Interview: Alberto Banzola, Sales Manager, DEA Security
We like to follow our partners in accomplishing their customers’ needs in perimeter protection from A to Z: we do it by designing the perimeter protection together with them, being on the field and getting our hands dirty to demonstrate what our products can do for their security. We like challenges and at the same time being able to prove with facts the validity of our products: we always gladly do surveys and we follow the start-up phases, especially for underground products that need special attention during installation.
By: Damir Muharemovic; E-mail: editorial@asadria.com
a&s Adria: Can you present yourself to our readers, your educational and professional background?
Banzola: I am Alberto Banzola. I am 47 years old, married and father of two girls. I have been the Sales Manager of DEA Security since November 2023, the company where I have been involved since July 2019 as Export Manager. I have been in the security industry since 2002 when I accepted the challenge to change the sector after three years in the textile industry dealing with the Far East where I was based. Over the past 22 years I have held managerial positions for international groups (Faac, Zucchetti, Somfy) and today I am putting all my experience in a dynamic environment I feel proud to be a part of. I consider myself a lucky guy: after a few years in the ranks, I have had the opportunity to deal with important managerial realities, to travel, to get to know and to continuously face an ever-changing industry.
a&s Adria: Tell us the history of your company: its beginnings, development, milestones, stats (number of employees, revenue, etc.)?
Banzola: DEA Security started its business in the early 70s: Grandpa Augusto and his sons Aldo and Giorgio – actual owners of the company – created an installation company, which evolved in a few years, in the early 80s, when one of their customers asked to realize something to protect the fencing of his warehouses. It was the beginning of a history of success, in an industry where we have been absolute pioneers.
The company grew, changing dimensions and working modalities year after year: today we are an entity of 25 people, with in-house R&D and production. Since day 1 we had milestones based on the exclusivity of our products and technologies (we realized over 32 International patents since 1988), providing tailor-made solutions for our partners. We consider ourselves “industrialised craftsmen”: we like to think we make excellent products with extreme care. After all, we have more engineers than salespeople: some may think this is a limitation: for us, it is a way of trying at all costs to have unique and long-lasting products. Our turnover in 2023 overpassed 3M€, and the 40% is realized in the international markets: we are present worldwide from Mexico to Hong Kong.
a&s Adria: What extensive professional services does your company offer?
Banzola: We like to follow our partners in accomplishing their customers’ needs in perimeter protection from A to Z: we do it by designing the perimeter protection together with them, being on the field and getting our hands dirty to demonstrate what our products can do for their security. We like challenges and at the same time being able to prove with facts the validity of our products: we always gladly do surveys and we follow the start-up phases, especially for underground products that need special attention during installation. We never leave alone those who put trust in us and in the meantime, we reduce the aftersale to a minimum. Of course, all our partners are trained on our solutions: we offer extensive training at our and/or at their premises. Last but not least, all of our product is checked during and tested after the production process; before delivering a project, we test again in the company all the elements that will be installed.
a&s Adria: DEA Security’s perimeter defense systems realize four layers of protection. What are those and what product series do they encompass?
Banzola: In our mentality any perimeter includes others: there’s never one layer only of protection. Starting from the external limit of a property to the building present inside, there are several layers and perimeters to protect, that need different levels. Recently EU – speaking about the protection of critical infrastructures – made reference to our same way of thinking.
Normally the first level layer of protection is the one that delimits the boundaries of a property: this is where walls or fences of any kind come and our products such as FUSION P2P, SERIR 50 or TORSUS 50 come into play. Immediately afterwards there is always the land that needs attention: the second ring is discreetly protected with SISMA CP50 underground solutions, a product that is invisible to the eye and which protects perfectly the green area (gardens/soil surfaces) up to Layer number 3 is based on the floorings, where we use SISMA CA: in this case, you may find in front of the entrance areas, as doors and windows that need to be protected before anybody will try to arrange an intrusion attempt. As well we use these sensors to protect special zones not necessarily connected to a building, creating invisible “traps” in the paved to understand if an intrusion is happening and where. Layer number 4 is based on the protection of indoor surfaces like walls/doors/windows through dual tech sensors able to detect any attack.
a&s Adria: The first layer of perimeter protection is consisted of fence-mounted systems. FUSION P2P, the new generation of DEA fence-mounted intrusion detection systems. How does this system work, what is it consisted of, and where can it be deployed?
Banzola: FUSION P2P is a pin-point solution based on active sensors installed any 3/5 meters: FUSION P2P, based on the revolutionary and patented dual-tech DSF, detects any kind of intrusion attack based on breakthrough / cutting / thermal attack / climbing over the fence. The strength of this solution is the point ID detection of the alarm, allowing us to know exactly where the alarm is generated.
The system can be installed on any kind of fencing (chainlink / mesh welded / electrowelded / semi-rigid / rigid / walls / concertinas).
a&s Adria: FUSION P2P is the first outdoor perimeter system to employ DEA Sensor Fusion (DSF) dual-tech detection technology. Can you explain in detail the benefits of this technology?
Banzola: After 5 years of developments, in January 2020 DEA Security introduced to the market a new dual technology based on the combination of the 2 technologies most used on the perimeter protection for fencing. Piezodynamic and Mems (accelerometer) transducers are “playing” together in our sensors, working separately but fusing their data using algorithms. This allows us to increase sensibly the security of the perimeter surfaces, minimizing the risk of false alarms on the first layer of protection. Covered by international patents DSF technology – present in Fusion P2P and most of our indoor sensors – makes unique the protection of the perimeter where they are installed, keeping the best ratio price/quality on the market.
a&s Adria: FUSION P2P system is designed in accordance with Security Grade 4 (high risk) of Directive EN 50131-1. What does this mean?
Banzola: The fencing protection doesn’t exist in any norm. But referring to EN50131-1, applied only in indoor applications, FUSION P2P complies with all the rules explained in the norm, including redundancy. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to certify the products because EN50131-1 does not apply to outdoor installations.
a&s Adria: For smaller compounds you have offered controller Lite. What kind of compounds are we talking about, with how many sensors?
Banzola: The Lite controller keeps the same features as the full one, reducing the number of sensors managed. The Lite controller has 1 communication bus (100 sensors managed) instead of the 2 buses we can find in the full controller (300 sensors managed). This allows us to reduce sensibly the costs in front of small perimeters, keeping the same performance as the main controller. Resuming: Light price and high performances for small perimeters.
a&s Adria: What is the difference between FUSION P2P and the other two fence-mounted systems: SERIR 50 and TORSUS 50? What are they used for?
Banzola: FUSION P2P is an active dual-tech pinpoint sensor for any kind of fencing. SERIR 50 is a zone sensor, based on piezo dynamic technology, able to cover zones of 50 meters (maximum) on chainlink mesh and electro welded fencing. TORSUS 50 does the same as SERIR 50 but for rigid/semirigid fences. They are applied in all the perimeters where the security doesn’t need pinpoint detection, keeping elevated standards of security.
a&s Adria: The second and third layers are the SISMA CP 50 buried systems and SISMA CA and SISMA CA PF underfloor systems. How do these geoseismic detectors work and what are those systems consisted of?
Banzola: The SISMA family consists of buried intrusion detection sensors which create an invisible and unidentifiable detection band/area around the site to be protected (SISMA CP) or in front of the surface we wish to protect (SISMA CA- SISMA CA PF). This family of sensors employs special pressure sensors which detect a person standing or walking along a protected band/area. Using a passive technology, once installed they don’t require any maintenance need, have a long-life warranty time (10 years), and they are impossible to pass by, totally immune to any magnetic/weather disturbance.
a&s Adria: And the fourth layer are seismic shock detectors consisted of A03 PRO, SPC PRO and XENSITY series. What are the key featured of those indoor systems?
Banzola: These lines of products prevent any indoor intrusion attempts preventing the breakthrough of indoor surfaces and avoiding undesired presences inside buildings. We are talking about 3 different families of solutions based on
– stand-alone processing board connected up to 8 sensors each (A03 PRO) with piezo dynamic sensors to protect doors, windows, glazed windows, burglar bars, walls, ceilings and safes. Cheap but impressive solution, with App programming allowing deep programming with accurate settings
– stand-alone grade 3 certified sensors (SPC PRO) based on DSF technology with built-in processing board, involved also in the protection of safes and ATMs exceeding the limits of general seismic sensors and Microphonic cables. These are “state of art” sensors, available also in a version with an APP to program them to have tailored settings.
– Point ID indoor intrusion detection system (XENSITY) using DSF technology, able to identify the surface under intrusion attack, with the possibility to check by remote and in real-time the functioning and the settings of the system, allowing the centralize multi-site installations. Locally via bus, we can connect up to 64 sensors for a single IP-based controller, identifying the different kinds of intrusion attacks, including thermal tampers.
a&s Adria: XENSITY has recently been integrated with SISMA CA systems. How can an end-user benefit from this integration?
Banzola: Through this release we are able right now to cover a complete installation including indoor intrusion detection and outdoor underground hidden solution to have 360° protection in any kind of building, making easier connections and communications between the sensors and the alarm system.
a&s Adria: All of your systems benefit from the complete and robust DEA NET centralization and integration platform. What are its features and does it provide support for IP networks and most popular VMS and PSIM softwares?
Banzola: DEA NET environment allows first of all to acquire the signals (alarms/ tamper/ fail and so on) coming from the field / on-site systems and make them available via TCP/IP through local relay contacts.
As well we can also integrate the most popular VMS & PSIM through direct IP connections or by Plug-ins: we are already integrated into a lot of different solutions like Milestone/Genetec/Cortech Developments, just to mention some of them. And for the basic integrations, we are in a position to offer command strings to operate directly on the camera system of the installation via IP.
a&s Adria: DEA’s intrusion detection solutions are employed in protecting perimeters of any size and type. Can you present some of your recent case studies in different verticals?
Banzola: Recently we had several case histories, starting from the protection of the fencing of an international airport based in Southern Europe to several jewelleries in Spain. In this last case, the protection layers were 2, one for the external protection fencing, while the second was related to protecting walls and safes. The biggest data centre operating in Italy has recently performed 2 different installations, we also realized a couple of prisons.
a&s Adria: What can expect from your company in the upcoming period in terms of new products/product lines, technologies, or spreading to new markets?
Banzola: We are already working on the development of some new products that we will present in the coming months. As usual, we are going to be present on the market with something “revolutionary”: I can only say “stay tuned”, for the moment. In the markets we have to enlarge our presence: we have still many opportunities missed, due to the lack of knowledge of the market about us and our products. Step by step… We will get them.
a&s Adria: Your opinion on the Adriatic region / Western Balkans security market, its pros and cons? Are you looking for new partners in the region? And how do you plan to support them and from what office?
Banzola: This macroregion is very important: I started to work in the Adriatic region in 2002, creating important relationships, still alive. It’s a traditional and conservative market, difficult to penetrate: in any case, once you are in, you‘ll never go out. We are looking for new partners: we just started something, but there is a world of opportunities to be taken, together with the local partners. We follow all our export activities from our offices in Santo Stefano di Magra and Brescia. All our guys know that if we have to be somewhere in the Adriatic region, in a few days we will arrange our presence over there.
a&s Adria: Are you going to exhibit at this years’ Adria Security Summit in Sarajevo? Do you find the Summit a good opportunity to reach out to new customers?
Banzola: We started in 2020 to join the Adria Security Summit: from that edition, we never missed the opportunity to be present at the Summit. In my humble opinion, the Summit is one of the best meeting points for the security industry. For sure we will be present in Sarajevo.
