As buildings become increasingly complex and we see the rise in smart buildings, the use of building management systems (BMS) will only continue to grow to control the many systems installed in a building. Vladimir Zrnic, Sales Manager for Southern Europe at Advanced explains more.
BMS is a relatively new addition to modern buildings. Thirty years ago, each individual system in a building was controlled separately and manually. This evolved into each system being controlled and monitored by a computer. The next step was to unify the equipment into one master control system that networked all the mechanical, electrical, IT, and security systems of a facility. And so BMS was created.
Integrating all the components into a single cohesive unit allows the various systems to share information so they can work more effectively. The resulting interoperability is greater efficiency, lowered operating costs, and a more secure, safer, and responsive building environment. It also improves reporting, information management, and decision-making with facility-wide insight and control for better performance.
Early BMS was limited to connecting to building systems from one manufacturer but there has been a rise in open communication protocols such as BACnet and Modbus which allow third-party devices, such as fire panels, to be easily integrated with the BMS. So how do third-party devices communicate with the BMS?
Fire Safety
A field controller for integration, such as the Advanced Commander, is a powerful IP-based solution for customers that need protocol translation between an Advanced addressable fire panel and a BMS. The Advanced Commander is a simple bridge between manufacturers’ components. It’s also bi-directional so it can monitor and communicate with other systems the BMS is connected to. For example, the BMS can send messages to an Advanced fire panel and the panel can send messages back – so, in a fire, it could close dampers in the ventilation system to stop smoke spreading, shut down fans, start the smoke extraction system, and send all the elevators to the ground floor and park them to prevent people from using them. This two-way communication is particularly useful in complex buildings, such as data centers which rely on power and cooling systems. Here through integration with the fire panel and the BMS, there may be a connection with HVAC, allowing control of dampers and fans, as well as the access control system and power supply system monitoring and control.
It’s also beneficial if a field controller offers flexibility by being able to work with both the BACnet and Modbus open networks, such as the Advanced Commander, which also goes one step further. If a field controller is incorrectly specified to one of the protocols by the customer, they can simply call Advanced and have the protocol changed remotely.
Easy configuration is also vital. With the Commander, users can configure exactly what they require to meet the fire safety needs of each building e.g. the number of connected devices and loops etc. The Commander supports up to 640 Objects/Tags of information, which can be configured and passed between network components and delivered to the BMS using TCP/IP technology. TCP/IP connectivity allows the Commander to be located locally to the distributed network of fire control panels, but at the same time caters for remote programming and BMS access. The Advanced Commander has a built-in Webserver to provide advanced control, display and management.
BMS integration is set to go further still. With new smart buildings, a BMS will be able to control a building without anyone actually managing it on site allowing users to monitor and change things in a building from a distance. BMS is already offering building managers efficiency, reduced costs, and reliability and with the advent of open communication protocols and field controllers, like the Advanced Commander, users are able to seamlessly integrate their fire system and monitor and control their buildings. With the rise of smart buildings, BMS is set to be an essential part of any commercial building.
For further information on Advanced’s AxisGo email: vzrnic@advancedco.com or visit: https://uk.advancedco.com/
a&s Adria: Mrs. Hasna Nahdi, thank you for sparing time to talk to our readers. Could you please present yourself, your educational and professional background, and what business area are you in charge of at PASO?
Hasna Nahdi: First of all, on behalf of the PASO team, I would like to thank your team for dedicating space in a&s Adria magazine to present our company through this interview. We want to once again give our thanks for the great hospitality and dedicated support they have shown to us during the Adria Security Summit in Zagreb. In the field of audio business in general, I am in charge of PASO’s worldwide international markets. A mix of my education in the fields of electrical engineering and business economy allowed me to get a job at the PASO company which I consider to be the temple of electronics and audio in general. I am very proud to be a part of this team for more than 18 years during which I played different roles. For 12 years I worked in the pro audio and MI fields of businesses. Therefore, I can confirm that I have 30 years of experience in the audio industry as well as in taking care of international markets.
a&s Adria: PASO’s inception goes way back, to 1973, when your company was established by the managerial and technical staff previously employed by the historical Milan-based company GELOSO, a leader in the market of professional sound broadcasting. A lot happened in almost fifty years. What were the most important milestones for PASO and what kept you at the forefront of the Italian PA/VA market? In 2012, you were acquired by FBT Elettronica, what did you gain by that?
Hasna Nahdi: Yes indeed. A lot happened in almost 50 years. From GELOSO, PASO did not only inherit the intellectual property of brands and patents but, above all, technical know-how of high value. This made PASO one of the main Italian brands specializing in the production of amplifiers, mixers, microphones, and speakers for the public address, i.e for 100V field, and now a leading company within EN54-16 and EN54-4 certified voice alarm systems manufacturers. In fact, our 50th anniversary – a matter of great pride for us – will take place in 2023 and it will be the occasion for special celebrations and events.
In 2012, FTB’s acquisition of PASO did mark a new era by building a kind of bridge between two companies: FBT, a well-established Italian brand within the pro audio market, and PASO with a legacy in the Italian Electronic industry with a strong history within 100V – which is considered a niche within the audio field. Together, FBT and PASO are putting their respective synergies while each one is safeguarding proper identity and relevant peculiarities. PASO is likely much more present in the markets and events focusing on safety and presiding over themes involving EN54 standards and voice alarm systems evolution within the global market, while FBT is focusing on events and markets where the spotlight is on pro audio and MI.
As our CEO Antonio Faccioni said talking about both companies’ plans and strategies: “We will propose a sort of common platform where the solutions developed by the two companies will converge according to their respective peculiarities: we will therefore be able to approach even very complex projects both for professional sound diffusion and for purposes related to EVAC.” This is what we are working on and how we are putting together our synergies, and respective R&D activities to plan our strategies and future.
a&s Adria: Investing in the Lainate plant in 2017 was definitely one of the turning points. What did you gain by revitalizing internal production? Did you achieve the level of producing all electronic components locally?
Hasna Nahdi: In fact, highly important investments in our factory were dedicated to our production processes, like the automated line for SMD circuits equipped with two pick & place machines, a brand new automated vertical warehouse, with the storage and recovery of the materials necessary for the various work processes of production. This has led our company to cutting-edge industrial technology 4.0 and enabled us to have stronger and better control of the different steps of our key devices manufacturing i.e to be in the position to carry on in-house production of the main electronic parts of our key devices.
a&s Adria: Could you briefly present your product portfolio? What are your core technologies?
Hasna Nahdi: Our product portfolio is subdivided into two main macro segments of products: PA sound broadcasting, with a vast range of pure public address solutions and conference systems. The second macro range is our voice alarm portfolio; with EN54-16 and EN54-4 certified electronics and a wide variety of speakers certified according to EN54-24 standards. Therefore, our core technology is, undoubtedly, electronics and how electronic block systems can sound while complying 100% with the EN54-16 and EN54-4 standards.
a&s Adria: An audio distribution system in high-traffic spaces requires a combination of stringent safety regulations and a high degree of versatility of use. PASO has accepted the challenge to respond adequately to the EVAC sector needs and demands with two smart voice evacuation systems: PAW5500-VES and PAW51K-VES. What are the features of these two systems in terms of nominal power and the number of alarm zones to manage, as well as all other functionalities?
Hasna Nahdi: Our VA compact all-in-one solutions feature a wide line-up of devices, amongst which we can list two families. EN 54-16 & 4 certified PAW5500-VES is specifically designed for wall-mounting and equipped with control units. It has a rated audio output of 500 W overall, distributable freely among the zones with a maximum limit of 250 W per single zone. The system is capable of managing 2 to 6 alarm zones and that’s the reason why it comes with 3 different models: PAW5502-V 500 W (2 zones), PAW5504-V 500 W (4 zones), and PAW5506-V 500 W (6 zones). Each zone is driven by a single amplifier, as well as a remote microphone station and controlled inputs to be connected to a central fire-fighting system.
The PAW51K-VES 1000 W compact wall-mount EVAC range includes two integrated voice evacuation systems for emergency purposes, designed specifically for wall-mounting: PAW51K4-V 1000 W (4 zones) and PAW51K6-V 1000 W (6 zones). It is possible to connect up to 15 devices of this model one to the other or mix these 2 families’ devices between them and manage 90 zones!
The features of these devices include: backlit 4.3” display with touch screen for selecting the alert and evacuation zones and enabling navigation for adjusting volume levels, configuring the equipment and viewing failures; handheld fireman’s paging microphone, sending out pre-recorded evacuation and alert messages, as well as broadcast messages (i.e. spots, announcements, sound bells); 7 off-controlled input contacts, configurable for playing the evacuation and/or alert messages; 1 off music input for sound sources; 1 off auxiliary input configurable as a music source, a call with precedence activation or a call with automatic activation (VOX); 3 off configurable relay outputs; double A+B output for each zone; event log (list of failures and/or alarms that have occured in the system); double link line for connecting other PAW; multilanguages management; 3-band equalization for each zone and music output; optional internal expansion card ACPAW-2IN for two additional music inputs (EXT 1 and EXT 2); optional internal expansion card ACPAW-6IN with DSP for 6 additional music inputs; up to 8 pre-recorded messages can be retrieved from outside through input contacts (of which 2 fixed emergency messages plus 6 that can be classed as emergency / evacuation / broadcast messages); up to 16 PMB106-G and/or PMB112-G broadcasting microphone stations can be connected; up to 4 of the above mentioned stations can be set for local calls only (zones of the card-cage to which they are connected); up to 4 PMB132-V and PMB132/12-V remote emergency units can be connected or (as an alternative) up to 2 touch screen TSB8500-V units, etc. These devices are all-in-one compact voice alarms with 1000W or 500W, but they also represent a perfect audio matrix.
a&s Adria: At this year’s events, you presented the latest Audio Network Adapter ACNET. How can it be used with PAW5500-VES and PAW51K-VES and connect remote microphone stations to the PAW?
Hasna Nahdi: The latest Audio Network Adapter ACNET we have introduced this year can be used with PAW5500-VES and PAW51K-VES and can connect remote microphone stations to those two systems. ACNET can transmit and receive RS485, convert audio ADC and DAC, pack and unpack digital audio and serial data using a proprietary IP format, and send and receive IP packets. ACNET is able to perform a complete transparent cable substitution over the network. This is a point-to-point PAW to PAW allowing communication via LAN network through RS485+LAN or LAN-only connection. Double link connection enabling system status monitoring, faults monitoring, messages reproduction over the link connection, USB audio player (.wav, .mp3 format), and web server interface.
a&s Adria: For smaller applications such as offices, restaurants, and shops but also private homes, you have designed PAW Mini. What are the features of this “light” integrated voice evacuation system?
Hasna Nahdi: PASO PAW Mini family of all-in-one evacuation devices is amongst our R&D exploits for the simple reason that it was finalized during the hardest period of lockdown. This range of compact systems has been realized thanks to our dedicated listening to what the market demands from voice alarm systems – solutions easy to install, but still compact, all-in-one, and small in size. PAW Mini is a family of five models, characterized by a highly reduced and compact cabinet size. It features two different audio-rated power settings: 100W for PAW1101-V, PAW2101-V, and PAW2102-V models, and 250 W for PAW2251-V and PAW2252-V models.
Like the previous PAW, PAW Mini features a 4.3” touchscreen backlit display for alert & evacuation selection, levels adjustment, settings, and failures visualization. On the front panel, there is a fireman’s monitored microphone, a button for operating the emergency system with an LED indicator, and a reset button. And, of course, it features sending pre-recorded evacuation and alert messages, monitored control inputs, AUX input for external sound sources, configurable relay outputs, and the possibility to connect paging units or remote emergency microphone units. It can manage 1 or 2 alarm zones via local controls, a remote microphone station, and controlled inputs. PAW Mini range is an ideal solution for small evac installations, like shops or restaurants, and does represent a very cost-effective solution because of the good combination of quality and price. We can confirm that in some international markets this family of devices is having a great trend.
a&s Adria: As stated, these systems are EN54-16 and EN54-4 certified. What do these standards stand for, and what are their benefits for installers and end users?
Hasna Nahdi: Discussing the EN54-16 & EN54-4 standards would probably require a dedicated interview but let us try to sum up what these standards stand for. EN 54 describes the minimum quality standards required for fire alarm systems, from smoke detectors and visual indicators to amplifiers and speakers. This ensures that life safety systems function clearly and reliably during emergencies. For example, voice alarms, which deliver pre-recorded spoken messages instead of a siren, are covered by two specific parts of EN 54 [EN 54-16, EN 54-24]. The EN54-16 and EN54-4 standards are part of the European standards linked to the larger world of fire detection and fire alarms. They are referring to the series of electronics and devices built to use audio to manage building evacuation for the complete safety of the people present within the buildings.
The manufacturing of these devices has to be carried out in accordance with specific rules. The production process has to be supervised by third-party laboratories and inspected regularly, while the devices must always be certified by an authorized third party. The device has to be identified by a CPR number. We can perfectly understand the level of tranquillity and peacefulness when we are in a hotel, a mall, or in any public place knowing that there are always the necessary devices to detect fire risk and safeguard our lives and secure our safe evacuation in case of emergencies. This does matter since our safety and our lives are most precious.
As for the installers, besides the specific certifiable skills they have to have, they are compelled per law to be identified as “fire field installers” to manage the maintenance of these installations. The relevant maintenance is mandatory per law to be carried out once every six months. Therefore, it requires certifiable skills but it is also an opportunity to widen the business opportunities by regularly doing the necessary maintenance.
a&s Adria: “Our main idea is decentralizing the EVAC system, something that years ago was not conceivable,” said Roberto Megazzini, Paso’s Sales Department Director. What does that mean in practice?
Hasna Nahdi: In fact, in the past when you were designing a big paging system, you had your big rack or central system located in a control room, from which you managed all zones. An EN54-16 certified voice alarm system decentralized per building or per facility allows you to isolate the area where you could have any kind of fault or specific alarm or specific maintenance activities while the rest is perfectly working as per the standards and as per the whole design concept and specification. In fact, you can use our PAW and your design will include, for example, a certain number of PAWs per building that are connected. If for any reason one of these PAWs is disconnected, the other PAWs will continue to operate perfectly.
a&s Adria: You are developing new amplifiers using modern GaN technology (gallium nitride or gallium nitride). How does that help you to obtain high performance? How did it reflect on your latest PMG1000-V Class D amplifiers 1000 W?
Hasna Nahdi: We have developed and started marketing our new GaN amplifiers 1000 W Class D equipped with a modern GaN (gallium nitride) technology, which provides high performance in terms of efficiency and space-saving. The main innovation relating to the use of this cutting-edge technology in the field of PA audio applications is the extreme speed and the ability to operate with high-voltage mains. The features of these new cascade devices allow operation at 300 volts with frequencies of 400 kHz at the same time – despite the extreme operating conditions. Thus, they can offer better performance than those of the equivalent silicon components, which have the limit of working with lower voltages. With these devices, it is also possible to have a 100-volt transformerless output line with a single amplifier (not two bridge amplifiers, as it is the case with silicon devices).
a&s Adria: Could you present some of the latest and most successful case studies, like the implementation of the EVAC system at the new Asclepios 3 Pavilion of the Bari Polyclinic? What verticals do you generally focus on?
Hasna Nahdi: Some of our latest case studies are the Vetra building located in a very famous area of Milan, Fundació Catalana de l’Esplai in Barcelona, Haapavesi High School in Finland, FAO Schwarz store in Milan – the Sign building in Milan, Hospital of Al Madinah Al Munawwarah in Saudi Arabia, the 17th century Church of S. Monica in Cremona in Italy, the Mall of Sanremo in the Ligurian Riviera of Italy, etc. In general, our VA/PA main vertical markets are health, hospitality, retail, education, and industrial infrastructures.
a&s Adria: What else can we expect from PASO in the near future? Do you plan to open new offices in Europe?
Hasna Nahdi: We will continue expanding our export network and we are continuously developing our VA solutions in accordance with EN54 standards. EN54 are European standards but there are differences even within Europe from one country to the other. Thanks to good listening to the market, PASO R&D is always adapting and customizing our main solutions in response to some local and specific additional requirements with regard to local standards and global legislations. We act locally and go globally through strong partnerships to which we always transfer specific parts of our expertise.
a&s Adria: How do you intend to increase your share of the Adriatic region’s market? Are you looking for partners? Was Adria Security Summit a good opportunity for you to meet new potential customers?
Hasna Nahdi: Adriatic region is a very specific area composed of small markets within which export exchange is not always smooth. Thanks to our second participation at the Adria Security Summit, we progressively started generating interest around our brand and solutions. We hope that this trend will continue and will be converted into real and specific opportunities and businesses. Besides those two countries in which the Summit was held, we are not present in other countries of the Adriatic region. We do believe that your conference and exhibition has a very good format and can only help us establish our brand in other markets.
Advanced, a world leader in intelligent fire systems, will be exhibiting on stand F24, Hall 4 at Intersec 2023 (17-19 January at Dubai World Trade Centre). Advanced will be showcasing its versatile and scalable offering that makes it the one-stop shop for fire-safety solutions. On display will be some exciting new and updated products including the company’s innovative AxisGo, the UL system Axis AX, and its versatile wireless technology.
Advanced’s flexible product range offers solutions suitable for a wide range of settings – from large, complex commercial and industrial sites to small leisure, retail and high-end residential installations. Offering solutions for both UL and EN markets, Advanced really is a one-stop shop for fire safety solutions.
Sasi Kumar, Commercial Manager Middle East and Africa at Advanced said “We are pleased to be able to offer both EN and UL standard compliance in our Axis EN and Axis AX product ranges respectively. This flexibility is essential for our customers in the Middle East where both EN and UL solutions are used. Furthermore, we are proud that our UK-made products are proven to be robust, reliable, resilient and efficient and offer very effective false-alarm reduction capabilities.”
AxisGo is the new-generation, single-loop fire panel from Advanced that is versatile and packed with premium features, offering a powerful option for protecting smaller sites such as shops, restaurants, surgeries and villas. It provides cost-effective access to Axis EN range performance, quality and ease of use, in a simpler, non-networkable format for complete fire protection peace of mind. Available as a wired, wireless or hybrid system, this versatility makes AxisGo an ideal option when retrofitting onto existing systems that need to be expanded or in settings where disruption from fire system work must be avoided.
To meet demand in the GCC for both EN and UL solutions Advanced offers the Axis EN and Axis AX product ranges respectively. The Axis range is not only robust and versatile, but also easy to use – from installation and commissioning to servicing, maintenance and day-to-day operation.
The Axis EN system provides powerful networking capacity and can create robust networks of up to 200 panels. Networks can also be combined to create very large fire systems making the Axis EN ideal for complex, large-scale installations where the EN54 standard is specified. Whether networking complex, high-risk sites with complicated cause and effect, remotely monitoring networked sites, or integrating with building management systems (BMS), intuitive software and panel navigation make setup straightforward. Axis EN is also effective in minimising unwanted alarms thanks to AlarmCalm, Advanced’s built-in false alarm management and reduction software which all adds up to making Axis EN a trusted choice.
Meanwhile, the UL 864-approved Axis AX fire system makes light work of integrating smoke control and audio or voice options which are frequently required for fire systems in the Middle East. The flexible Axis AX offers integrated audio for automatic (and manual) fire alarm signalling and live voice paging during emergencies. The system also provides access to DynamixSmoke, a revolutionary approach to smoke control that uses a simple setup and programming process that radically reduces the time and associated costs of configuring fans and dampers. Whether configuring protection across a large networked site, integrating smoke control or combining an audio solution alongside a fire system, Axis AX’s powerful solutions give peace of mind that you are in complete control of your fire protection.
Advanced will also be demonstrating the versatility of its wireless offering at Intersec and will be showcasing its MxPro 5 open protocol approach. MxPro 5 offers freedom, flexibility and safety thanks to the panel’s compatibility with a range of leading detector protocols, making it ideal for retrofitting.
Also on display will be the ExGo extinguishing panel which protects critical infrastructure, data centres and sensitive sites where water extinguishing would destroy irreplaceable assets, so gas extinguishing is required. While, Advanced’s specialist redundant panel kicks in if the main fire panel stops working and offers 100% hot redundant panel protection – especially useful in settings where there can be no break in fire protection, such as large industrial plants and production lines.
Advanced is also looking to expand its presence in the GCC. The company has distribution partners in UAE, Oman and South Africa and is actively looking for new partners in the rest of the GCC and beyond, as well as OEM partnerships globally. In addition, Advanced is recruiting in the region to expand its sales and support teams. Come and to talk to the team on the Advanced stand to find out more.
For further information on Advanced and all their products tel: +971-504854165 email: skumar@advancedco.com or visit: https://uk.advancedco.com/
Uruguay has been home to quality football since time immemorial. While a football court is an age-old source of dreams and ambitions, it draws the young en masse which is exactly the demographics that Uniview wants to protect with its tried-and-tested products.
A series of cameras have been installed at the Futbol Playa Honda in Montevideo whose football court is now under the watchful eye of Univew’s products. The club asked for surveillance systems that will not only ensure fair play but also serve to protect the dreams of young aspiring football players. When going for this installation, the old adage that misses is as important a lesson for veteran players as the scores does not apply – Uniview’s cameras are not allowed to miss when it comes to the security of the Futbol Playa Honda’s breeding grounds of new talents.
Dahua Technology has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its wholly-owned subsidiary Lorex, a video security company headquartered in Canada with operations in North America and the U.K. to Skywatch a privately held cloud services company headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Dahua states that the transaction is valued at around $72 million US dollars.
Commenting on the transaction, Fu Liquan, President and Chairman of Dahua Technology said, “Lorex has been a crown-jewel in Dahua’s global enterprise since we acquired it. However, it is in the best interest of our shareholders, customers, employees and other stakeholders to execute this transaction, which will create value in both the immediate-term for our company, and over the long-term for Lorex’s stakeholders. We wish the Lorex team every success in this next chapter of their journey.”
The transaction will enable Skywatch to accelerate its entrance into the North American market and other international markets for its growing cloud services business, while enabling Lorex to further grow its already robust video security business in its existing markets. The company does not expect to change its footprint in the markets in which it operates and aims to drive growth across those markets and potential new markets in the coming years.
“Over the course of more than 30 years, Lorex has established itself as one of the most trusted brands in video security in North America. We look forward to working with Lorex’s world-class team to build on its trusted brand, distributor relationships, and industry-leading products to fuel future company growth and to meet growing customer demand for smart video security and IoT solutions. This transaction not only adds a valuable and growing asset but also paves the way for our cutting-edge cloud services business to establish itself in the North American market. Together, we see an enormous opportunity to create exceptional value”, said Skywatch founder Chairman Dr. Wei-Chao Chen.
Let’s be honest: thieves of all categories simply adore trading establishments. Someone pulls a wallet out of a woman’s purse while in line, someone opens the cash register at night, or someone shovels things from the counter under their jacket. The video surveillance system will help to punish miscreants. How to make it as effective as possible?
Among the most important criteria are correctly chosen places for installing CCTV cameras. It’s one thing if you have a small shop. In this case, literally, several CCTV cameras will be enough: in the entrance-exit area and the main hall, so that the cash register and counters are visible. But if the store is a little bigger, it is worth considering all the “hot” points.
Let’s start with the most obvious:
Trading hall. If its area is large, then several CCTV cameras should be placed around the perimeter.
Cash desks, as well as checkout areas
Entrances/exits, including rear and emergency exits
Warehouses with goods
luggage storage
The area close to the store
Installation of CCTV cameras in these places is a “must-have”, and it is probably not necessary to explain why exactly. However, there are several places that are often forgotten, but which are no less important.
Ramps and loading platforms: more for personal safety, but thefts happen there too.
Entrances to service premises: the personal things of employees and store property are often the target of offenders. For example, someone can quickly grab a laptop from the office if the workplace is left unattended.
The area with ATMs, top-up terminals, coffee machines, etc.: it is always crowdy here, people stand in lines, get money, wallets… A fishy place for a thief. And a larger predatory “fish” can target an entire ATM, pretending to be a technical specialist!
Area with garbage cans: unfortunately, employees of large stores are also not very honest. Taking something expensive to the trash and then picking it up is also a working scheme.
A little general advice. In trade establishments, CCTV cameras should be installed in the most visible places. This will become a factor of passive protection. Having felt the watchful “look” of the video surveillance system, the thief will most likely change his mind about committing a crime.
Partizan video surveillance systems have been helping bring shoplifters to justice since 2008! Contact us and we will choose the best option for any task
After a string of live events in Belgrade and Zagreb which broke attendance records, Adria Security Summit Powered by Intersec 2023 goes back to the EU with a show in Ljubljana scheduled for October 25-26 2023. It’s the Summit’s second outing in Ljubljana, which is only fitting considering that it has now established itself on the roadmap of the key European industry events.
The venue is Gospodarsko razstavišče (Dunajska cesta 18), a place that will bring together leading regional and global industry leaders in the fields of security, cyber security, IoT, ICT, smart solutions, mobility, and automation.
This year, the event will put a twist on its tried-and-tested formula by focusing on innovations in the most hands-on sense – making the innovations serve the market without intermediaries by helping it take the existing challenges in stride and integrate diverse solutions into a single system that works across national legislations.
By focusing on innovation, Adria Security Summit will reinvent itself while building upon what worked for it in the past and what drew in the record-breaking numbers of attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors. This year, the projections go beyond what was achieved last year in Zagreb, so the organizers expect to see over 150 exhibitors, 3000+ visitors, 20+ event partners, 3600+ meetings, and a conference program built around panel discussions, podcasts, keynotes, case studies, startup and showroom presentations.
Speaking of innovations, Adria Security Summit will also streamline its important facet of serving as a business hub that brings together partners within and beyond the scope of industries it covers and helps them gain a foothold in the local and regional markets, propel their investments, build lasting business alliances and get to know the cutting-edge technologies.
Security cameras made by Chinese company Hikvision can no longer be installed in or on government buildings after cabinet minister Oliver Dowden declared them “current and future possible security risks”. This came after calls for a nationwide ban by a group of MPs and peers, but doesn’t go far enough, according to the UK’s outgoing biometrics and surveillance cameras commissioner.
Hikvision is partly owned by the Chinese government and is the largest CCTV provider in the world, serving schools, public institutions and secret laboratories in the UK. It supplies up to 60% of UK public bodies with CCTV cameras according to a report by Big Brother Watch, which found that the cameras from Hikvision and Dahua, another partly Chinese government-owned manufacturer, were used by 73% of local authorities, 35% of police forces and 63% of schools in the UK.
The new decision by the UK government includes a ban on the future installation of any security cameras made by companies subject to Chinese security laws and came after a review of the security risks linked to surveillance systems on the government estate.
“The review has concluded that, in light of the threat to the UK and the increasing capability and connectivity of these systems, additional controls are required,” Dowden wrote in a statement to parliament.
Over a million of these cameras are thought to be on buildings across the UK, including on government and publicly owned property.
In a statement to the media, Hikvision said it was “categorically false to represent Hikvision as a threat to national security.”
“Hikvision is an equipment manufacturer that has no visibility into end users’ video data,” the Hangzhou-based company said. “Hikvision cannot access end users’ video data and cannot transmit data from end-users to third parties. We do not manage end-user databases, nor do we sell cloud storage in the UK. Our cameras are compliant with the applicable UK rules and regulations and are subject to strict security requirements.”
The five key elements of Intersec are Commercial & Perimeter Security, Homeland Security, Fire & Rescue, Safety & Health, and Cyber Security
Event highlights forecasted regional commercial security market growth to USD 84.6 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 6.4%.
Dubai, UAE: Security industry professionals from around the world are expected in Dubai in January to explore the strategies and advanced technologies that will future-proof global safety. More than 1,000 exhibitors from 120+ countries will unite at the 24th edition of Intersec, the world’s leading trade fair for safety, security, and fire protection. The show will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from January 17-19, 2023, with exhibitors providing access to more than 10,000 products across the complete security value chain.
Advanced technological innovation will dominate the exhibition’s five key segments, followed by Commercial & Perimeter Security, the second largest sector represented. Homeland security is supported by Dubai Police and Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) and is dedicated to products and solutions for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Airport, and Aviation Security.
Fire & Rescue will showcase the latest firefighting technologies, the best international standards, and practices, and is supported by the Dubai Civil Defence. Safety and Health will be divided into environmental, industrial, and public health and safety, and lastly, Cyber Security will host cyber solutions, experts, from national leaders to public & private sector professionals, from cyber connoisseurs to advisors, hackers to responders, and cyber economists to corporate buyers.
“We anticipate up to 30,000 security, emergency response, safety and cybersecurity professionals attending Intersec 2023, where technological breakthroughs will take centre stage and attract an influential participant profile,” said Alex Nicholl, Show Director, Messe Frankfurt Middle East. “Industry experts, influencers, decision and policymakers, and distributors are uniting to explore the strategies and technologies that will govern the safety and wellbeing of future generations.”
The event takes place against a backdrop of anticipated sector growth. Research firm 6W Research forecast the Middle East’s commercial security market will grow 16 per cent a year until 2025 to reach US$8.4 billion, while the region’s fire and safety sector will advance 7.5 per cent annually to reach US$16.76bn by 2026.
“This huge potential has attracted a line-up of leading industry heavyweights, including Honeywell, Bosh, Hochiki, Drager and AXIS Communications,” added Nicholl.
The conference think tank:
The Intersec 2023 Conference will be a think tank for future industry strategies, with four focused segments. The conference streams will feature the Intersec Security Leaders’ Summit, and dedicated seminar streams focusing on safety and health, fire and rescue, and tackling ever-growing sophisticated cyber security threats.
The 2023 Intersec Security Leaders’ Summit is a high-level strategic summit for the leaders and stakeholders of the security industry to collaborate, innovate and actively seek new technologies to meet the rapidly changing needs of the industry.
Tackling cybercrime:
The Middle East and Africa’s cybersecurity market size was valued at USD 5.92 Billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 19.79 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 14.35% from 2022 to 2030. The Intersec Cybersecurity Seminars will feature the latest trends, drivers, challenges and successful case studies across industries that are playing a substantial role in shaping the cybersecurity industry growth.
“The Cybersecurity Seminars will provide a platform of expertise, best practices, and solutions that cater to those working in and managing cyber defence. With key themes including resilience, risk and future-tech among others, the presents a rare opportunity for industry players to network with global CTOs, CISOs, heads of cybersecurity, and system integrators with real purchasing power,” said Nicholl.
Intersec 2023 has the support of Dubai Police, the Directorate General of Dubai Civil Defence, The Security Industry Regulatory Agency and Dubai Municipality.
2022 saw marked growth in the market for majority of the Security 50 companies in video surveillance and access control. However, the year is ending with the physical security industry dealing with issues that will point to major challenges in the year ahead.
Looking at this year’s Security 50, we can see the Top 10 companies remain somewhat consistent. The top 10 biggest manufacturers in video surveillance and access control (based on 2021 revenue of security product sales) is Hikvision Digital Technology, Dahua Technology, ASSA ABLOY, Axis Communications, Motorola Solutions, Uniview Technologies, Tiandy Technologies, Allegion, Hanwha Techwin and Aiphone. Of note, Hikvision’s 2021 revenue exceeded the US$10 billion mark, standing at $10.1 billion, growing 16.9 percent from 2020’s $8.64 billion.
Security 50 2022: Top 10 manufacturers in video surveillance and access control
“We believe that technological innovation is the key element for successful development of a tech company. Our innovative technologies, products and solutions are creating values for customers, and helping many different people and types of organizations increase safety, operational efficiency and sustainability. We are glad to see that customers demonstrate long-term trust in us in return, which supports growth of the company,” said Frank Zhang, VP of Hikvision Digital Technology. “We have noticed that more external uncertainties emerged last year and this year, as inflation, interest rate hike, and exchange rate changes are affecting growth of different economies. Through optimizing our operations with enhanced flexible manufacturing processes, logistics and localized service, Hikvision has successfully maintained product delivery efficiencies. And we have kept consistent investment in technology research and development, with the R&D spending accounting over 10 percent of our total revenue in 2021. All these efforts ensured continued positive development of the company.”
Six companies are new entrants to Security 50 this year. They are: Dnake (intercom), Jovision (video) and EVETAR (lens), all from China; as well as Evolv, a U.S.-based screening solutions provider; Ava Group, an Australian risk management solutions provider; and Webgate, a Korea-based video surveillance company.
For Chinese companies, a total of 15 are in Security 50 this year. Among them, Hikvision, Dahua, Uniview and Tiandy are within Top 10. Most Chinese companies reported 2021 growth, indicating impacts from U.S.-led trade sanctions on Chinese goods were limited.
It’s interesting to note, however, that a lot of Chinese companies reported year-over-year revenue declines in the first half of this year. Hikvision, meanwhile, posted a total net profit of $848.6 million in the first half of 2022, down 11.14 percent from the first half of 2021, though its 2022 H1 revenue increased 9.9 percent y-o-y.
Yet this has more to do with China’s own domestic COVID and other issues, rather than the trade conflict itself. “Much of this is down to conditions in the Chinese domestic market rather than tariffs and trade restrictions in the US. The first half of 2022 has seen restrictions on movement in several major Chinese cities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Government spending has therefore been diverted away from other areas and towards battling COVID-19 and supporting its economy during lockdowns,” said Josh Woodhouse, Lead analyst and Founder, and Jon Cropley, Principal Analyst, of Novaira Insights.
Speaking of U.S.-China trade conflict, all eyes are watching whether Taiwan security makers have benefited. Upon an initial look, this is indeed the case as certain Taiwan companies, including Dynacolor, Hi Sharp and GeoVision, reported good growth in 2021. Yet given Taiwan manufacturers’ smaller scale and capacity, whether they can continue to benefit from OEM orders transferred from China remains to be seen. In fact, most Taiwan manufacturers have re-strategized to make niche, value-added solutions in, for example, smart transportation, and that has been one of the contributing factors to their successes.
2021-2022 review: Growth returned to physical security market
Looking back at 2021 and 2022, indeed growth returned to security due to an easing of the pandemic. “With more availability of vaccines and treatments for COVID-19, many businesses were able to start pivoting their business strategies towards creating a safe environment for employees and customers to return to physical spaces, while also maintaining (and even expanding) the remote solutions implemented during the height of the pandemic,” said Danielle VanZandt, Senior Industry Analyst for Security at Frost & Sullivan. “For many security technology markets, spending and investment opportunities returned back to their pre-pandemic levels, with some technologies witnessing further gains due to ongoing digitalization initiatives—markets like biometrics, access control, video analytics, and digital intelligence all witnessed significant growth this year.”
Across the global markets there is a solid underlying market growth … One driver for that is the overall increasing interest in security and network video solutions. Another driver is that of technology development. The demand for our products increases as we develop new and more innovative products and solutions to address customer demands,” said Ray Mauritsson, CEO at Axis Communications.
2023 forecast: Challenges lie ahead for security industry
Just when we thought the pandemic nightmare was about to be over, a new set of challenges and difficulties have emerged, impacting various industries including security. A post-COVID surge in demand, as well as the aftermath of regional conflicts, have triggered the worst supply chain crisis in a generation. This has also partially contributed to out-of-control, across-the-board inflation in a range of areas, from energy to food to consumer products. To curb inflation, interest rates have been hiked to the highest in years, raising the spectre of recession. Indeed, the world we knew pre-COVID has changed, and, despite a return to growth in security, the above-mentioned challenges bode not so favorably for the industry in the coming year.
Supply chain issues
As mentioned, the security industry is now faced with certain challenges, one being the worst supply chain crisis in decades. “As with many other companies, we have been affected by supply chain issues. Lockdowns and other disruptions caused by the pandemic was one factor. The shortage of components, which was worsened by the pandemic, was also a major factor. Product re-designs and spot market component purchases has been two examples to minimize the effect of supply shortages. Longer lead times led to slower growth than expected in 2020 and 2021. As we now are starting to see improvements in our supply chain, we are expecting to return to double-digit growth,” Mauritsson said.
Of all the component shortages, semiconductor shortages were particularly severe. This, then, has produced ramifications for security players. “Restrictions on movement due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in demand for consumer electronics. People required laptops to work from home and for home-schooling and spent more of their income on home entertainment. All this equipment required semiconductors causing huge growth in demand for them. Video surveillance equipment vendors were just one group competing for supply of semiconductors. Car manufacturers and smartphone producers were among the other groups,” Woodhouse and Cropley said.
“As far as components, one of the hardest hit technologies was in chips for any type of processor for analytics, intelligence functions, or edge capabilities. These were high in-demand solutions from all customers, so securing components in a timely manner became a key differentiator for projects pitched and won over the last year. Security vendors who were able to diversify their supply chains to secure these components and not feel the impact of adjusted logistical routes globally found themselves to be the ultimate winners,” VanZandt said.
Inflation
Inflation is also now affecting a range of industries including security. “The price of video surveillance equipment is now being impacted by inflationary pressures in the wider economy. With utility prices, labor costs and raw material costs all rising quickly, video surveillance vendors will be forced to pass on cost increases to their customers in the form of equipment price increases. The average price of a network camera is forecast to increase in both 2022 and 2023,” Woodhouse and Cropley said.
Amid the price increase, security players had to re-strategize and think of ways to retain customers. “Inflation has caused costs to raise across the board and security technology components were not an exception to this. Many vendors and integrators did have to increase their prices in order to counter this, but they turned towards offering more flexible payment models for customers, as many projects did have longer timelines than they typically would,” VanZandt said. “Additionally, much of the industry focus has turned towards enhancing the overall customer experience including offering more personalized service models. Not only does this service-based approach fit with the overall trends of the industry, but it also helps vendors to prevent significant levels of customer churn.”
Other challenges
Geopolitical conflicts in certain parts of the world have also taken a toll on security players. “The ongoing geopolitical issues that we see is of course causing concern and uncertainty. For instance, we have, as did many other companies, suspended our business operations in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine,” Mauritsson said.
The specter of potential new data privacy regulations globally also continues to impact many new analysis and intelligence capabilities across the security industry. “Because of this, vendors must build any new solutions with the inherent privacy features already mandated in other regions or countries or have the inherent flexibility in their solution design that they can make quick changes in order to meet any new requirements that come into play,” VanZandt said.
Growth prospects murky for physical security in 2023?
Indeed the security industry is seeing growth return this year. As for next year, things look more uncertain.
“In the first half of the year, our overseas business still maintained a rapid growth, thanks to the company’s years of deep-rooted overseas efforts. It also continued to promote business localization strategies, and improved the global supply chain and various supporting systems. Business opportunities in Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East are relatively optimistic; but there are also regions with relatively weak growth,” said Fu Liquan, Chairman of Dahua Technology. “Looking forward, overseas businesses will continue to face regional factors, inflation and other objective conditions, but the global market is vast, with opportunities and challenges coexisting, and there is still growth potential in the long run.”
Amid the challenges mentioned earlier, there is likely to be a correction in the market, impacting growth.
“The world market for video surveillance hardware and software is forecast to grow 11.7 percent in 2022. It is forecast that economic problems will impact both public and private spending on video surveillance equipment in 2023. At the same time, inflationary pressures will persist. The world market for video surveillance hardware and software is forecast to grow 6.4 percent in 2023,” Woodhouse and Cropley said.
“While I don’t expect that 2023 will be a total downturn in overall industry growth metrics, I do expect that it will cause a market correction, where growth metrics go from their high double-digit figures, and decrease back to a more sustainable, but significant 8-9 percent year-over-year,” VanZandt said, adding while challenges remain, they also bring opportunities.
“Inflation concerns, supply chain challenges, and instability in global energy markets is all causing businesses to pause many new security investments until they can see what the final impacts could be to their budgets and bottom lines. This does offer opportunities for security vendors to work that much closer with their existing customers in order to identify ways that they can augment existing solutions already in use, giving vendors feedback on potential new features to introduce or to offer testing of new capabilities with these customers before restarting investment discussions,” she said.
As for security trends for next year, AI, edge computing, cloud and cybersecurity will continue to dominate. Meanwhile, multi-dimensional perception will be another development to look for.
“From Hikvision’s perspective, multi-dimensional perception will be another big trend that will enable the security industry going to the next level. Beyond visible light imaging, we see more perception capabilities, like radar, thermal imaging, x-ray screening, temperature measuring, humidity sensing, and gas leak detection that are being added to security devices and systems, making them more powerful,” Zhang said. “By better ‘sensing’ the outside environment, identifying events, and providing more detailed information, multi-dimensional perception creates new possibilities for video security systems to be used in ever wider scenarios and applications. We are extending our machine perception technologies to the full electromagnetic spectrum, and have developed innovative products and applications that pick up X-rays, infrared rays, millimeter radar waves, sound waves, and temperature variations.”
Top growth companies share their secrets to success
By: William Pao
Taking a look at this year’s Security 50, we can see clearly that growth has returned to the security industry. In this article we spoke with some of the growth companies to see what their secrets of success were.
In last year’s Security 50, something unprecedented happened, with more companies – 28 – reporting revenue declines than growth in the height of the pandemic. Things are different this year: a large majority of companies reported year-over-year growth in 2021 revenue, reflecting what the industry was like pre-pandemic.
“We have experienced phenomenal growth in EMEA both last year and in 2022. Still, it has been a relief for all of us in the security industry to come out of two years of COVID lockdown. Being able to meet partners and customers face to face has been vital for Milestone and our sales in the first half of the year,” said Jos Beernink, VP for EMEA at Milestone Systems.
“Our growth and profitability are accelerating right into 2022, reflecting our continued leadership in specialty RFID applications for the IoT sector. We’re growing substantially faster than any of our segments which means we’re taking share from other companies,” said Steve Humphreys, CEO of Identiv. “Last quarter our RFID revenue grew 41 percent year-over-year. Our premises business grew 20 percent year-over-year. And our total revenue increase grew 16 percent year-over-year.”
Strategizing for growth
In total, 40 companies in this year’s Security 50 reported growth last year, with 28 growing by double to triple digit. The Top 10 companies in video surveillance and access control that grew the most in 2021 were: Evolv Technologies, CP Plus, DynaColor, Webgate, Intelbras, Dongguan Yutong Optical Technology, Motorola Solutions, Gallagher, Hanwha Techwin and TVT Digital Technology.
Of note, Evolv, a provider of weapons detection security screening solutions, reported a 2021 revenue of US$21.77 million, compared to $3.92 million for 2020 and translating into a y-o-y growth of 455.98 percent, due to the company’s effort to add customers and expand into key verticals and geographic markets.
Indeed, these growth figures demonstrate security companies’ strength and resilience amid various challenges presented by COVID. So how did they do it? We spoke with some of the growth companies to find out.
Staying nimble and responsive
Staying nimble and responsive amid adversity is critical. “All told, it’s been a very interesting past couple of years, first dealing through Phase 1 of the pandemic in 2020, and then phase 2 in 2021. It was our supply chain that got us through these years. We were able to get ahead of the shutdown and pre-order 4x our general monthly orders for our main suppliers once we heard the World Health Organization was in Wuhan, China, knowing how quickly China closes when needed. Two days after our orders were placed, the shutdown happened. So having inventory was certainly a major factor, as much as having production teams willing to be in our headquarters building products for customer orders,” said Jeff Burgess, Founder and CEO of BCDVideo.
Value creation for customers
Another key to growth is value creation for customers who can continue to stick to the supplier.
“With the growth of Dahua’s AI implementation ability and its continuous effort in exploring data value, the company has gradually expanded its business from traditional security to enterprise operation and management. By helping enterprises reduce costs and increase efficiency, the value of each client has been greatly improved. The company’s arduous effort in business has promoted the continuous improvement of each client’s value, which is a significant factor that drives performance growth,” said Fu Liquan, Chairman of Dahua Technology.
According to Humphreys, a commitment to value creation is exactly the reason why the company achieved growth even amid the biggest global supply chain crisis seen in a generation.
“The reality is that supply chain shortages haven’t been this bad since 1972. The RFID industry has predominantly been dominated by companies that just want to get a simple design and then crank them out in the hundreds of millions. From a business perspective that’s never been our position, partly because that’s not where the margins are,” he said. “When we go to market, the entire arc of the whole business platform is going in the direction of higher value add solutions. We are comfortable with long sales cycles. We understand customers aren’t even necessarily going to know what they can accomplish when they start out. We introduce a highly collaborative and educational selling process with customers.”
Commitment to technology innovation
Closely related to value creation is technology innovation, which allows companies to deliver products/solutions required by users. “Identiv is designing and delivering next-generation solutions that are enabling the future of the IoT. We’re a technically deep company, which is helping us to get more market share,” Humphreys said. “Technology touches people every day and it’s at our core and that drives across the premises business and the identity business, especially in RFID. Although finding great talent across all departments is a major challenge in security, we have some of the most innovative and brilliant engineering minds in the industry working in research and development. Those engineers are making the technology more deeply embedded, leveraging it more effectively, and then making it totally pervasive so that security is all-encompassing.”
Respecting local laws and policies
For multinationals, respecting local laws and policies is key to ensuring growth in overseas business. “In the face of the current complex and changeable global political and economic environment, Dahua respects the laws, policies and customs of various countries and adopts the approach of ‘one country, one policy’ to meet the requirements of globalization compliance,” Fu said. “The company continues to strengthen the strategy for the localization of overseas employees by building an international marketing and management team as well as localized marketing and service centers to further explore the global market. Globalization and the continuous growth in overseas market will also contribute to future business growth of the company.”
Growth expected to continue
Looking into 2023, most companies expressed optimism growth will continue. “We are very bullish about the security market because AI and Machine Learning open a whole new scale of possibilities, solutions, and integrations in and beyond security,” Beernink said. “At, for example transportation clients like airports, we see that our clients are enormously challenged to keep their operations running whilst challenged on employees and being confronted with much higher passenger quantity. This as an example drives a demand for clever VMS security solutions. Security managers in our markets are challenged to do more with less resources. We at Milestone Systems have great solutions to fulfil that market trend.”
“Over the past twenty years, we have been through tsunamis, memory factory fires in Japan, recessions, and presidential elections. We have basically seen it all, so we always feel like we are ready for anything. As we continue to challenge ourselves to deliver more platforms to the market, such as the Q4 2022 release of our All-in-One NVR and Deepstor high-availability external storage, it will allow us to widen our brand globally. This is also why we are forecasting twenty-percent year-over-year growth in 2023,” Burgess said.
