Interview: Mihai Brana, Managing Director and Site Leader, Honeywell Romania
a&s Adria: Can you please tell us about your background and career journey, and what are your primary responsibilities as the Managing Director and Site Leader at Honeywell Romania?
Brana: I am an automation and industrial informatics engineer, as well as a passionate sales leader, specializing in electrical installation, automation, and electronic safety and security solutions for buildings and infrastructure. I have more than 20 years of experience in the field. In 2008, I joined Honeywell as the Country Sales Manager for Honeywell Life Safety Solutions in Romania. In 2014, I became the Commercial Leader for Fire and Public Address Voice Alarm (PAVA) Solutions in Southeast Europe. That same year, I was appointed Managing Director of Honeywell Romania SRL and served as the Site Leader for the Bucharest office.
When I joined Honeywell, the local Bucharest organization was relatively small. I had the opportunity to be part of, and to contribute as Site Leader to, the growth and development of the local team, which has since evolved into a large engineering, customer, and business support site. It is a privilege to represent Honeywell in interactions with third-party stakeholders—such as local authorities, professional associations, and academic institutions—to position our company as both a technology leader and a top employer. Most importantly, my responsibility as Site Leader is to ensure that our colleagues return home safely every day.
a&s Adria: Can you provide an overview of the fire alarm industry? What are the key factors driving its growth, and how do you see it evolving in the coming years?
Brana: The fire industry is constantly evolving, driven by global trends and challenges such as urbanization, digital transformation, the transition to green energy, a shortage of qualified workers, and an aging population. These trends are introducing new materials and technologies, which in turn are creating more complex fire risks and regulatory requirements. In response to these challenges, Honeywell’s primary goal is to shift from traditional fire detection to proactive fire prevention.
a&s Adria: How do trends in safety regulations and technology adoption impact the fire alarm industry globally and in Southeast Europe specifically?
Brana: Safety regulations must continuously adapt to evolving and increasingly complex risks, requirements, and innovative fire safety technologies. Ongoing dialogue among all industry stakeholders is essential to ensure improved fire safety and the effective adoption of new technologies. Equally important is the need for clear, proven, and indisputable compliance with existing norms and standards for any fire safety solution implemented in a given building.
Honeywell has developed an innovative all-in-one cloud platform—Honeywell Connected Life Safety Services (CLSS)—designed to help facility owners maximize the performance and uptime of Honeywell’s trusted fire detection and alarm systems. With CLSS, facilities can be made safer through real-time event notifications that support timely and accurate decision-making.
Digital records of all events and activities are generated to assist with compliance and insurance claims. Real-time visibility and remote connectivity help reduce unnecessary site visits and improve first-time fix rates. CLSS also enables faster, more efficient testing, maintenance, and reporting—boosting productivity and optimizing the use of a qualified workforce.
a&s Adria: What distinguishes Honeywell’s fire alarm systems from other players in this industry? How does Honeywell stay ahead in this highly competitive space?
Brana: Honeywell has long been an innovative and trusted player in the fire and safety industry. We leverage a multi-brand, multichannel approach to meet diverse market needs. In Southeast Europe, we promote a comprehensive portfolio through well-established brands such as XTRALIS, ESSER, Gent, NOTIFIER, and Morley-IAS. We have built a strong network of certified, long-term system integrators and distributors. Together, we deliver competitive technology solutions and localized services across a wide range of industry verticals—from ensuring the highest levels of safety and integrity in critical infrastructure to providing simple, easy-to-install fire detection and alarm systems for low fire-risk buildings.
In this competitive environment, maintaining long-term partnerships with professional system integrators and distributors is essential. Equally important is continued investment in innovative technologies that address the evolving challenges faced by our end users.
a&s Adria: Honeywell is known for its technological advancements. Can you share some of the latest innovations and products in your fire alarm systems?
Brana: Our technological advancements are continuously addressing the evolving challenges within the fire safety industry. For example, an aging population and individuals with limited mobility—such as patients in hospitals—often require more time to evacuate during a fire. This makes very early detection essential for enabling a quicker and more effective response. Aspirating smoke detection systems provide a critical advantage by continuously sampling the air in a room and detecting smoke particles far earlier than traditional detectors, which only activate once smoke reaches the ceiling. Early detection is also vital for protecting lives, assets, and data—particularly in environments like large data centers or expansive distribution facilities, which are increasingly common due to digital transformation and the relocation of manufacturing to Eastern Europe.
Another game-changing technology is the Honeywell Self-Test Detector. These detectors help reduce maintenance time by automating the testing and inspection process. Honeywell’s Self-Test Detectors feature an internal module that generates real smoke and/or heat to perform functional testing of the optical sensor. In an industry facing a shortage of qualified professionals, this innovation—especially when used alongside CLSS—helps ensure buildings remain compliant while optimizing the use of available personnel by reducing the need for traditional manual testing.
a&s Adria: What technologies do you use, for instance artificial intelligence, to enhance response times and reduce false fire alarms?
Brana: Honeywell has been integrating various advanced technologies into its fire safety systems to enhance response times and reduce false alarm incidents. We utilize smart sensors that combine multiple detection methodologies (heat, smoke, gas) into a single device. This multi-sensing capability reduces the chances of false alarms caused by isolated factors. The sensors are equipped to evaluate the context of the signals they receive before triggering an alarm, ensuring that alerts are timely and relevant.
a&s Adria: What technological advancements in PA/VA systems is Honeywell focusing on to improve safety and communication during emergencies? How are advancements in technologies like digital signal processing and directional speakers enhancing the effectiveness of these systems?
Brana: Honeywell has been at the forefront of technological advancements in public address (PA) and voice alarm (VA) systems, particularly with a focus on improving safety and communication during emergencies. These advancements are critical in enhancing the effectiveness of emergency response protocols and ensuring clear communication in high-pressure situations. Digital signal processing (DSP) plays a crucial role in modern PA/VA systems. Utilizing DSP significantly enhances sound quality and intelligibility. Some major benefits of DSP in these systems include three key features: sound clarity, adaptive equalization and advanced audio routing. DSP allows clear audio reproduction by minimizing background noise and maximizing voice clarity. It can analyze the acoustic environment in real-time, adjust the audio output accordingly, and enable efficient routing of audio signals to specific areas. This helps ensure that people in critical areas receive timely information. Honeywell’s advancements in directional speaker technology have significantly improved the effectiveness of PA/VA systems. Directional speakers are designed to emit sound in a specific direction rather than dispersing it in all directions. This focused projection reduces sound attenuation and helps ensures announcements reach the intended audience clearly. Directional speakers have proven effective in penetrating noisy environments like construction sites or crowded public spaces by concentrating sound in a way that allows messages to be heard clearly despite other disturbances.
a&s Adria: How does Honeywell’s portfolio of public address and voice evacuation solutions meet the evolving needs of businesses and public buildings?
Brana: Honeywell’s portfolio is evolving from providing traditional public address and voice evacuation solutions to a more complex and comprehensive approach that better addresses the needs of today’s modern buildings. By leveraging cloud connectivity, real-time notifications, and information sharing, facility managers, first responders, and firefighters can receive critical data to support a more effective emergency response and communication strategy.
a&s Adria: With the increasing demand for public address and voice alarm systems across industries, how does Honeywell ensure its PA/VA solutions integrate seamlessly with other security and communication systems, such as fire alarms and access control, to provide a comprehensive emergency response?
Brana: Honeywell is also focused on integrating PA/VA systems with intelligent building management systems. This integration facilitates automation and enables a coordinated response during emergencies. For example, when an emergency is detected (such as smoke or fire), the PA system can automatically issue warnings and provide real-time instructions, leading to immediate actions—such as evacuations or lockdowns.
a&s Adria: Where do you see your opportunity for regional expansion? Do you plan to exhibit at the Adria Security Summit, the largest regional exhibition and conference?
Brana: Our new technologies are helping address challenges across multiple sectors of the fire safety industry. Facility managers and system integrators have provided very positive feedback and are showing strong interest in testing and adopting these innovations. The Adria Security Summit serves as an excellent forum for promoting new technologies and standards. I expect that, like previous editions, this year’s event will be another memorable milestone for the industry. I look forward to seeing you there.
