| According to Paul Wong, MD, Bosch Security Systems, intelligence and increased image quality are helping to drive the security market |
Paul Wong, Managing Director of Bosch Security Systems, has an optimistic view of current security trends. According to him, the security market is generally in good shape, with improvements in video image quality and integration driving growth and shaping the market. As global companies are looking to standardise internationally, intelligence, entry level pricing, IP, and globalisation are helping to drive the market.
“2014 was a bumper year since the 2008 financial crisis – a definite step change. Some of that carried on into 2015, but then nervousness surrounding the general election in the United Kingdom saw some projects being put on hold. For example, there was no usual spike in March for local government end-of-year expenditure. As manufacturers’ capability to integrate is enhanced, it allows end users to take a step forward with integration.” Since the election, says Wong, confidence has come back and has brought projects alive, especially those in London. “We see quite a re-energised market up to the end of the year. Outside of the UK we are seeing new growth areas in Africa and the Middle East.”
Video image quality
So what’s driving this increased activity in the video surveillance market? Intelligence and increased image quality are helping to drive the market, according to Wong, as well as integration and globalisation, as global companies are looking to standardise internationally. “As manufacturers’ capability to integrate is enhanced, it allows end users to take a step forward with integration.”
As far as Bosch Security Systems is concerned, it has a dedicated team that works with third parties on integration. “We have a complete open platform which allows partners to integrate with our products, and we also promote the fact that we can integrate with our third-party partners and we indicate who they are.” The company’s Integration Partner Program allows for integration with video systems, fire, access control and more.
“Because we manufacture all of our products, if you can integrate with one you can integrate with them all. So when we introduce a product, as long as we ensure backwards compatibility the integration is fairly straightforward.”
Entry level pricing
Apart from all this positive news, is there anything about the market that keeps Paul Wong “awake at night?”
“I think we have a really strong product offering with really strong differentiators. As long as we do things well and people know that, we will always have a business. Plus, I’m an optimist. But I can see the redefinition of the mid-market to entry-level pricing as a problem. It begs the question – what does the new mid-market look like?”
Turning to IP, Wong says it has definitely overtaken analogue in the UK. “Bosch was always strong in analogue but IP has superseded it in quantity. IP makes it easier to offer increased integration but introduces its own issues such as cybersecurity, the competency levels of system integrators, and operational concerns of end users for their networks.”