BY J OHN ADAM S
Something that struck me at the show was that it seems cameras are specialising in a way they’ve never done before. This reflects the limitations of current technology more than anything, in my opinion
options, conducting parallel sessions in adjacent hotels, for instance. Others devoted a part of their spend to extra-curricular activities like harbour cruises. Most exhibitors went with variation of existing stands, some in smaller footprints, while a number of bigger players showed their newest products in smaller displays than usual. None of this fiscal restraint is surprising. As the GFC drags into its 4th year with unresolved problems in foreign markets eroding local confidence it seems clear that a recovery period of 10 years is probably optimistic. This quiet time is the new normal and products will need to be clever, sharply priced and well supported to succeed. One thing that was obvious to me at the show was that the relationship sale is well and truly back. The Security 2012 best stand award went to Anixter which built a simple open layout with a feature wall, part of which was suspended in space
and all of which was painted with urban art. The barred windows, garbage bins and overhanging ivy brought to mind tough city security applications. A deserving winner, I thought. Anixter showed a wide range of the product lines it carries and is continuing to leverage its expertise in networking to bring together installers and manufacturers, in line with the recent successful national road show it conducted with its networking partners. Given the complexities of networked solutions this umbrella approach is a vital one. At the heart of the exhibition, as it has been for many years, was the Hills Industries stand. Combining the vast product ranges of DAS and Pacific Communications into a space that was at once welcoming and intimate, this stand enjoyed the most traffic in my opinion. Other neat larger stands included Axis, HID, Salto, Gunnebo, BFT, Vivotek, Mobotix, Verint, Sony, C.R. Kennedy, Honeywell, Merit LiLin, Avigilon, Milestone and Genetec. Smaller stands that looked great included Videofied, D-Link, LSC, Bosch, Alarmcorp and Infratherm. A special mention goes to ActivConsole, whose display floated in the middle of the second hall. And there were plenty of smaller players who made the most of unbuilt environments, relying on their hardware to draw the eye, including Unified, which builds mobile electronic security solutions onto extendable trailer-mounted poles. The pole seemed more than usually festooned with hardware this year, with multiple cameras, sensors and comms devices.
WHAT WAS NEW
It goes without saying that there were a lot of video surveillance cameras at Security 2012 but only a few alarm panels. In fact there were cameras as far as the eye could see but that shouldn’t be interpreted as a bad thing. Having standardised at 720p and 1080p HD resolutions for general applications, typical surveillance cameras are improving fast. There was some smart stuff though the market’s hybridisation is still visible. Something that struck me at the show was that it seems cameras are specialising in a way they have
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