Tri-Ed / Northern Video Distribution - Experts & Thought Leaders

Camden Door Controls, global provider of door activation, control and locking products, is pleased to announce the promotion of David Price to the position of Vice President, Communications and Corporate Development. David joined Camden Door Controls as Marketing Manager in 2010 and has been instrumental in the rapid growth of the company since that time. Door solutions expert In his new position, Price will continue to manage all internal and external corporate communications, Camden’s Customer Service and Order Entry departments, as well as assume new responsibilities for the creation and implementation of new corporate strategies. David Price is a 35-year industry veteran and has held senior management roles with Simplex and the DSC Group of Companies (now Tyco/Johnson Controls/Tri-Ed/Anixter). He has also owned an integrated marketing communications company which supported several major brands in the security industry. Security industry veteran “David brings a wealth of industry knowledge and expertise to the newly created position of Vice President for Camden Door Controls,” notes Dave Malen, Camden's co-founder. “This promotion recognises the significant contribution he has made to our company over the past nine years and expands his role to support the next stage of our corporate evolution.”

Custom Electronic Supply, a wholesale distributor of security electronics based in San Jose, California, was acquired on August 30th, 2019 by security distribution veterans Jason Dennis, Lannie Green, Matthew Green, and Danny Cranford. Dennis, along with Matt and Lannie Green, has deep distribution roots. They are the former owners of San Antonio-based Security General International, a privately-held solutions provider specialising in the distribution of emerging technology products and connectivity solutions, established in 1984. They sold Security General International to Tri-Ed in 2012. Cranford also brings to the venture very extensive industry experience and has worked in security distribution since 1987. Access Control and Integrated Systems He also served as co-owner of Security Data & Cable (SD&C) since its inception in 2001 before selling to Tri-Ed in 2010. The acquisition of Custom Electronic Supply was an amicable one, catalysed by the retirement of one of its two owners, Charlie Cohen. Dave Kelly, its other previous co-owner, will continue to oversee all California operations and the company will continue to do business as Custom Electronic Supply. Wholesale security distribution has undergone many changes over recent years" All employees will also remain on-board, making the transition a seamless one for loyal customers who have come to rely on Customer Electronic Supply as their distribution partner for many years. Product lines span Access Control, Burg, Fire, Video Surveillance, Integrated Systems, Low Voltage Residential Systems, and Installation Tools and Supplies. Personalised service For the new owners – Jason Dennis, Lannie Green, Matthew Green, and Danny Cranford – the time to return to their distribution roots seemed spot on. “Wholesale security distribution has undergone many changes over recent years,” notes Jason Dennis. “My partners and I were not actively looking to get back into distribution. But, we’ve been hearing a lot of dissatisfaction from people in the industry recently." "Customers, employees and vendors have all been voicing their desire for a new alternative. We felt the time was right to offer one and provide the good, old-fashioned personalised service that should never stop being synonymous with a trusted distribution partner,” he adds. “Acquiring Custom Electronic Supply was the right decision that came along at the right time.” The four partners who, together own Custom Electronic Supply under the name Lone Star Systems Supply LLC, look forward to announcing additional new branch openings in the near future.

Anixter, Tri-Ed, and CLARK announced the continuation of Tri-Ed’s highly successful Stadium Tour training & networking events in cities across the U.S., during the 2017 baseball season. These one day events feature technical trainings and exhibits from the security industry’s leading suppliers, dinner, and an exciting night out at the ballgame."Our Stadium Tours provide valuable educational and demo opportunities, while also allowing security dealers and integrators to network with industry suppliers and colleagues, and enjoy a night at the ball park," says James Rothstein, Senior Vice President Global Marketing, Anixter. "We are very excited to announce our 2017 lineup and extend our thanks to all of our participating suppliers."Tri-Ed Stadium Tour 2017 scheduleThe 2017 Stadium Tour schedule is as follows:Wednesday, June 28 - Houston, TexasHouston Astros vs. Oakland AthleticsLocation: Minute Maid Park - 501 Crawford St, Houston, TexasStart Time: 12:00pm Thursday, July 20 - Seattle, WashingtonSeattle Mariners vs. New York YankeesLocation: Safeco Field – 1250 1st Ave South, Seattle, WashingtonStart Time: 12:00pmTuesday, August 1 - San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego Padres vs. Minnesota TwinsLocation: Petco Park – 100 Park Blvd, San Diego, CaliforniaStart Time: 12:00pmThursday, August 17 - Arlington, TexasTexas Rangers vs. Chicago White SoxLocation: Globe Life Park – 1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington, TexasStart Time: 12:00pmWednesday, September 13 - Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia Phillies vs. Miami MarlinsLocation: Citizens Bank Park – 1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaStart Time: 3:00pm

2014 was a year for eye-popping merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the security space. The big deals of the year included some of the largest names in the industry. One name is larger than any in the security market – Google, which made not one but two acquisitions this year that could impact the future security market. It was also the year that a smaller player in the video camera market (although a huge familiar brand overall) bought a large, open systems VMS company (to almost everyone’s surprise).  There was major activity on both sides of the Atlantic, impacting a wide range of industry sectors, from video to access control to home security. It was a year for acquisition and reinvention, for mergers and management refocus. And it was the year that Samsung stopped owning Samsung Techwin. Let’s take a look at the Top 10 M&A stories of 2014 … 1.       Canon Acquires Milestone When Canon, a fairly small player in the video surveillance market, announced plans for its European subsidiary to buy open systems company Milestone Systems, it sent shock waves through the market. Obviously Canon is signalling its intent to become a larger player in surveillance, but what does the move mean for the long-term viability of Milestone’s open systems approach? Can an open systems company be owned by a camera company and keep its business approach intact? Yes, according to the Milestone announcement: “Canon respects how we built our business with our partners and supports our strategy of providing open platform solutions.”  2.       Vanderbilt Acquires Siemens' Security Products Siemens’ Security Products is well known in Europe, including familiar and established brands such as Bewator and Cotag in access control and Alarmcom and Europlex in the intrusion alarm sector. But who is Vanderbilt Industries? It's a fairly new U.S. company created around the acquisition in 2012 of the Schlage Security Management Systems (SMS) access control product line from Ingersoll Rand. The Siemens acquisition makes them instantly a global player. The move expands the global reach of Vanderbilt’s parent company, ACRE Ltd., and greatly enhances its technology capabilities and product portfolio.  3.       Avigilon Acquires VideoIQ 2014 began with news that HD surveillance company Avigilon Corp. had agreed to buy video analytics company VideoIQ for cash consideration of $32 million. Avigilon moved quickly to incorporate VideoIQ's technology into its product line, highlighting video analytics (including the Rialto analytics appliances) along with other technologies at ISC West, IFSEC and trade shows throughout the year. Avigilon is positioning its "adaptive" analytics as a way to simplify total system operation, delivering only the information an end user needs rather than a flood of video images. 2014 saw major activity on both sides of the Atlantic, impacting a wide range of industry sectors, from video to access control to home security  4.       HID Global Acquires Lumidigm HID Global is an undisputed worldwide leader in secure identity solutions, so it was big news when HID acquired a biometrics company in February. More accustomed to interfacing with biometrics technologies than owning them, HID’s acquisition of Lumidigm reflects a high level of confidence in the company’s  multispectral imaging technology, which uses multiple light spectrums and advanced polarisation techniques to extract unique fingerprint characteristics from both the surface and subsurface of the skin. The system can authenticate identities with a high degree of certainty (and even in non-ideal environments where fingers can get dirty or greasy.)  5.       Vicon and IQinVision Merge Vicon Industries and IQinVision announced a merger agreement in the spring to create a global provider of integrated solutions to the video security market. Vicon has long been known for designing and producing (mostly proprietary) video security and surveillance systems. IQinVision designs and produces high performance HD megapixel IP cameras. There are high hopes for the combined company, including continuing a camera line branded IQinVision and transitioning to an open systems approach with an emphasis on extracting business information from video streams.  6.       Anixter Acquires Tri-Ed It was a milestone for Anixter International, the largest acquisition in the global distributor’s 57-year history. When Anixter bought Tri-Ed for $420 million, the acquiring company emphasised the opportunity to accelerate implementation of IP video and access control by the new Tri-Ed customer base, previously more focused on analogue. Tri-Ed, independent distributor of security and low-voltage technology products, sells 110,000 different products to 2,000 active dealers and integrators through 61 branches and two technical sales centres located throughout North America. Anixter is a global distributor of communications and security products, electrical and electronic wire and cable, fasteners and other small components.  7.       Google Acquires Nest Labs It makes headlines when Google does anything, and Google’s entry into the home systems market is no different. Therefore, everyone noticed when Google acquired Nest Labs, a designer and manufacturer of sensor-driven, Wi-Fi-enabled, self-learning, programmable thermostats and smoke detectors. Many observers saw the $3.2 billion transaction as providing a critical foothold into the home systems market. Announced in January and closed the following month, the acquisition set the stage for another acquisition that would serve as further evidence of Google’s intent to be a dominant player in the home systems market ... The big deals of 2014 included some of the largest names in the industry  8.       Nest Labs Acquires Dropcam Google-owned Nest Labs, Inc announced that it had entered into an agreement to buy Dropcam for $555 million in cash, subject to adjustments. DropCam provides do-it-yourself IP video cameras for the home environment – and another foothold for Google.  9.       Kaba Holding Acquires Keyscan Emblematic of the continuing consolidation in the access control market was acquisition of Keyscan Inc., a Canadian provider of networked access control solutions, by Kaba Holding AG, based in Switzerland. The Keyscan brand presence will be maintained, operating as a separate division of Kaba’s ADS Americas Group.  10.   Hanhwa To Buy Largest Interest in Samsung Techwin When Samsung sells its interest in Samsung Techwin, it’s bound to be news, even as the company’s management insists everything is business as usual. It was just a stock transaction (they say), and Samsung Techwin (which was always separate from the larger Samsung Electronics) will continue on its successful course in the video surveillance market. Korean conglomerate Hanwha Holdings announced in late November its 32.4 percent ownership in the video surveillance company (as part of a larger sale of Samsung Techwin’s defence and chemical affiliates). What about the Samsung name? Management assures the market the valuable and well-known brand will remain intact. See the full coverage of 2014/2015 Review and Forecast articles here

Anixter International’s acquisition of Tri-Ed could help to accelerate implementation of IP video and access control by small and mid-sized dealer/integrators. In announcing the $420 million acquisition, Anixter emphasized the opportunity to expand its IP business through the new Tri-Ed customer base that has previously been more focused on analogue video as well as access control, intrusion detection and fire/life safety. It’s just one of the opportunities for Anixter to leverage the value of the “milestone” acquisition, the largest in Anixter’s 57-year history. Tri-Ed sells 110,000 different products to 2,000 active dealers and integrators through 61 branches and two technical sales centres located throughout North America. Although Tri-Ed’s commercial integrator base tends to be smaller, they do have several large national accounts in their portfolio. The opportunity to expand IP sales to mid- and small-sized integrators may have the most potential to provide a “multiplier effect” to Anixter’s security business, which is already on the upswing. The addition of Tri-Ed’s customer mix brings a new, different set of dealers that Anixter has not previously played to. The combined companies now cover everything from multi-national to small integrators, in effect covering 100 percent of the available market. (Tri-Ed also has a small presence in IP, in part resulting from its previous acquisition of Northern Video, but IP is less an emphasis than for Anixter, says Bob Eck, Anixter president and CEO.) The trends toward IP video systems that are easier to integrate and install could be useful as Anixter looks to attract traditionally analogue dealers to its IP products. Another upside for Anixter is entry into the residential market. The market served by Tri-Ed’s 2,000 dealers is about 40 percent residential, which is a new sector for Anixter, whose focus has previously been on the commercial and enterprise markets. The entry into residential is coming at “an attractive time in the recovery cycle,” says Eck. There may also be an opportunity for the Tri-Ed business to be “bolted onto” Anixter’s international footprint quickly to create additional upside by expanding the product mix available to overseas customers. Tri-Ed also has a small but growing e-commerce business (about 4 percent of sales), that can contribute to Anixter’s ongoing e-commerce initiatives. “They have experience in the multi-channel approach that we think is so important,” says Eck.