protection solutions in commercial and business centers in all countries.
Yet, the best news is the increasingly sought-after quality solutions that respect European standards and norms. For decades, price was the deciding factor when choosing security equipment and services, but the focus is gradually shifting to quality and reliability
Demand for detailed analytics
Taiwanese manufacturer VIVOTEK has been most active in the enterprise vertical and this is reflected in its revenue structure. These are high- and mid-range camera models that provide additional value accompanied by high-quality analytics and in-depth video searches. Users are increasingly looking for more advanced solutions with new, more efficient analytical technologies. As the most interesting project in 2023, they point out the one implemented in Romania, where they delivered over 60 PTZ cameras and more than 200 bullet and dome mid-range and high-end cameras. “The project itself is interesting because we worked on covering a large open space where we created an automated solution with VIVOTEK analytics that triggers when a person appears and automatically directs the PTZ camera to that location. The PTZ camera continues monitoring the object as long as it is in its line-of-sight field. The combination involves 2-3 fixed cameras covered by one PTZ camera. The most important thing about this solution is that our PTZ camera can monitor more than one fixed camera. Entire communication between the fixed and PTZ cameras is direct, on a camera-per-camera basis. VMS does not have any functions, apart from receiving events”, explains Baćić.
Projects in different verticals
The diversification of the portfolio and the quality of the equipment are the right measures of success. In any case, this approach to the market is applied at Avigilon. They highlight critical infrastructure, public administration, sports arenas, and retail as areas in which particularly strong growth is recorded. In 2023 they realized many strategic projects, both in the public and business sectors. Among these is the continuation of the project with the Nikola Tesla Airport in Belgrade and Rimac Technology, which chose them as a technology partner for their new campus in Sveta Nedjelja.
As for Suprema, which offers a versatile portfolio of solutions for access control, the company confirms that key projects in the Balkans took place in different sectors. They cite different verticals – banking, universities, government projects, and commercial/business centers. At the same time, Uniview boasts of securing one of the most famous music festivals in Europe – EXIT in Novi Sad – where their cameras protected visitors and participants so that they could fully enjoy the program.
According to Zarzycka, ZKTeco’s devices were very popular in gyms, hotels, and small and medium-sized businesses. As for references, they point out larger projects such as the Football Stadium in Osijek, the Viktor Lenac Shipyard in Rijeka, and the Valamar Riviera Hotel on the island of Krk in Croatia. For Ajax Systems, the Ukrainian provider of alarm systems, the residential sector is naturally in focus, but the more intriguing announcement is that they “will have a different answer” next year. They are probably alluding to the fact that they recently came out with an offer in the field of video surveillance for the first time. A new and serious player will eventually seek his piece of the pie in that extremely competitive market.
BEST-SELLING PRODUCTS
Artificial intelligence is on everyone’s mind
When it comes to the most sought-after technologies in the Adriatic region, this year’s research pointed to the variety of technological trends that shape the landscape of the security market in this part of the world. Based on the answers we received, it is easy to conclude that all the companies were focused on innovations and customizations in 2023 to respond to the specific needs of the regional market. This created a dynamic environment that encourages progress in the local security sector.
At Axis Communications, the focus is on offering open platforms and personalized solutions for different customer profiles. The integration platform EDGE, which enables the customization of projects according to the specific needs of clients, was particularly in demand. For regional buyers, the choice is facilitated by development partners tasked with directing these solutions to various areas, such as incident management systems, license plate recognition, classification of vehicle brands and types, speed detection, and various other functions related to artificial intelligence.
Functional AI was also in demand in the cameras offered by VIVOTEK. “They are mainly looking for cameras that have advanced AI technology Smart VCA, i.e. analytics for detecting people and vehicles, and Deep Search saving attributes with the video,” says Bačić. He adds that buyers do not neglect the price either, because 5 MP models with fixed and motorized lenses were the most sold. At the same time, cameras in the business segment, which include bullet and dome PTZ models of 5 MP and 8 MP, generated much revenue.
Representatives of Avigilon also state that regional customers have shown a more pronounced interest in solutions guided by artificial intelligence. This particularly applies to the demand for intelligent systems that support security operations—specifically, those capable of sending alerts to security personnel when they must take appropriate measures in the field. Here, the role of artificial intelligence is to direct the user’s attention to key aspects of security.
For regional buyers, the choice is facilitated by development partners tasked with directing these solutions to various areas, such as incident management systems, license plate recognition, classification of vehicle brands and types, speed detection, and various other functions related to artificial intelligence.
Customers are looking for cameras that are more than just that
When it comes to cameras, customers have shown interest in devices that offer more than just keeping a record of events on the ground in a surveilled area. Like the rest of the world, the region is experiencing a growing awareness that the camera, as a visual sensor, can provide significantly more information and knowledge compared to the traditional application of video surveillance systems. Users purchase these devices to access data that is transferred to cloud services, while cities use them to improve various urban processes, including municipal services, security, traffic, urban planning, air quality and water flow monitoring, flood protection, and the like.
“Highly requested solutions in the segment of traffic and smart cities, industry and critical infrastructure were ex-certified cameras. The same applies to advanced perimeter protection with thermal cameras and video analytics that can detect critical events, with the gradual establishment of fully or partially autonomous systems,” says Šurmanović.
Thermal cameras, especially the EN54 series, brought significant revenue to MOBOTIX. Its representatives believe that this is an important indicator of the growing willingness of users to invest more in thermal imaging solutions. Solutions for night surveillance were equally in demand, for which the company Uniview Technologies emphasizes its Easy Star series which was designed for this purpose. With a competitive price, this series was the best-selling model of this company in the Adriatic region. Starlight network cameras, which offer high-quality color images and precise information about suspicious activity during nighttime intervals, have also been popular.
Thermal cameras, especially the EN54 series, brought significant revenue to MOBOTIX. They believe that this is an important indicator of the growing willingness of users to invest more in thermal imaging solutions. Solutions for night surveillance were equally in demand, for which the company Uniview Technologies particularly emphasizes its Easy Star series, which was designed for this purpose. With a competitive price, this series was the best-selling model of this company in the Adriatic region. Starlight network cameras have also been popular since they offer high-quality color images and precise information about suspicious activity during nighttime.
„Most crimes, over 70%, happen at night. Based on this situation, we launched the Easy Star series which are good at obtaining colorful images and providing colorful information of criminals at night and which not only meets the needs of project-oriented customers, but also suits the SMB and distribution market“, says Tang.
Video analytics and VMS also made the list of the most requested technologies. At Konica Minolta, they state that there is a particularly high demand for functions such as license plate recognition (LPR), parking space identification, and object detection. At the same time, the most important thing for customers is the stability of the products, as well as their accuracy rate. They also noticed a growing interest in the implementation of video surveillance management systems, especially since those from the domain of business-class solutions have finally become available for small users as in the case of Luxriot VMS, for instance.
Cities use the cameras to improve various urban processes, including municipal services, security, traffic, urban planning, air quality and water flow monitoring, flood protection, and the like
It’s not all about the price
Fire protection solutions continued to climb high on the list of best-selling products in 2023. In Bosch Building Technologies, they state that innovative solutions were most sought after, particularly the cameras designed for early video detection of fires, such as Aviotec NG. In addition, Bosch’s Jerković says that the new members of the AVENAR family of detectors attracted the interest of users in the form of the new model FAP-425-DOTCO-R. It brings combined optical and thermal sensors and an additional specialized sensor for quick detection of carbon monoxide. Hospitals, clinics, homes for the elderly and infirm, as well as users of garages and parking lots are among the clients who have demonstrated an interest in this system.
Ajax Systems is proud of the success of its series of fire alarm detectors, which have followed this manufacturer’s wireless alarm systems in popularity. Access control was the most profitable segment for ZKTeco Europe, followed by other most popular products from the company’s portfolio, such as pedestrian barriers and parking ramps. Arifov highlights the success of the X-Station 2 system as Suprema’s best-selling product in the regional market. This device is intended for time & attendance and offers the possibility of displaying customized TnA and codes according to specific occupations, which facilitates the monitoring of work in different branches.
Ultimately, it was not only commercial security products that were popular in the Adriatic region. Bosch’s free software tool Safety System Designer, which is intended for designers for quick configuration of EN 54 fire alarm systems, has also attracted great interest from users, particularly for its support for the integration with AutoCAD software.
Innovative solutions were most sought after, particularly the cameras designed for early video detection of fires
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS IN 2023
In the past year, the security technology industry has undergone significant changes at the global level. The echo of this tide has also shaped the dominant trends in the regional sector. Through the statements of leading experts, we will look at the key technological innovations that, according to them, marked the year 2023 on the regional market.
Focus on cost reduction and energy challenges
Tang from Uniview Technologies predicts that in 2024 the focus will shift to wireless solutions in security systems. This change will include a triad of Wi-Fi cameras, and cloud and mobile applications, which will offer a reduction in total costs and easier installation to their users. Uniview is preparing for these trends by expanding its product portfolio to include wireless solutions that should bring more favorable total cost savings to users compared to traditional analog and wired IP solutions. This especially applies to solutions for smaller businesses, as well as home products for smart homes. Among the latter, solutions that will enable simpler storage of energy at a time of higher energy prices will be in higher demand. Uniview will therefore focus its efforts on promoting systems like Hopetrek, which includes a portable charger (power bank), energy storage for residential environments, and industrial and commercial energy storage solutions. The new storage system will also have an integrated computer, battery unit, BMS, EMS, fire protection system, and temperature control system.
Investing in cyber protection and edge-based data processing
Another important trend is the ubiquitous use of the cloud, which has led to a large-scale opening to the internet and significantly strengthened the associated risks of cyber-attacks on the entire spectrum of security systems. The increased threat now also entails large investments in cyber protection. This is significantly influenced by the trend of transnational legal regulation of this field through new directives that all EU members will have to implement starting January 1, 2025, including NIS2.
The third indicator of the direction in which the industry is moving is the increasingly advanced possibilities of integration and performance of actions at the edge or in the device itself, including cameras, radars, thermal cameras, a combination of radars and cameras, etc. These solutions are now more in demand than ever and will shape the direction of the security sector. With greater generation of data and metadata at the edge, the demand for cloud-based platforms is also growing. They will manage all metadata from the camera that goes to cloud services simply and efficiently, with the help of the most accessible and user-friendly interfaces.
Finally, Jerković puts machine learning next to AI in terms of technological importance, noting that we should not forget the Internet of Things and blockchain as well.
AI dominance and user focus
For Axis Communications’ Šurmanović and his colleague Ćuraković from Avigilon, AI technology marked the year 2023 as a key security trend. This technological breakthrough includes a shift from traditional motion detectors to AI-based event detectors, enabling advanced analytics and personalization solutions. ” Artificial intelligence has finally replaced the now outdated event detectors based on standard motion detection, which relied on changes in pixels within the image”, says Šurmanović.
Baćić from VIVOTEK emphasizes the importance of investing in AI functions to improve user experience. The focus on deep search functions based on this technology provides new opportunities in event investigation, and faster search and response, which is the first step towards automating security systems.
Yashmakov of Ajax Systems supports the thesis of the growing importance of user experience, noting that this is not limited to new technologies. Regardless of whether it pertains to anti-burglary or any other security domain, this company views the popularization of the approach that prioritizes “the user is king” as a key future trend. This will, according to Yashmakov, drive the security market in the next five to ten years.
Cloud solutions will strengthen the security culture
At Avigilon, they point out global and regional migration towards cloud solutions as an important technological trend in the year ahead. Cloud solutions are becoming the basis of comprehensive security systems because they offer reliability and readiness to face future challenges. “It will be a way for organizations to ensure that their solutions for video security and access control remain equipped with the most innovative capabilities and intelligent analytics, which will help them build a resilient security culture,” says Ćuraković.
Jerković from Bosch believes that the broader picture of technological developments in the region must include “improvements in various applications, remote connectivity with systems, and progressive data storage in the cloud within the industry”. According to him, the regional security landscape significantly shapes the development of the startup ecosystem, the rise of e-commerce, and the increasing digitization of public services.
Uniview has also joined this technological trend and redesigned its cloud platform in 2023 to feature new data transfer strategies that focus on the prevention of network congestion and data packet loss.
The regional security landscape significantly shapes the development of the startup ecosystem, the rise of e-commerce, and the increasing digitization of public services
Centralization and versatility
Zarzycka of ZKTeco Europe notices a growing demand for versatile access control solutions that meet an ever-widening range of customer needs. ZKTeco recognizes technologies such as facial recognition, proximity cards, and reading palms or fingerprints as dominant trends in this segment.
For 2024, Lalić from MOBOTIX predicts a growth in the demand for system centralization in physical protection. This is a consequence of the users’ need to integrate different systems, for which MOBOTIX offers solutions such as the open platform VMS and the PSIM platform for unifying systems in one place. “Users who have haphazardly invested in physical protection systems of various brands for years are now facing more problems as their business grows and they now aim for centralization,” says Lalić.
In the end, it can be concluded that the year 2023 on the regional market was marked by technological progress, especially in the segment of artificial intelligence, migration to the cloud, access control with a wider field of application, and energy sustainability. What is encouraging is the swift mirroring of global trends within the regional market, indicating the dynamism of its development and technological and business integration with the global security industry.
In 2024, the demand for system centralization in the physical protection segment is predicted to grow as a result of the user’s need for the integration of different systems
