Every institution who needs a highly available video security solution is our potential customer. Public authorities, educational institutions, energy supply, financial institutions, airports, correctional facilities, forensic clinics, financial institutions, commerce, hotels, industry, hospitals, cultural heritage, media, food processing, production, shipping, sports, city surveillance, multi-story car parks and insurance. They all have their individual challenges. And it is our strength to find a suitable solution.
Talks: Damir Muharemović
E-mail: redakcija@asadria.com

a&s Adria: Mrs. Geutebrück, thank you for addressing to our readers. For a start, could you present yourself, your educational and professional background, your work in Geutebrück, duties you are performing, what are you in charge with, etc.?
K. Geutebrück: I have graduated from the Technical University of Darmstadt with a degree in industrial engineering, majoring in marketing. In my diploma thesis at the textile service company MEWA, I focused on the topic of quality control and then headed a project for tour optimization in the company’s subsidiary in North Italy. From 1994 – 1996 I worked as International Product Manager for technical fixtures for SLI AG in Saint Etienne, France. Then I joined my parents’ company in 1997, initially as Marketing Manager and in 1999 as Co-Director alongside my father. Since 2012 I am at the head of the company together with my husband Christoph Hoffmann.
I am a a member of the International Professional Association of the Security Industry ASIS International and of the Club of Logistics, and also a member of the board of the ASW-West Alliance for Security in Industry and Commerce, temporarily chaired the CCTV working group at BHE Bundesverband Sicherheitstechnik e.V. and a member of the board of trustees of the TrappenStiftung Bad Honnef.

a&s Adria: For almost 50 years, Geutebrück has served customers in over 70 countries. What were the most important milestones, what helped you the most on this way, how many people do you now employ, revenue, offices, etc.?
K. Geutebrück: Starting off form a garage 50 years ago we operate now in more than 20 countries. Since the first camera and the first interface that we brought to the market, our goal has always been to think ahead for our customers. Geutebrück is an international video-security expert. The high-performance software and hardware can be versatilely used to guarantee security, maintain transparency and optimize processes – always in accordance with the stringent rules of the European Directive on the Protection of Personal Data (DS-GVO).

a&s Adria: It is interesting that Geutebrück is a family business, which is managed in the second generation, independent of authorities, institutions, shareholders or banks. What are the benefits of that, why did you choose to stay on that road throughout these years?
K. Geutebrück: This year, we will celebrate our 50th jubilee. This makes us unique in this market. We always keep an eye on the rapidly changing market conditions and thus offer a maximum of investment security. And this form of enterprise enables us to work extremely flexible.

a&s Adria: In April, you have went through some organizational reorganisation, creating the Business and Development division. What does that division include and how it will help your company to compete with your biggest competitors?
K. Geutebrück: We have expanded our portfolio within a short time from being a pure CCTV supplier of products for distributors and installers to a provider of software-based all-round solutions for safety and process optimization, including for end customers. Part of this were not only comprehensive technical developments or a significantly higher range of services, but also organizational reorganisation, such as the Business and Development division that was newly created in April. It includes the Key Account, Key Market Development, Pre-Sales and Marketing departments. The new management team will ensure that we continue to be experts in a field that only a few providers worldwide are able to master

a&s Adria: Can you present your products and solutions portfolio?
K. Geutebrück: Geutebrück solutions protect all forms of properties against unauthorized access, vandalism, burglary and theft. Our software guarantees security personnel and managers, optimum and instant visualization of any situation. Automated alarm action sequences can be programmed to activate automatic barrier controls, door locks or to notify of responsible persons effectively and efficiently. With this solution, you always have control over the situation and the necessary ability to maintain concentration and composure, even during critical moments.
There are more benefits: Especially where goods are moved, Geutebrück solutions are the logical extension of a video security system, to achieve measurable profit opportunities in the entire value chain. Our systems link camera images with process data, for example, data from an ERP system. Information such as scanner data, temperature, weight, volume or time data are linked to real-time video images, therefore ensuring maximum transparency.

a&s Adria: At the heart the Geutebrück system is a powerful, open software platform, which guarantees security personnel and managers, optimum and instant visualization of any situation. Tell us more about it?
K. Geutebrück: What our software is capable of? Not only does it think, it thinks ahead
Video solutions protect property against unauthorized access, vandalism, robbery, theft or damage. Our software ensures that those responsible for security have an optimal overview of the overall situation.
Automated alarm action sequences provide effective and efficient support, e.g. with image switching, automatic gate control, locking of doors or alerting of persons responsible. This ensures that those in charge in the control room always keep a cool head.

a&s Adria: Last year, you organized European roadshow in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Birmingham and Paris with the topics Predictive Maintenance, Face Recognition and Cloud. Recently you also introduced AI-based detection of objects using the example of “protective clothing”. What do you have to offer when it comes to these technologies?
K. Geutebrück: Each of our AI solutions is unique, because each customer has different requirements as to what should be ” identified “, e.g. the wearing of correct protective clothing. Geutebrück recognizes if persons are entering a safety area with the mandatory safety vest and helmet. Otherwise, admission will be automatically blocked.

a&s Adria: The second part of your business is Value Imaging, process visualization solution that identify profit potentials along the entire value chain. What does it consists of, how can your solutions maximize profits, and how can one achieve ROI in the shortest possible time?
K. Geutebrück: Video solutions also provide transparency throughout the value chain, particularly wherever goods are being moved. Our systems link images from cameras with data from processes, such as the ERP system. Our interfaces allow us to connect with virtually anything. Information like scanner data, temperatures, weights, volumes or time are linked to live images and guarantee for more insight. Delays, defects or inaccuracies in the supply chain are displayed as an image on the monitor and provide the necessary metadata simultaneously. Downtimes are reduced significantly, goods or components that are missing are located more promptly, risk transfers are conclusively documented, and theft and questions of liability are clarified immediately. We can identify where unnecessary costs arise. The user is saving significantly.

a&s Adria: What vertical markets do you have a strong focus on, and could you present some installations which were hardest to carry out or have some sort of cultural, historical or national significance?
K. Geutebrück: Every institution who needs a highly available video security solution is our potential customer. Public authorities, educational institutions, casinos, energy supply, financial institutions, airports, correctional facilities, forensic clinics, financial institutions, commerce, hotels, industry, hospitals, cultural heritage, media, food processing, production, shipping, sports, city surveillance, multi-story car parks and insurance. They all have their individual challenges. And it is our strength to find a suitable solution.

a&s Adria: For years now, the industry is concerned about cybersecurity issues. What do you do to prevent data breaches and loses?
K. Geutebrück: What everyone should do – we have to be faster than the hackers and keep the software up to date. We recommend this to our customers as well. Other than that our proprietary image format “gbf” sets standards. A “gbf” is unique and is accepted as evidence in court, even in the USA. Video export is encoded, and password protected if required. Any attempted fraud or manipulation is immediately visible.

a&s Adria: You state that Geutebrück users take a relaxed view of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Federal Data Protection Act. In what way do you find your products compliant with these regulations?
K. Geutebrück: Long before the introduction of the DS-GVO, our systems already had reliable protection mechanisms in place that made unauthorized access to images impossible – fraud is immediately detectable. Our proprietary software will mask or pixelate any protected image area or movement. Every situation is kept in sight – at the same time the privacy of employees, customers, suppliers or passers-by is guaranteed.
If necessary, it is possible to make certain image areas visible again with the correct user authorization and, if required, also exclusively in pairs with a 4-eye password.

a&s Adria: Your opinion on Adriatic Region security market (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo), its pros and cons? What are you plans for this area, are you looking for a regional partner, do you plan to expand market share?
K. Geutebrück: The security market in the Adriatic region is a challenging and ever-changing market. We are an image-based supplier of video surveillance technology for security and process optimization purposes. We have a long-standing history of excellence in this area and are proud to celebrate this year our 50th anniversary, in the Adriatic region we are already 25 years present.
The Adriatic region was one of the first markets adopting new technologies with a strong focus on quality and pricing, which can be at times contradicting. In recent years we have seen the globalization trend effecting our markets as local companies get sold to global players, security companies as well as end users. These developments might at times delay projects but in the long run we expect very positive effects for the region.
As a global solution provider, we work with strong local partners. With new vertical markets emerging and new technologies entering the markets we are very interested to partner up with companies that want to co-create projects with us. Integration has been and will be for the future a key factor for projects to be successful. We are one of the strongest players in the market and are convinced that we will grow our presence in the future in all relevant markets.

a&s Adria: What can we expect from Geutebrück in the years ahead, in terms of expansion of portfolio, new business strategies and technologies, new offices and markets?
K. Geutebrück: Geutebrück is versatile and tailor-made at the same time. Our team has the expertise to offer our customers exactly the solution they need: from consulting to the system to supporting services such as patch management, maintenance, performance tests and certifications. Geutebrück provides one-stop software and the matching hardware components – perfectly aligned and tested together.

Jacek Węglarz is Dahua Technology’s Training Manager and Evangelist – spreading the word about latest and greatest technologies over almost 30 countries during The Starlight Show and other upcoming technology-oriented shows. Living by his motto “Do it with passion or not at all” he uses his experience in the CCTV field combined with his love for modern technologies to share the knowledge in a simple and entertaining way. The education he received in Poland, the USA and Taiwan in both technology and management fields allowed Jacek to have a better understanding of the industry itself, whilst being able to communicate the message effectively regardless of the cultural background of his audience. The mission is to raise awareness about the challenges of the CCTV industry, reminding the audience how to pick the best camera and explaining how Dahua has been answering those challenges with its latest inventions. During the time between the shows, Jacek devotes himself to testing new cameras and solutions, as well as recording real scenario videos that prove the highest quality of the products, often in difficult or unorthodox scenarios.

a&s Adria: Dahua is a world-known security company. Can you present its current position, stats about its status in video surveillance industry, sales revenue, number of employees, etc.?
Węglarz: Dahua Technology is a world-leading video-centric smart IoT solution and service provider. Based on technological innovations, Dahua offers end-to-end security solutions, systems, and services to create values for city operations, corporate management, and consumers.

With more than 16,000 employees and over 50% engaged in R&D, Dahua solutions, products, and services are applied in over 180 countries and regions. Since the launch of the industry’s first self-developed 8-channel embedded DVR in 2002, Dahua has devoted itself to technological innovation and been continually increasing its investment in R&D, putting around 10% of its annual sales revenue into it. The company continues to explore emerging opportunities based on video IoT technologies and has already established business in machine vision, video conferencing systems, professional drones, electronic license plates, RFID, and robotics etc.

We have established more than 200 provincial offices in China as well as 54 overseas subsidiaries and representative offices covering the whole world to provide customers with fast and high-quality services. Our products are widely applied in key vertical markets such as public security, traffic, retail, banking & finance, and energy etc. Numerous major projects have been installed with Dahua solutions and products – China International Import Expo, the Rio Olympics, G20 Hangzhou Summit, the 28th and 29th ASEAN Summit, Recife Subway in Brazil as well as many others.

The company has applied for over 2100 patents, including more than 100 international patents. Dahua Technology has been ranked 2nd in the global CCTV & video surveillance equipment market according to an IHS report since 2014, and was ranked 2nd in “2018 a&s Security 50”.

a&s Adria: What are the latest technology trends which have the biggest impact on the security industry?
Węglarz: The hottest topics in our industry are usually technologies that make the security systems smarter, more effective and can take a big load off the human resources. Artificial Intelligent plays the fundamental role in shaping the future of security – already making it incomparably smarter and more effective than ever.
It also plays an important role in Dahua Technology’s products and solutions. Dahua has been engaged in the research and development in AI for a long time and has established advanced technology institute with experts and engineers dedicated in this area. We hope that AI can make up for some shortcomings of human beings rather than replace human beings. For example, we cannot find a suspect from massive videos whereas AI can identify the person by comparing his/her characteristics with a tens-of-millions static library within one second. At the intersection, it is impossible for the traffic police to focus on illegal vehicles all day, but our system can deal with various violations in real time, thus leading to optimized deployment of manpower and resources.

Taking AI as its core strategy, Dahua has developed deep insights into different industries with focus on face algorithm and video structuring algorithm. At present, AI is mainly used for incident post-tracking but in the future, AI will gradually develop to help people with danger pre-prevention. In the industry, video data extraction and big data analysis technology will become the mainstream, and video prevention will be carried out to deal with illegal behaviors. Based on this trend, Dahua has been exploring the actual scenarios to apply AI in various vertical markets, such as smart city, smart traffic, smart retail, etc. and combines it with industry operation to benefit our customers with true business values from integrated intelligent solution offerings.

As a leading video centric smart IoT solution and service provider, we will pragmatically drive the implementation of new technologies to help customers to take advantage of the market transition, enabling a safer society and smarter living.

a&s Adria: Can you tell us some of the latest Dahua technology developments for the year 2018-2019? What should we expect from Dahua Technology the next year?
Węglarz: In 2018, Dahua Technology launched “Dahua Heart of City (Dahua HOC)” strategy, a smart city development engine supported by Full Sensing, Full Intelligence, Full Computing, and Full Ecosystem capabilities, to realize the construction of a “1 platform, 2 centers, N applications” (1+2+N) new smart city framework for application at the city, industry, and commercial level. The strategy gathers together the company’s strong technological innovations, top-level security network architecture, and operation services capabilities, while forming end-to-end solutions with supporting technologies such as artificial intelligence, deep learning, IoT, within all areas of smart city operations, to promote development of smart city thus enabling city operations to become smarter, and satisfying a city life that calls for high quality.

To fully promote the implementation of AI technology for full range of smart products, Dahua aimed at customers’ demands in front-end, storage and center service to seek innovation and launched intelligent products. By combining with cloud computing and big data and relying on intelligent algorithms and chip technology, the Company has optimized products and solutions, enhanced customer value and innovative business modes. In 2019 and the following year, Dahua Technology will continuously increase investment in R&D and facilitate technological innovation in AI, cloud computing, big data, chip and other future core technologies and improve the capability of coming up with comprehensive end-to-end solutions to solve business pain points for customers based on “Dahua HOC” structure.

a&s Adria: What’s the biggest advantage that your company has over your competitors?
Węglarz: I like to divide my concept of our advantages into 3 “T”- Transparency, Technology, Targeting.

During the Starlight Show I always put a strong emphasis on transparency. As a technology company and even more importantly as a security provider, we need to play open cards about what we do. Not only does it build strong trust between our customers and us, but also gives them confidence to offer our cameras, knowing what components we use and how to pick the best camera. We need to speak on the same technology level to be able to compare hardware in a fair, professional way. As you can see during my show, I spend a fair amount of time talking about most important camera specifications to remind our partners how to find the best product before they get to hold it in their hands. I have spent hundreds of hours testing our products and preparing real, relatable videos for our customers to see the true technology advantage with their own eyes.

On the other hand, our competitors do not share our vision about being transparent. Some like to use tricky ways to market certain technologies, some like to purposely not include important variables in their datasheets, and some like to hide behind “trade secret” excuse when asked more in-depth questions about their hardware.

The second “T” is for technology – something that I am passionate about and can talk about for hours. Due to the fact that Dahua invests 10% of its revenue into R&D, we have been able to bring many breakthrough technologies to the market. We were the ones to bring Sony Starvis sensors to our budget Lite series, as we want best technologies to be available to everyone, because better image quality means more effective surveillance, which in the end means a safer environment. Dahua continuously brings newer and better sensors to the CCTV market – with our FullColor cameras as an example, you can see a colorful image at night when most competitors’ products switch to black & white mode. We are also the first to introduce a 4 Megapixel Starlight + camera series, yet again making Dahua the trendsetter. We patented a revolutionary ePOE technology that breaks records of transmission for power and data over UTP cable and even coaxial cable! You can power cameras and transmit the data using one cable for even 1 kilometer! This changes everything.

For analog systems, our proprietary technology brings the possibility to not only power the cameras and transmit video over coaxial cable, but also transmit high quality sound. The next chapter of Dahua’s breakthroughs starts with the world’s first Artificial Intelligence NVR – one compact device that can replace a farm of servers! Never before has it been possible to perform so many algorithms in one device that is affordable and easy to use – out of the box. Besides the already mentioned face recognition, the AI NVR can also recognize each person’s appearance by clothes color and type, making it a matter of seconds rather than hours to find the person of interest. Similarly, the device can perform car color and type recognition to optimize searching for specific vehicles. Because the human/car classification, the AI NVR also eliminated false alarms for intrusion detection –raising alert only when an actual person or a car appears in the camera’s view. I am looking forward to the future breakthroughs Dahua will bring to the market.

The third big advantage of Dahua over our competitors is the local targeting. We have been dynamically growing in local markets, expanding the teams and country offices to be able to offer a real local support and be closer to our partners. Those offices often provide professional hands-on trainings that result in certification for the attendees, local support teams, and of course project and sales teams that help the customers in each stage of their projects. To be able to fulfill the great demand for Dahua products, we currently have two sizeable logistics centers- in Poland and Hungary that on average hold 600.000 products! On top of that, we have launched a hi-tech assembly line in Hungary capable of producing over a thousand devices per day at the initial stage, and even more with time. The headquarter for Central and Eastern Europe and the Nordics is located in Warsaw, Poland – which hosts not only the management team but also Dahua Academy training room and a local RMA center that provides fast and efficient assistance to our European customers if needed.

I believe that with those 3 major advantages, we are quite ahead of our competitors. Of course, we work very hard to continuously grow and become even more competitive.

a&s Adria: There’s been lots of concerns about cyber security. What is Dahua Technology doing to safeguard its IP cameras from hacks?
Węglarz: I am very happy this question was raised, especially since there is a lot of rumors on this matter all over the internet and not so many facts. In order to provide the highest security level to our customers, Dahua has established Dahua Cybersecurity Center. DHCC was established to solve cybersecurity issues and aims to provide more robust and secure products/solutions for our customers. It consists of security vulnerability reporting, announcements and cybersecurity knowledge sharing with our global customer base. We understand how challenging it is in our industry to keep all the products secure and we put security at the highest level of priority. Dahua actually even hires professionals (some people just call them “hackers”) that search for any vulnerabilities in our products so we can fix them immediately. In other words, if they manage to find security bugs, we reward them for that.

Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT hereafter) is an integral part of DHCC. Dahua PSIRT is responsible for receiving, processing and disclosing Dahua product and solution related security vulnerability. It is the designated window to release information about Dahua product vulnerability.

From the user point of view, we implement special security requirements into our products to ensure the higher level of security. We do not allow default passwords- the user needs to set a more complicated one, and we indicate the level of strength to help pick the suitable password. In case of an attack, we have also developed password blast-proof technology which is a kind of password protection based on the idea of improving the attack time cost.

Our products also support end to end encryption, providing a secure data exchange between our products, at the same time helping our customers to be GDPR compliant. There are many more initiatives we take to ensure our products are protected from attacks. For more detailed information about how we do it and how you can make the systems more secure, go to our website www.dahuasecurity.com and visit the cybersecurity page. We provide hardening guides, white papers and many useful information on how to keep your systems safe and how we help you to do it.

Dear Mr. Limani, you are the CEO of COIN. Could you present yourself to our readers, your educational and professional background, business successes, etc.?
I am a mechanical engineer by trade, I studied in the University of Pristina, and my field was power transmitters. I have been working in the family company for a long time now (approximately 10 years), I first started as a technician there, then I moved up as an engineer, and since January 2016 I am CEO of COIN. I have also been involved in some international companies (automotive industry) before I took the position of CEO of COIN. Since I took over the company, we have had a growth rate of approx. 25% each year.

COIN started doing business even as far as 1941, initially as a craft shop in the rare trade of locksmith/machinist. Today, it is one of the leading Kosovo security companies, offering mechanical and electronic security systems. Tell us more about this journey: how did your company move from manual labor to using the most modern systems, what were the most important milestones, what happened in 1999, when you reopened COIN again?
Well working in communist Yugoslavia at the time was completely different from now. The market for security equipment was covered by state owned companies, but often support was poor (safe and lock manufacturers were either in Slovenia, Serbia or Macedonia), so we filled that void. There were a lot of cases when we would service safes, doors and such hardware in state institutions; however our main market was the residential market.
During this time, new products were very hard to obtain, so we became very efficient and creative, thus getting a lot of detailed knowledge on how stuff functions.
In 1999 we had lost the whole company due to the conflict. Everything was gone, our machines and our stock. We started from scratch again, but this time we focused on the business 100% and we managed to build up what we have now.

You are primarily doing business in the area of mechanical security. What types of products do you install and what brands do you work with? Do you provide some additional services when it comes to mechanical security systems?
We have a very broad range of products, the reason for this is because in a small market such as Kosovo and Albania, to be able to grow one needs to be able to do different things. We represent very well-known international brands such as Insys, DormaKaba, Assa Abloy, Primat, Robur, Birosafe, Waldis, Dom – Titan, Feerica and many other manufacturers. Basically you can see in our installations combined products from different manufacturers, always using what is the best equipment. In addition to sales, we take pride in having a very good customer support.

You are also a producer of customized equipment? What kind? What are the advantages of having your own products on a market filled with all sorts of products?
So basically because we have a lot of experience in this field, we can make products according to different types of needs. We have made custom products for different clients starting from security doors, security windows, prison locks, automatic doors, security cabins, safes, bullet proof facades, panic rooms and many other types of products. At some point we even produced our own keys.
Having our own products is an advantage because we never say no to a client, no matter how hard the job is, no matter how complex it is, we will always have some reliable solution.

Have your products gone through any certification process, for instance, ESSA? Do you believe that standards are important for these types of products?
We are very strict when it comes to standards and certification. Some time ago we took a decision internally that we will not sell products without certification to commercial clients. Although this decision for some time damaged us financially, we are now setting up the standard for everyone, and clients are learning more and more about standards and certification.
For our production we do not have certificates, and the reason is because we do not produce big quantity of products, and it is not efficient to test custom equipment. However all the materials we use for construction have certification. As an example, when we build bulletproof equipment we use only certified ballistic steel and ballistic glass. We also are very careful when we pick products to make sure that the testing is done at the right laboratories and that the products are tested according to the standards.
It is also interesting to mention that in cooperation with the Institute of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Prishtina we have made the first test for ballistic equipment according to RKS EN 1522/1523.

The other business area is electronic security systems, where you even developed software for monitoring and cash processing? Tell us about that software, their features and benefits for the end-user? Why did you decide to follow that path?
Yes we are now doing electronic systems now. We have two ranges of systems, what we install (produced by our partners) and what we make ourselves.
We have made software to monitor IP safe locks from a distance; this is a very good feature because it creates a link for the first time in an active way the safe lock with the monitoring center. This system allows the client to minimize the time exposed to risk and to reduce costs by automatization of processes.
We have also made software to record serial numbers of banknotes and connect them with each client so that we can trace every detail (in cash counting equipment), the purpose of this was to track ink stained banknotes. We also have electronic products under development, such as electronics to control interlocking cabins and so on.
The reasons why we decided to move in to electronics and software are simple. The first is economic, it is very expensive to make a pure mechanical system and the second is our thinking of the future, everything will be controlled in the future, and mechanically it’s very hard to control time, so that is why we went to this field.

COIN also works in system management. What services do you offer?
We offer many tailored solutions according to client’s needs, but to sum it up quickly, we are able to offer solutions for management of security systems in a centralized way.

Aside from banking, what vertical markets do you focus on? Could you enlist some of the most important references?
Our company has four departments when it comes to sales. Our biggest and main department is what we call “high security” and this is for the financial industry (and not only), basically we have as clients all the banks and most of the security companies in Kosovo and Albania.
Our other department is what we call “civil engineering” this is equipment for hotels, shopping malls, office buildings etc. Our main clients in this field are international Hotel such as Sheraton and Marriot, also other reputable retailers such as Inditex Group. We also have two small departments which are “home security” and “wholesale hardware” the first one is residential market equipment and automotive solutions and the second is hardware for door producers and hardware stores (locks and such).

What countries do you do business in? Do you plan to expand or open new offices, especially in other Adriatic Region countries?
We are fully operational in Kosovo and Albania. We will have very soon an office in North Macedonia, as for many products we cover that market as well. Also because most of our business is project based, we have done directly or through our partner’s projects in many countries including Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece etc.

What can we expect from COIN in the future when it comes to new services or products?
COIN has been here for a long time, the reason was that even in very troubled times we managed to adapt and overcome. We are looking toward the future with great ambitions; we are introducing many things, and pioneering new technologies every year. We are now testing some very interesting new concepts, and we are moving towards a new way of doing business, where we will be even closer to our clients. Maybe in a close future, you will see our name in the whole EU market.

How do you see the Kosovo security market nowadays, what are its main problems? Is it dumping of prices, low-quality products, lack of qualified employees, lack of a good partner or something else? Where do you see a room for improvement?
Well Kosovo and Albania are very far behind from the EU in terms of regulation and control. We face a lot of problems because of lack of knowledge from the state institutions. Basically the regulatory bodies in both countries do not seek our advice, and we are not involved in any process of creating regulation and such. The low quality products are another big problem, but again this comes due to the lack of regulation.
This situation has led to great problems. The state instead of being an example for the private sector in terms of proper security and safety measures, it’s the opposite situation.
In Kosovo we have a problem with education system as well, new engineers are not as good as the old ones, and the good ones are going to western countries to work, because we cannot offer such wages. Regarding the partners, we cooperate very well with local companies, however the international companies look at the Balkan’s in general as a sort of black hole, and this creates for us a lot of difficulties.
In my opinion state regulation is the first step to ensure fair competition and to provide ground rules to companies such as us. It is also important that the state sets very strict regulation when it comes to saving people’s lives.

Mr Lazarov, thank you for sparing your time to address to our readers. Could you present yourself, your educational and professional background, when did you start working for March Networks, what duties are your performing, etc.?

As far as my background goes, I have an MSc in Mechanical Engineering with a specialty in Transportation Technology – Aerospace. I spent my early career in security and communication systems, where I further developed my engineering capabilities, and expanded into product management, sales and business development roles in industries including smart buildings, utilities and infrastructure; transportation; smart cities; and automation.

Today, with more than 18 years of experience in information and communications technologies (ICT), security and IT working with global brands, I am able to help customers understand current trends and adopt best practices when it comes to their technology solutions. I am also focused on helping my partners increase their business opportunities.

I joined March Networks® – a global video security and video-based business intelligence leader – as the regional sales manager for the Balkans, Greece, Cyprus and the Adriatic. In this position, I am responsible for business development, raising brand awareness, managing local business processes and driving successful projects working with a network of experienced certified partners.

For nearly two decades, March Networks has been designing and creating professional video surveillance products. What were the most important milestones, what’s the current position of your company at the video surveillance market, are you increasing your market share, how many people do you employ, revenue, expansion, etc.?

At March Networks, we are proud of our deep roots in video and data networking. Our company was founded nearly 20 years ago in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – a region recognized for its high concentration of global telecommunications and data networking expertise. This Research & Development (R&D) knowledge base has contributed significantly to our ability to design and deliver highly reliable, highly secure networked video products and management software.

March Networks was among the first physical security manufacturers to introduce a purpose-built digital video recorder with a customized embedded Linux operating system (OS), as well as the most scalable, centrally managed video system in the industry. Our strong focus on IT-compliant products led to our early success providing enterprise-class solutions to some of the world’s largest financial institutions — a position that March Networks still holds. Today our intelligent video solutions are used by more than 600 banks and credit unions, more than 300 retail brands, and some of the world’s leading transit agencies. We operate offices around the world and work with partners in more than 70 countries. Our European headquarters is located in Milan, Italy.

Last December, you unveiled new brand identity? What does it mark?

That’s correct. We were thrilled to launch our new brand identity last year, which marks March Networks’ 18-year evolution from a video networking pioneer to a leader in video-based business intelligence solutions.

The updated brand identity – which includes a new logo, color palette, corporate typeface and design – aligns with our company’s mission to advance the true value of video. It also reflects March Networks’ enduring commitment to exceptional technology solutions that provide clarity, simplicity and unparalleled reliability to customers.

What are the most important March Networks’ core technologies and could you present your product portfolio? If you could select one, what would be your flagship product or product series and why?

March Networks is recognized worldwide for our enterprise-class video management, which enables organizations to easily manage and maintain hundreds – or thousands – of surveillance cameras and video recorders from a central location. Our Command Enterprise Software provides critical management capabilities, such as system-wide health monitoring, multi-level user access privileges, mass firmware and configuration updates, LDAP/Active Directory integrations, and shared case management in the cloud. We’ve evolved this software over the years to meet the demands of some of the world’s largest banks and retail organizations.

We also deliver the most reliable video recorders in the industry, with features including front-panel diagnostic LEDs for each hard-drive, internal battery backup, and real-time system health monitoring via Command Enterprise Software. Our recorders incorporate a customized embedded Linux OS, which eliminates unnecessary background services and frequent system updates. They are also simple to maintain, thanks to front-access hard drives and unique QR codes that work with our company’s free GURU Smartphone App to enable instant configuration audits, troubleshooting, warranty checks and other capabilities using a smartphone or tablet.

Our flagship product, however, is probably our Searchlight software. The intelligent application software enables banks and retail organizations to integrate their surveillance video with ATM/teller or point-of-sale transaction data for advanced fraud/loss prevention investigation. In addition, Searchlight integrates with other data sources including RFID, video analytics (e.g. queue length, people counting and dwell time) and IoT devices to provide valuable business insights on customer service, marketing and promotion, compliance, operational efficiency and more.

You offer purpose-built NVRs. What are their main advantages?

A purpose-built recorder is built for the environment you’re going to use it in. If you need to record video from inside an ATM, for example, then you’ll need a very compact recorder that fits in most ATM models and is able to withstand the daily jostling involved with opening and closing the unit to refill money etc. If you’re recording video on a bus or passenger rail train, that’s another challenge altogether. You’re going to need a recorder with broad operating temperatures and specific regulatory compliance for things like electromagnetic compatibility, safety, shock and vibration, and ingress (dust, water etc.). The recorder requirements for organizations like schools, hospitals, retailers etc. is different, and might focus primarily on video management, the ability to upgrade the recorders easily, and so on. Plus all organizations today are concerned about the cybersecurity of their networks.

March Networks recorders are built to address all of these considerations. They are extremely durable, reliable and designed with security in mind. That’s what our customers are getting with our purpose-built NVRs.

One of recurring themes that security vendors consistently played out during this year’s ISC West in Las Vegas it was how can companies do a better job of providing their integration partners additional revenue opportunities – and do it in the cloud. For Dan Cremins, Global Leader for Product Management at March Networks, the new opportunities translate into taking managed services to the next level. For that reason, you have introduced newly released hosted service called Insight. Tell us all about it? What are its benefits for both end users and systems integrators?

I’m happy to tell you a bit about March Networks Insight. As you’ve noted above, Insight is our new hosted service. It provides organizations with a visual overview of their entire video network, as well as valuable reporting capabilities in areas including asset control, system health, and service level agreement (SLA) performance management. The service is conveniently accessible via a secure, cloud-based platform.

Leveraging the proven expertise of our dedicated Network Operations Center (NOC) team, Insight leaves our customers free to focus on their business while ensuring optimum video system performance. It provides unique features and reporting capabilities that save customers time and costs, including:
• System monitoring and performance optimization
• Issue diagnosis, and remote resolution where possible
• Service tickets and closed-loop field service workflows
• SLA reporting
• Scheduled software upgrades
• Inventory and product warranty reporting
• Optional third-party device health monitoring
• Optional field-of-view (FOV) reports

For systems integrators certified to install our products and solutions, Insight delivers the tools they need to serve customers more efficiently. It helps them reduce costly truck rolls and easily document and track product warranty status, software versions and other information. And as you say above, the service is also an opportunity for our partners to build a new recurring revenue stream, working together with our March Networks professional services team.

An interesting March Networks’ solution is Searchlight for retail and banking. What are the features of that software?

As far as some of the software’s key features, Searchlight allows banks and retail organizations to spend more time on their core business by simplifying the task of locating suspicious activity and finding video evidence. It delivers multiple, user-defined reports and allows customers to schedule them to arrive automatically in their email inboxes.

The Searchlight reports include snapshot images and direct links to recorded video that let users analyze and compare:
• location and employee performance at one or a group of locations
• suspect transactions, such as all voids above a set amount (in retail) or one person withdrawing cash from an ATM using multiple bank cards (called cash harvesting)
• customer wait times, dwell times and other customer service metrics using integrated analytics
• operational performance, including how clean locations are, if promotional signage is correct, if employees are dressed properly and if procedures are being followed
• security audits, including a list of alarms and the ability to filter by specific alarm or location

March Networks offers solutions for a number of verticals, but the strongest focus is on banking, retail and public transport. Why is that the case? How many banks, shops, buses and trains have you made more secure? There is also an interesting „canabis vertical“?

March Networks’ success in banking, retail and public transit is the result of the high reliability of our video recorders and the enterprise-class video management capabilities we offer. Reliability is critical for these types of organizations, as is the ability to centrally manage and maintain video systems across multiple locations.

Over many years, we’ve also evolved our portfolio – as described above and below – to include valuable business intelligence applications that really help these organizations operate and compete more effectively.

Today, more than 600 financial institutions, 300 retail brands and some of the world’s largest transit agencies rely on our video solutions.

In terms of the relatively new cannabis market, early on March Networks recognized the security and operational requirements of this tightly-regulated market and evolved our offering to uniquely address those needs. Today, we are proud to provide our intelligent video solutions to dispensaries and cultivation facilities across North America. In US states like Colorado, where radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging from seed to sale is mandated by law, our solution delivers an enhanced level of tracking and compliance by correlating video with RFID data in the Searchlight software.

Related to the above, could you present some of the most important case studies in Europe?

March Networks has many customers across Europe – most of which we’re not permitted to name publicly, unfortunately.
Some examples we can name however include: Denmark-based Danske Bank; Serlachius Museum, Kultaranta Resort Marina and Turku Castle in Finland; Carlsen Fritzoe, Torp Sandefjord Airport and Olav Thon Group in Norway; and Chateau Monfort in Italy.

An increasing security concerns are related to cyber attacks. How do you battle them? For instance, what is the advantage of using custom-built Linux operating systems in recorders, do they restrict access to the unit?

March Networks takes a 360° view when it comes to the security of our products, involving all areas of our business – from product development and source code management, to operational processes and customer data privacy. Our Network Operations Center, for example, incorporates extensive physical access and networking controls and restrictions to ensure the security of customer data. We also participate in comprehensive security audits initiated by large banks and other enterprise customers seeking to confirm the security of their video solution provider.

In addition, we take a proactive approach to identifying potential vulnerabilities in our products. Our Security Updates and Advisories program involves regularly tracking US-CERT reports on identified vulnerabilities, conducting in-depth investigations when required, and alerting customers and partners to any necessary software updates via email alerts and information posted directly on the March Networks website.

March Networks is also Cyber Essentials certified. The certification is awarded to organizations able to demonstrate good cybersecurity practices and an ability to mitigate risks from Internet-based threats in areas including: boundary firewalls and Internet gateways; network configuration; software management; access control; and malware protection.

As well, March Networks maintains a Product Hardening Guide, which is available on our website. The guide provides recommendations for technicians and system administrators installing March Networks products within a customer’s network to help ensure security.

Your opinion on Adriatic region security market? What are your plans for this area, are you looking for a regional partner, how do you plan to expand market share?

At present, the Adriatic region has considerable expansion capacity and project potential. With additional countries joining the European Union (EU) the last few years, and more EU candidates in waiting for membership, the level of confidence in the region is increasing. As a result, investments in successful businesses offering proven solutions and high-end products is also growing. We’re seeing that companies and end users are getting tired of cheap, low-quality products and are now looking for more reliable options. They are raising their expectations, and allocating higher budgets to meet more stringent requirements.

As far as March Networks’ plans, our company is currently active in most of the Adriatic countries and we are now focused on growing our presence step-by-step in the remaining countries. At the moment, we are working with certified solution providers in Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Greece and Cyprus and are developing business relationships with experienced partners in Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Romania.

You will attend Adria Security Summit this September. What do you expect from largest Adriatic region security conference and exhibiton?

We are looking forward to the Adria Security Summit this year, as we expect to engage with many existing and prospective customers and partners at the event. We are always proud to showcase our enterprise-class products and solutions and demonstrate how they can benefit organizations.

What are the most important global trends that will definy security industry and what can we expect from March Networks in years ahead? What are you working on at the moment?

As a forward-thinking company, we are always tracking the industry’s important trends and how emerging technologies can be applied practically to benefit our customers and partners.

Some of the trends we expect to influence or disrupt the industry are artificial intelligence, computer vision and other content analysis technologies. Most would agree that our industry has only scratched the surface in terms of their potential. While many companies are focused on how well these technologies work, there’s been less discussion about how to best leverage them in real-world applications. Ensuring the accuracy of these products is, of course, important but there’s still a lot of work to be done identifying the real benefits for customers. Until that’s done, and customers understand how those benefits will apply to them directly, we anticipate that adoption will continue to be lower than all the marketing ‘buzz’ would suggest.

Another trend is the push toward centralized cloud storage, particularly in enterprise organizations. Most organizations considering a cloud solution today are focused on leveraging cloud storage as a backup to on-premise storage in the case of a hard drive failure, or for archiving video for an extended period. But that’s only the starting point for the power of centralized data. The real benefits will be clear when organizations start applying cloud-based analytics to enhance business intelligence and improve operations including inventory management, marketing and customer service. Expect to see more hybrid solutions on offer, incorporating both on-premise storage and cloud storage for the retention of critical data for longer periods.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is also shaping our industry. GDPR has impacted not only European organizations but most organizations doing business in Europe. It’s now clear that the regulation is casting a much wider net that some anticipated, and we’ll continue to see product enhancements and new features to help customers meet GDPR compliance.

a&s Adria: Despite the strong growth of Chinese companies and the sharp decline of Taiwanese ones, Vivotek continues to progress, gradually strengthening its position in the market. The latest Security 50 survey tells us that you took 14th place in the global security arena, which is a move forward since you were 17th last year. What are the reasons for this success, how do you resist growing competition, what do you offer to your customers to continue being recognized as a brand-worthy investment?

Cheng: This positive result came from three strategies we implemented in 2018, which were AI plus cybersecurity, vertical market penetration and globalization.

1. AI + cybersecurity
To think out of the box and stay in competitive edge, VIVOTEK developed its new edge-computing network cameras with deep-learning technology. These smart cameras are able to reduce false alarm and analyze the video proactively, and transferring video data to useful user insights. We also built up a new AI R&D center in Taiwan and continued to expand talent recruitment.

Moreover, IDC market research predicts an overall volume of 30 billion devices connected via internet by 2020. This trend also applies to more and more IP surveillance network cameras are exposed to the internet, and therefore cybersecurity has become an emerging challenge in IP surveillance industry. Hence, VIVOTEK announced the strategic partnership with Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions in the early of 2018 and rolled out the world first IP surveillance camera embedded with Trend Micro anti-intrusion software. The debut of our cybersecurity-defense solution has shown VIVOTEK’s commitment of providing our valued customers with the highest quality and most reliable products.

2. Vertical market penetration
VIVOTEK focused on three vertical markets, including retail, transportation, and building automation. VIVOTEK introduced intelligent IP cameras that can generate data of people counting, when combined with software on the backend, provide detailed analysis of data to help users achieve better security and business optimization. In transportation, We provide onboard, wayside and station surveillance systems. For instance, in road monitoring, we have partnered with many third parties to develop various smart functions for license plate recognition that can be configured to read license plates in many different countries. In building automation, VIVOTEK collaborated with Delta Electronics to integrate VIVOTEK’s cameras in LOYTEC building management system.

3. Globalization
VIVOTEK established 6 branches and offices in United States, Netherlands, India, Dubai, Mexico and Japan around the world. We will continue to establish overseas operations and hire local business development managers to expedite local service and respond to local needs more quickly. It will also hold various events in local markets to deepen relations with customers and promote the VIVOTEK brand value.

a&s Adria: The artificial intelligence (AI) marked the past year in the security industry and many companies have begun to work intensively on this segment. But Owen Chen, CEO of VIVOTEK, said that “most people misunderstood that AI refers only to face recognition and the ability to identify a person in some type of environment. However, technology is not in the focus of VIVOTEK. we make people confident using artificial intelligence by creating something that will respond to the real needs of users and protecting privacy.” What, in fact, these words mean and what is your company’s stand on AI technology?

Cheng: Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a must-have for most video surveillance system providers. Many companies boast of its superb recognition and analytic functions, especially when it comes to face recognition. However, many end users still have some concerns with AI due to privacy issues.

VIVOTEK established an AI lab to concentrate on developing AI applications in 2018.We focused on developing AI technology and deep learning on the edge (camera). Our focus has always been on how we can reduce false alarms and enhance business or operational intelligence. That is why besides face recognition, we are focused on developing advanced VCA functionalities that can recognize people and vehicles as well as perform smart searches.

The most important challenge is to think out of box and know the real demands of users. To work closely with our customers is able to allow VIVOTEK to receive up-to-date market insights, enabling us to transfer information in terms of product development and technological advancements.

a&s Adria: One of the biggest concerns that affects this industry is cyber security. Vivotek is one of only a few companies in this market that has implemented comprehensive cyber security protocols. What does that mean?

Cheng: Cybersecurity for IoT devices has been a hot topic in the past few years, and IP surveillance cameras are the hackers’ top target because of the relatively high computing power and good internet traffic throughput. At the end of 2016, a Linux-based malware “Mirai”iraices h to initiate a DDoS attack which created a record-high 1.2Tbps Internet traffic. The huge traffic was triggered by remote commands and the victim devices were mainly IP surveillance cameras. Not only is Mirai source code made available on the Internet, multiple variants of Mirai-like malware are surfacing. Cybersecurity now becomes another focal point for IP surveillance devices and multiple governments are making regulations to raise the bar for cybersecurity implementation. It is becoming the next decisive factor in the competition of the IP surveillance industry.

VIVOTEK is one of the few physical security companies that has implemented comprehensive cybersecurity protocols, from its product design to aftersales service. We followed the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top 10 Guideline for IoT device, mobile, and website codes to develop our products. Moreover, we conduct penetration tests by the third-party security advisors, for review and recommendations.

Moreover, we joined force with Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions to introduce the world’s first IP cameras embedded with Trend Micro’s anti-intrusion software in 2018 under the campaign of „Security Within Security“. In 2019, we extend this protection to the latest end to end Cybersecurity Management Solution from the front-end network camera, to the network video recorder, and to the back-end video management software. The advanced management in its self-developed video management software, VAST 2 includes Instant Alert Notifications, allowing users to receive notifications either automatically or manually, and real-time Cyber Risk Dashboard to easily identify common types of cyber-attacks. Last but not least, users can take a further step to filter attack logs through different criteria, making it quicker to find abnormal events in a large number of records. Cybersecurity will become a crucial factor that can help VIVOTEK earn its partners and users’ trust, differentiating it from other competitors in the market.

a&s Adria: What will you change in you marketing strategies for the next year, how will you try to reach for new customers and keep the current one?

Cheng: By the rising trend of IoT, VIVOTEK aspires to become the Eye in IOT. Cameras provides the “vision” to create irreplaceable value for many connected business solutions. Moreover, with ongoing technological advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning, cameras are becoming “smart,” and can provide additional valuable and meaningful data/information for end users. We aim to promote the value of IP video to more partners and applications, in and beyond security. VIVOTEK was founded in year 2000, we will celebrate and launch global campaign of our 20 years anniversary in our shared pursuit of a safe and secure society.

a&s Adria: Mr Afendi-Coutinho, thank you for sparing time to talk to our readers. Could you present yourself, your educational and professional background, what business area are you in charge with, how long are you working for TOA?
Afendi-Coutinho: Thank you very much for this interview. I have both an educational background as an Audio Engineer and professional experience in Sales in the telecommunication industry. I think this combination helps me a lot at my daily work, when I support our partners and customers in different projects. I came to TOA in 2017 and I am responsible for our sales activities in different countries, the Balkans region being one of my focus areas right now.

a&s Adria: TOA Electronics has more than 80 years of experience in research, development and international sales and marketing of numerous products in the field of public address systems. On the road of becoming one of the global leaders in this area, TOA has experienced a lot challenges and milestones. Tell us more about your company’s history, its important milestones, statistics, number of employees and subsidiaries, revenue, number of sold products, etc.?
Afendi-Coutinho: As you have already mentioned, the history of our company dates back to 1934, when TOA Electric Co., Ltd. was founded by Tsunetaro Nakatani in Kobe, Japan. Back then TOA had 12 employees. Today we are present at 31 locations worldwide with over 3000 employees. During this long period, a lot of events ocurred that are worth mentioning. I would point out the development of the world´s first electric megaphone, the EM-202, in 1947, and the launch of the Emergency Warning System TA-265 S in 1969 as two early accomplishments that underline our historical focus on Public Safety and Communication. As a Japanese company, tragic events such as the Kobe-Earthquake in 1995 and the Great Tohoku Earthquake in 2011 also had an impact and pushed the company to always maximize their efforts to the development of technologies that can save lives and ensure public safety.These efforts led to the launch of many groundbreaking new products like the networked Voice Evacuation Systems SX-2000 and VX-3000, as well as long-range Speaker Systems like the HA-1010. From a business point of view, I think the opening of our European Branch in Hamburg, Germany in 1974 was an important milestone on the way to the internationalization of TOA.

a&s Adria: Could you present your product portfolio, types of products and theirs most important characteristics and application?
Afendi-Coutinho: Our portfolio ranges from Voice Alarm Systems and Building Communication to Pro Audio, as well as Presentation and Conference Technology. A key role is played by our wide selection of different speakers, whether for security, commercial needs or entertainment. In summary, one can say that TOA has always been commited to excellent sound. Facts like that Mr. Nakatani started TOA as a microphone company, or that we supplied one of the world´s first fully digital mixing consoles in 1986, show that TOA has been leaving their mark in the Audio business throughout the years. This puts us in a good position when we face projects like Stadiums, Hotels or Concert Halls, since we can not only provide the solution for Building Safety and Communications, but also all the necessary Audio equipment for entertainment purposes like digital power amplifiers, speakers and subwoofers, matrix mixers and wireless microphone systems.

a&s Adria: What product or product group would you stand out as flagship of most sold and why?
Afendi-Coutinho: I would clearly call the VX-3000 Voice Alarm Series our current flagship product. The system has an excellent reputation for its longevity and stability, and is constantly being adapted through software and hardware enhancements, so it is always up to date. Not only the modular design of the VX-3000 but also its networking capabilities make it a perfect choice for many applications. After the latest System update, we can offer it from small to really big systems, including such applications that are distributed over wide areas like Metro and Railway. The number of possible zones and maximum power is huge, and no matter how big the project turns out, the compliance to EN-54 standards is always given. Plus, we now have a wall-mount version of it, to make it even more effective and simple to install.

a&s Adria: What is the role of TOA’s solutions in overall security system? How do you overcome integration issue with other security products?
Afendi-Coutinho: Toa’s security solutions are based on audible communication and thus address one of the most important senses: the human ear. Specially in emergency situations, but also for daily information purposes, the paging of spoken word and sound is still the main way to inform people, along with visible signs. As it has been researched and proven by many scientific studies, the communication with spoken word can significantly increase the reaction and escape times of people in emergency situations. And nowadays, the need for intelligible and clear paging has increased due to noisy environments and the constant distraction of people. This is why we are always improving the intelligibility and overall performance of our systems. Speaking of integration, our systems are triggered by many other equipments, most usually Fire Detection Systems and CCTV, but also Intrusion systems to start automated or live paging scenarios. More recently, we are working on solutions based on the Modbus-Protocol, that allow the operator to control our equipment along with other systems in one application.

a&s Adria: Your products are used by millions of people. What verticals do you primarily focus on and do you meet their specific requests?
Afendi-Coutinho: Our solutions fit perfectly for infrastructures and buildings like Airports and Railway Stations, Shopping Malls, Hotels, Factories, Stadiums etc., thus we have a focus on the Infrastructure and Transportation market. Besides that, we concentrate on supplying integrators of Audio solutions for Houses of Worship and Retail Chains, since we have specialized product series for both applications. We are always trying to add new services to our offers that really make sense and help integrators to fulfill their customers needs. For example, in the Transportation market we have a close cooperation with Aviavox, a leading provider of Intelligent Artificial Voice Systems for Airports and Airlines.

a&s Adria: Could you present some of the most successful case studies on European and SEE soil?
Afendi-Coutinho: Most recently I´d like to mention that we have a large VA-system installed at the biggest Shopping Mall in Serbia, the Promenada in Novi Sad. In Bulgaria we have an interesting networked VA-system in the Tower Building Millenium Center in Sofia. One recent, very exciting case study from Germany is that of the Louise-Otto-Peters School in Hockenheim, where we have an installation that combines Voice Alarm and Public Address with an emergency and danger response system (EDRS), using Intercom Stations with RFID-Technology.

a&s Adria: What are the most important trend in PA and Intercom Systems market and, regarding that, what can we expect from TOA in the future?
Afendi-Coutinho: Currently, demand for IP-Audio technologies is increasing. There is a trend towards using network connections right through to the end devices rather than laying separate audio cables. This, of course, opens up many new possibilities, for example to build additional technology into a speaker, be it a microphone, a dedicated CPU and memory, but also intelligent software, e.g. for voice control. We keep an eye on these new technologies, whereby as a safety-focused manufacturer we also pay attention to the monitoring functions and emergency power supply of such systems.

a&s Adria: Your opinion about Adriatic region’s market, its pros and cons? In what Western Balkans countries do you do business, do you have a distributor and are you looking for a new one, what is the way to become one, etc.?
Afendi-Coutinho: To be honest, I can only tell positive things about the Adriatic region´s market. We have business partners in every country of the Western Balkans, and the spirit in general is positive, highly professional and dedicated. I don´t work with distributors exclusively, but also like to get involved with Integrators, Consultants and Investors in order to be closer to the projects. So basically, I am open to contacts from whichever part of the market, as long as they are serious and commited. I think that the region has a great culture and history, and I am sure there will be a lot of positive development in the near future. The only point where I see room for improvement is the necessary application of the European EN-54 Standards for our market. For us as a supplier of Voice Alarm Systems, this can be a crucial factor. But I am confident that we will see progress in this field, too.

a&s Adria: In September, Adriatic region’s largest conference and exhibition Adria Security Summit, with more than 1,200 visitors, will be held in Northern Macedonia. Will you be present there and do you find it a good opportunity to meet new customers and partners?
Afendi-Coutinho: Yes, of course we will be there! I find the concept of the exhibition with the same booth size for every exhibitor very attracting. This way, I think it will be a true networking event. I will try to activate all of our regional partners and contacts to come around and I am expecting to meet a lot of new people from the business. I am also eager to see the city of Skopje and appreciate the local food. I am really looking forward to this event. For us, local exhibitons and conferences are becoming more and more important. At those events, we get a better chance to talk to local professionals from the region than at the big international exhibitions like ISE and Intersec.