| According to Merit LILIN, the UAE will be a thriving new and potential market in 2016 since Europe’s economy is still sluggish |
The global Chinese community recently welcomed the year of the Fire Monkey with a two-week celebration, concluding with the lantern festival at the end of February. According to Chinese astrology, we are now in the year of the Fire Monkey. What’s in store for businesses around the world?
Global economic growth is predicted for the year of the Monkey. Industries forecast to experience increased activity include energy, transport, shipping, property, construction, and mining. This is good news for businesses and security companies alike, since these are all verticals where the security industry is active. SourceSecurity.com caught up with C.C. Hsu, President of Merit LILIN, to find out the Taiwanese giant’s plans for the year of the Monkey.
Leverage experience, focus on smart solutions
Over the decades, Merit LILIN has built a reputation as a trusted provider. Hsu described the plans Merit LILIN has in store for the year ahead with regard to the company and its product trajectory.
“With over 35 years of experience in video surveillance, Merit LILIN is still (focusing) on the security industry, and (providing) good service to customers through our branches and partners,” he said. “We (will) not only focus on features and specifications, but also focus on the user experience. Smart products, working smart, (easy installations) and (delivering) intelligent data will be our main direction for product development.”
Middle East continues to lead sales
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains a significant region for the company. With Intersec 2016 concluded a couple of months ago, Hsu reiterated the potential for growth within the region for the security industry and for the company.
“Since Europe’s economy is still sluggish, UAE will be a new and potential market,” he said. “We believe that quality and support are more important for homeland security for UAE even though (competitively priced) Chinese products are everywhere. This year, LILIN will devote much more to this market than before. We have attended Intersec this year, and we received lots of good responses. We believe this year will (see) 40 percent growth, compared to 2015.”
| Merit LILIN’s main direction for product development will be smart products, working smart and delivering intelligent data |
According to Hsu, the Middle East is a project-based market, and Merit LILIN has tailored its strategy accordingly by building a strong network of consultants and system integrators with the expertise to support large-scale projects. The company will also be holding product trainings and seminars to ensure that customers are able to fully realise the benefits of their products.
With a fast-growing economy, it is no surprise that the financial sector in the Middle East region is seeing demands. Hsu noted that the company’s end-to-end solutions for the banking sector, focusing on ATM and teller counters, are their most in-demand products in the region.
A year of economic growth, a time for new inventions
Many astrologers forecast the year of the Monkey to usher in global economic growth and a time for new inventions. In terms of up-and-coming products customers can expect from Merit LILIN, Hsu listed a door station with lens distortion correction, the P2P NVR solution with P2P app, ANPR for parking management, city surveillance and gate control, barcode integration with LILIN Navigator VMS system for retail and production, in addition to 4K and H.265 products.
There’s something for everyone, as Merit LILIN strives to meet the needs of customers in all verticals. From home automation to city surveillance to mobile applications and cruise and boat video management, the company has the bases covered. Each vertical has specific requirements, and Merit LILIN covers these needs. For instance, stainless steel encasing built to withstand a salty environment is used for cameras designed for the boat and cruise management vertical, while a VMS with barcode integration is designed to meet the special demands of a production line in the manufacturing sector.