Interview: Alex Zanga, sales manager for Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, Grundig Security

Interviewed: Damir Muharemović

E-mail: redakcija@www.asadria.com

a&s Adria: Mr. Zanga, thank you for joining us today. Before we get into the details of Grundig’s security solutions, could you please give us an overview of your professional background and role at your company? (how and when did you started working for Grundig, what business area are you in charge with, what is it like working for a globaly renowned company, in what way does it supplements your career and is there something interesting from the time spent in your company you would like to highlight to our readers) 

A. Zanga: I work for Grundig since April 2012. And I felt very excited since my very first day working for Grundig. I have decided for Grudnig because it’s a great opportunity to work for a famous German brand. My responsibility is  Eastern European market as well as Nordic countries. It involves working with distributors, system integrators, after sales service, projects etc etc.

a&s Adria: Grundig is a renowned company dating even back to 1930’s. However, it had many turmoils trying to maintain its market position and expand into different product areas. Security division was no exception. Some would say that Grundig Security lost momentum in the video surveillance market. What changes did you have to take to gain your position back and how do you see Grundig’s position today? (tell us in general the history of your security division and its important milestones?)

A. Zanga: Actually Grundig history as a security brand goes back to 1953. So since 1953 and till 1997 Grundig was qualitative market leader and pace maker in the market of security systems, esp. for large installation and high end products. In 1997 GRUNDIG Electronics for Professional Security applications was acquired by Plettac & disapeared from the security market. Since that time a lot of things have changed in our business and we had to adopt. And in 2010 Grundig was back on security market with impressing and completely new product portfolio. In 2012 Grundig became part of Dutch holding TKH Group NV. This partnership gave a big boost for product development and presenting new technologies. So now in 2015 I can easily say that Grundig is back in the game. Since our comeback Grundig became again a valuable player on Security market.

a&s Adria: Tell us more about yours product range? What varieties of product do you manufacture and what applications do they have? 

A. Zanga: Grundig is offering whole range of security products for every market segment. In our portfolio you can find 1,3 and up to 4K high standard IP cameras with excellent image quality. We offer recording solutions, professional CCTV monitors as well HD-TVI and analogue products. We have solutions for all verticals. For example we have 3 product lines: Grundig Connect, Grundig Professional and Grundig Top line which meets every customer needs. So easily saying Grundig Connect has basic features, good quality and strong price. Grundig professional has complete features, top quality and reasonable price.  And finally Grundig Top line has advanced features, highest specification and value for money.

a&s Adria: What are the key benefits consumers can expect from Grundig? Your company has implemented Sony Xarina (Exmor) and ImmerVision’s panomorph lens technology. Tell us something about those technologies and what did you gain by implementing them?

A. Zanga: Yes indeed technology partners are very important for us at Grundig. First of all our IP cameras with Sony Xarina technology in combination with Exmor Sensors delivers: Superior Image Quality, Real True Color, Highest Sensitivity and Extremely Sharp image quality.  Our Panomorph cameras with ImmerVision technology delivers great 360° image using 6MP resolution and can replace several standard IP in some applications. For example you can use one Panomorph camera to secure small shop or pharmacy instead of 2 or 3 standard cameras.

a&s Adria: Market slowly moves to IP. At the same time, HD-over-Coax is prolonging the analog and each year gaining a larger market share. What’s Grundig’s position on this matter? Do you plan to make a total transition to IP or are you planning to offer some form of HD-over-Coax solution?

A. Zanga: Of course most new installation comes based on IP technolgies already but still there is a demand in analogue products. Because there could always be some applications where you can’t or not alowed to put IP networks. We are offering products based on two HD over coax technologies: Ex-SDI and HD-TVI. In order to all our customers could have perfect Full HD image quality no matter which cabling they are using.

a&s Adria: Recent market researches show that companies offering a total solution are increasing their market share and profit. Do you plan to expand your porfolio into another security area and what area would that be? What in general can we expect from Grunding in the upcoming year?

A. Zanga: Grundig developped from being a supplier of components to a supplier of video surveillance systems. In the future development Grundig wants to become a provider of solutions. Together with develoment teams in the TKH Group we have plans to expand in other sectors of security market as well. It will be exciting which surprises Grundig will have in the comming years.

a&s Adria: Integration is a must have today. With what VMS systems are yours products compatible with and what standards have you implemented?

A. Zanga: Most of the VMS platforms support Grundig. We are using ONVIF Profile S protocol which is supoprted by the 99,9% of VMS platforms. All reliable VMS vendors have done a native integration with Grundig IP cameras.

a&s Adria: What vertical market/s do you focus on?

A. Zanga:  We are very succesfull in Retail, Banking and City Surveilance. In the last years these were our top verticals. We have delivered lots of our products exactly there. These verticals selecetion comes from our partners. Our partners are sticked to these verticals. They are very strong in this business. Some of our partners are doing projects only for retail. Some ofthem only for Banks etc etc. And we support them in all kind of ways to win as much projects as possible. This kind of „team work“ brings good results for our partners and of course us.

a&s Adria: Present us some of your most important recent installations which were hardest to implement or have some sort of cultural, historical or national significance?

A. Zanga: One of my personal valuable projects was exactly on Adriatic region. It was a solution for SKB Bank in Slovenia and High Security Prison in Kosovo. I have spent many hours to create the solution for the end user. Both projects are successfully finished now and our equipment is working perfect. Unfortunately we’are not able to name more details about High Security Prison in Kosovo. Hope you understand why. But regarding the SKB Bank project in Slovenija  I can give some more information. SKB Bank required a video surveillance system that provided a high degree of protection to customers and staff, both inside and outside its premises. Internally, cashier desks, public floor areas and doorways were to be protected. Externally, ATMs were to be covered, along with some perimeter walls and all of the bank’s entrances. The new system’s image quality had to enable the positive identification of people and allow security staff to verify items at the cashier points, such as bank notes and critical documentation. GRUNDIG partner in Slovenia system’s Integrator VTZ d.o.o., was chosen by the bank to design and install the new video surveillance system. VTZ installed 135 indoor and outdoor Grundig cameras. Mr Aleksander Jeras, general manager for VTZ, added, “We selected cameras from the Grundig range for a number of reasons. They have been used by the SKB’s parent company, Société Générale, where they have successfully proven their image quality and reliability. The image quality met our customer’s data specifications, namely recognising bank notes and documents. The new video surveillance system offers the bank a number of significant  features, both at local and national levels. It enables operators to identify people in front of the cashier desks and provides both day and night surveillance using IR LED technology. The system has also coordinated all the bank’s CCTV onto a single platform, providing a comprehensive view of the entire bank’s security needs. SKB Bank in Slovenia is impressed with the quality of the installation and camera images.

a&s Adria: Tell us something about Grundig’s relations towards its partners, dealers, resellers… How do you support and benefit them? Do you organize trainings and seminaires?

A. Zanga: Customer care is one of our strongest sides. We always try to be closer to our partners. That is why we do continuously product trainings and seminars. We also try to not forget the entertament side. We organize annualy campaigns for our partners where they can enjoy some football games, attend on Oktoberfest in Germany or visit some car museums in Germany.

a&s Adria: Your opinion on Adratic region market and Grundig’s position in it? (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo). Are you looking for new partners, how do you plan to expand your market share, are you pleased with the market share, how do plan to expand, etc? What are the major challenges you have to face with?

A. Zanga: Yes, adriatic region is on my priority list now. Of course not everything is so smooth and easy. As we are European manufacturer we have faced some price problems before. But I’m sure we are over it with our new Connect line up. So I am always open for business opportunities in all Adriatic countries. Project business is growing each year so I’m looking forward to identify new system integrators in the Adriatic region. Specially with our new Budget GRUNDIG Conneft line up I expect we could do some significant sales in this region.

a&s Adria: Does your effort in Adriatic region includes promotion as security events and is Adria Security Summit as a largest event that gathered over 150 companies – an important opportunity to present your company? 

A. Zanga: I had a luck to participate on Adria Security Summit this year. And to be honest I was very surprised how well orginized everything was. Lots of Adriatic Security market key players was there. Easy and friendly atmosphere. So I see this summit is a great opportunity for professionals to meet and discuss business opportunities. So I plan to attend for the nex event as well.

a&s Adria: How do you see security market today, what will security market look like in the following years? What will be major trends?

A. Zanga: In my opinion everything will go to integration. I mean different systems should be integrated into one platform. Market needs showing us that everything should be controlled from one platform. Like access control, CCTV, fire and intrusion systems should be controlled from our powerful platform. With all analytics and statistics inside. I see this as a major trend on global market at the moment.

a&s Adria: What do you think about the entrance of IT companies into security, especially affecting certain areas such as video analytics, integration etc.? Will it contribute to higher interoperability and unification of security systems and products?

A. Zanga: I know a lot about this trend very well because I was working for some years for IT Company in the past. In my opinion this could bring some fresh blood to our business. Security business is quite conservative so this could bring us new people, new business models and of course new technologies. As a result we could offer wider portfolio and end user could get a better service.