Call for Entries launched by Global MSC Security for prestigious 2020 Gordon McLanaghan Award

Entries are now being accepted for the seventh annual Gordon McLanaghan Award, which recognises an individual, project team or organisation that has gone above and beyond the Call of Duty to achieve an innovative technical security solution.

The free-to-enter award is managed by Global MSC Security and judged by an independent panel of respected UK security practitioners. The panel look for compelling evidence of innovation and the impact that a technical security solution has had in solving a specific issue.

This prestigious award is presented in memory of Gordon McLanaghan, an innovator within the Bristol City Council CCTV and Emergency Control Centre, who sadly passed away back in 2014.

Previous winners of the Gordon McLanaghan Award are Dyfed Powys Police (2019), Cornwall Fire and Rescue (2018), the Cumbria Constabulary (2017), Gloucester City Council (2016), Jim Guiton of Dacorum Borough Council (2015) and Safer Communities Glasgow, who won the inaugural trophy back in 2014.

Derek Maltby, managing director of Global MSC Security, stated: “The Gordon McLanaghan Award is open to any organisation in the UK that has implemented a truly innovative technical security solution in the past 12 months. Since we launched the award in 2014, it has been dominated by some truly inspiring and successful projects undertaken in the UK public sector.”

Maltby went on to comment: “The Gordon McLanaghan Award is truly agnostic, so if you have a solution that has set a benchmark, or has been delivered in a new and creative way in the private or public sector arena, we would encourage you to enter this year.”

Derek Maltby

This year’s winners will be presented with a piece of Bristol Blue glassware as well as a cheque for £1,000 at a gala charity dinner hosted on the evening of Monday 9 November at The Bristol Hotel in central Bristol during the 2020 edition of the Global MSC Security Conference and Exhibition.

*Details on how to submit entries can be found here. The deadline for entries is Wednesday 30 September

Metro Security wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of M.A.R.S

Metro Security has won a 2019 Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category for the development of M.A.R.S (Metro Analytic Retail Solution), an integration software that brings retailers’ risk data into one location at the click of a mouse.

Managing director Trevor Wallace, who attended a reception at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday 11 June, enthused: “This award is a real honour for Metro Security. We’re a company that has been able to build a strong reputation off the back of British-designed software and hardware development.”

The M.A.R.S solution, which integrates retailers’ existing technology – including Electronic Point of Sale and CCTV data – to deliver transparency of information in order to detect theft and fraud, came to the attention of the Queen’s Award adjudicators after a number of High Street and petrol forecourt retailers reported transformative loss reduction results following its deployment.

Trevor Wallace (left) and son Darren at Buckingham Palace

The technology allows businesses to remotely access and deep dive into data with the support of CCTV evidence to build criminal cases for the police to prosecute, which also assists in reducing police investigation time.

Wallace, who established the Romford-based business back in 1978, continued: “Our technology is a collaborative effort with our customers. They tell us what management information they want and how they want it packaged. We then work with them, and their other partners, to deliver it. We see ourselves as a kind of Q character from the James Bond franchise. We quietly work in the background to enable technologies to work together to catch the bad guys. We’re not quite on Her Majesty’s Secret Service, but this Royal recognition is a major boon for the business and an acknowledgement of the hard work and long hours put in by the team. This prestigious accolade is a true recognition of their enterprise.”

The Deputy Lord Lieutenant will be visiting the business in Ashton Road to bestow the Queen’s Award for Enterprise certificate and crystal award.

IDIS Smart Factory wins National Productivity Award in home market

IDIS, South Korea’s largest in-country manufacturer of surveillance technology, has been honoured with a National Productivity Award presidential citation in the country’s 42nd National Productivity Competition, which is sponsored by the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The National Productivity Award competition, run by the Korea Productivity Centre at COEX in Seoul, affords Government recognition for corporations, organisations and individuals who have shown leadership in applying productivity to achieve successful and documented business outcomes.

The award and citation recognises IDIS for its custom-designed IDIS Smart Factory, which is purpose-built to match business requirements on a seamless basis. The IDIS Smart Factory, which assembles the varied components of the IDIS Total Solution sold and installed throughout the world, operates with a flexible production system, using Big Data to modularise and refine production processes in order to meet the company’s requirements.

Each process in the IDIS Smart Factory is computerised, from material warehousing to management, production, function tests and even packaging. This results in increased productivity. In addition, real-time production planning, cause-of-defect analysis and tracking can be achieved by breaking down process histories.

With the computerisation of the automatic processes in the IDIS Smart Factory, if a certain product is missing materials or doesn’t pass a functionality test, it doesn’t proceed to the next stage. This blocks any possible defects, in turn enhancing customer satisfaction by improving quality and creating products that can be massively customised.

As a result, IDIS has seen increased productivity coupled with decreased inefficiency, allowing the business to remain focused on innovation and the continual enhancement of customer experience.

YD Kim

The National Productivity Award further recognises IDIS’ innovative technology worldwide, noting the overall value of the company in the global security and surveillance marketplace.

“It’s rewarding to see the IDIS Smart Factory, which has taken years of effort to build, receive this prize,” noted IDIS’ CEO YD Kim. “Recognised as a leader in Korea’s 4th Industrial Revolution, IDIS will continue to strive to be the best global video surveillance manufacturer, deepening our impact in the industry through our advancements in the application of Artificial Intelligence to our technology solutions.”

Paxton named ‘Company of the Year’ at Brighton and Hove Business Awards

Paxton, the global brand of electronic IP access control and door entry systems, is celebrating being named ‘Company of the Year’ at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards. The company was also highly commended in the International Business of the Year category.

The Brighton and Hove Business Awards are supported by the city’s leading organisations and are established as a benchmark for excellence in today’s competitive business environment. In selecting the ‘Company of the Year’, the experienced panel of judges were looking for “the company that has truly achieved all-round business excellence in terms of year-on-year financial performance, strategic direction, employee relations, Corporate Social Responsibility, innovation and a first-class service and/or product offering.”

The awards ceremony, which took place on Saturday 14 July, was attended by Nicola O’Donnell, Human Resources director at Paxton, and resourcing business partner Devin Yuille, along with representatives from other local businesses.

Nicola O’Donnell collects Paxton’s award

Commenting on the win, Adam Stroud, Paxton’s CEO, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have scooped ‘Company of the Year’ at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards, and to have been commended for our international presence. It’s a massive honour to be recognised among the top businesses in Brighton, and to be the only security manufacturer to win an award.”

Stroud continued: “We aim to be world-class in all that we do, from our products and services to our working environment. We’ve worked hard to develop a positive company culture and to support our staff on each step of their career with us.”

In conclusion, Stroud added: “While hard work, focus, investment and a good strategy are essential to the success of the company, most important of all by a long way are the people that work for Paxton. I’d like to thank all of the Paxton team. They have been responsible for our success to date, and will continue to determine the extent of our future successes.”

KPMG’s David Ferbrache wins Personality of the Year category at 2018 Cyber Security Awards

David Ferbrache, chief technology officer in KPMG’s cyber security practice, has won the Personality of the Year accolade at the Cyber Security Awards 2018. The ceremony was held in central London on Thursday 21 June.

Commenting on his achievement, Ferbrache informed Risk Xtra: “This award is a testimony to all of the great people that I’ve worked with, and particularly those at KPMG. Cyber security has been my passion for over 30 years now, and I have thoroughly enjoyed making a difference along the way.”

David Ferbrache of KPMG

Congratulating Ferbrache, Bernard Brown (vice-chair at KPMG UK) said: “This is a fantastic accolade for David as the competition was tough this year. He’s a hardworking individual who most definitely deserves the award. David has a great reputation in the industry, having worked in cyber security and technology risk for over 30 years. This award is a testament to the great service that David has given to the industry.”

The Cyber Security Awards were established in 2014 to reward the best individuals, teams and companies within the cyber security industry. Excellence and innovation are core themes running throughout all categories.

Electronic Fire and Security Industry Symposium 2018 topics announced by Euralarm

The newest edition of the Euralarm Symposium will take place in Bucharest on 4 June next year. In five years, the conference has established itself as one of the most important when it comes to significant market developments in innovation, legislation, regulation and standardisation as they affect the electronic security and fire safety sector.

Never shying away from controversial topics impacting the industry and with a view to providing business relevance, the annual event is aimed at Euralarm members, namely companies within the industry and national associations across Europe. It’s set to attract a large crowd. Notably, European stakeholders – both from institutions and advocacy groups – are expected to join the conference.

Topics for the 2018 Euralarm Symposium have been chosen for their broad appeal. The common thread will be the continually changing business environment and how this can be addressed to offset the challenges that globalisation and technological developments have set for the industry.

Qualifying to compete In today’s market, companies must qualify to compete. The EN 16763 Services Standard – one of the first to focus on the tertiary sector – was only a stepping stone. National players must now set out to outline how skills, experience and knowledge are verified and establish qualifications that are valid ‘across Europe’.

Keeping Security secure In the context of the EU General Data Protection Regulation and ever-evolving cyber security risks, the fire safety and security industry must define and implement measures to protect its products and solutions. Measures for IT infrastructures essential to the industry must be implemented while at the same time keeping European citizens secure.

Regulating construction products Euralarm’s Construction Products Regulation (CPR) Task Force is studying the influence of the CPR on the harmonised standards for fire safety. The objective is to develop a common understanding of how the CPR impacts the market today and how best to deal with the problems that Technical Committees such as CEN/TC 72 and CEN/TC 191 are facing. The Symposium will be the occasion for presenting and discussing the resulting publication and reaching out to EU stakeholders.

Lance Rütimann, Euralarm’s Advocacy Committee chairman, said: “The challenges for our industry are more complex with noticeable increases in both technical and regulatory developments and the resulting demand on new skills. We will embrace this exciting time with confidence to find the answers that can drive the growth and successful evolution of the market.”

“New Government must help deliver productivity boost” urges ADS

Defence and security sector Trade Association ADS Group has stated that the UK’s future economic success will depend on the new Government working with industry to achieve a major boost in productivity.

Launching ADS’ five-point ‘General Election Manifesto’, CEO Paul Everitt said the spotlight would be on the new Government’s commitment to putting in place the foundations for substantial gains in productivity by attracting investment, supporting innovation and delivering a Brexit deal designed to sustain UK competitiveness.

“The UK needs a step change in productivity to fully achieve our potential and put vital sectors of our economy on the right footing to compete around the world,” stressed Everitt. “The Government elected on Thursday 8 June will face economic challenges that it must work in partnership with industry to address if we’re to achieve sustainable and long-term economic growth. Any failure to prioritise productivity gains would put at risk the UK’s future ability to generate high value jobs and maximise the economic potential of our ingenuity.”

Paul Everitt: CEO at the ADS Group

Everitt continued: “We need to see the development of an ambitious industrial strategy with full political and financial backing, support for SME investment in technologies and the latest advanced manufacturing processes, and prioritisation of innovation to make sure the UK benefits from the jobs, exports and growth that flow from new ideas.”

The five election priorities set out by ADS are as follows:

(1) Develop an ambitious Industrial Strategy that attracts global investment

The Government must build on successful sector strategies with long-term political and financial backing for an ambitious industrial strategy

(2) Prioritise productivity by investing in supply chains

Given the UK’s long-term productivity challenge, the UK must support SMEs in their ability to invest in new technologies, develop world-class skills and adopt the latest manufacturing processes

(3) Invest in industrial innovation

Prioritising and focusing funding on industrial innovation, as well as scientific research, would ensure that the UK benefits from the jobs, exports and growth that flow from our innovative ideas

(4) Enhance national security by investing in UK capability

The next Government should ensure its value for money analysis recognises and reflects the benefits of equipping a UK supply chain with the capabilities, technologies and engineering services necessary for our long-term national security

(5) Deliver a Brexit deal that sustains our global competitiveness

Our sectors’ ability to compete globally depends on a stable transition to a new deal with the EU that delivers what might best be termed ‘frictionless’ trade and access to regulators, R&D programmes and skills

Newest Euralarm member WAGNER Group brings strong innovation expertise in fire protection

Following a unanimous decision of the Board, Euralarm has now formally welcomed its newest member the WAGNER Group. The company will join the Fire Section of Euralarm, which activities cover fire detection, notification, evacuation, extinguishing controls and smoke and heat ventilation.

WAGNER will now benefit from Euralarm’s services in terms of representation among European institutions and standardisation organisations and the monitoring of relevant legislative and standardisation issues, and will have access to its extended network of national associations and major companies in the electronic fire safety and security sector.

WAGNER Group is a leading provider of integrated fire protection. Its products are often considered a benchmark in the sector. The company is an experienced provider of comprehensive and individual services ranging from consulting and solution development to system installation and support.

Over the years, WAGNER’s innovations have given the market significant impetus. As a logical consequence, the German-based company also brings its expertise and knowhow into important standards committees including DIN, CEN and ISO.

WAGNER is also actively involved in drafting national and international guidelines with, for example, VdS and the BSI.

Headquartered in Langenhagen near Hannover in Germany, WAGNER’s worldwide presence extends beyond Europe to China, Dubai, Singapore and the United States.

Enhanced competitiveness and harmonisation

WAGNER will be represented in the Euralarm Fire Section by Dr Ing Oliver Linden, the company’s product manager. Following the completion of a doctorate in safety engineering and fire and explosion protection, Dr Ing Linden spent several years working as a researcher, with a special focus on the development and testing of multi-criteria fire detectors before moving into product management.

His responsibilities in terms of the company’s product portfolio and special tasks have increased steadily across a 12-year career with the business.

“WAGNER acknowledges Euralarm’s important role as the European fire and security industry’s representative and balancing partner to standardisation and testing bodies,” said Dr Ing Linden. “Having participated in its work for many years, WAGNER decided to permanently engage with Euralarm’s activities specifically in relation to matters of fire safety, contributing towards reduced trade barriers as well as enhanced competitiveness and harmonisation of the European market. As WAGNER’s representative, I would like to thank Euralarm very much for the warm welcome.”

Euralarm president Enzo Peduzzi commented: “We’re happy to now count WAGNER among our members. Euralarm is now even more representative of the electronic fire safety and security sector.”

Euralarm represents the electronic fire and security industry, providing leadership and expertise for industry, the market, policy-makers and standards bodies. Its members make society safer and more secure through systems and services for fire detection, intrusion detection, access control, video monitoring, alarm transmission and Alarm Receiving Centres.

Founded in 1970, Euralarm represents over 5,000 companies within the fire safety and security industry. Euralarm members are national associations and individual companies from across Europe.

ASSA ABLOY’s innovation focus continues with developments at Future Lab

ASSA, part of ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions (a UK division of ASSA ABLOY), is continuing to develop the security sector’s solutions offer through its Future Lab.

The ASSA ABLOY Future Lab is an initiative that studies the trends influencing security in order to predict the future of the industry.

Through collaboration with end users, distributors and ASSA ABLOY divisions, the Future Lab is helping the Group’s product development process to improve in order to meet changing market demand. 

Since 2005, ASSA ABLOY has increased its R&D investment on the global stage by 130% and grown the number of its product design engineers to 1,400. This has led to the development of electromechanical products such as ASSA’s CLIQ Remote system, which combines traditional locksmithing with modern information technology.

ASSA CLIQ Remote

CLIQ can improve security for businesses without the associated cost and complexity, and is just one example of how ASSA ABLOY is “truly a leader” in the sphere innovation.

Sales of ASSA ABLOY’s electromechanical products have increased from 20% to 49% of overal Group sales since 2000.

Richard Bromley, business development director at ASSA ABLOY UK, said: “Innovation is key for any business to ensure it stays ahead of the competition. Now more than ever, it’s critical to offer products designed for the future that excite customers and add value.”

Bromley continued: “Within the security industry, innovation is no longer just about technological invention, but also about harnessing invention to improve business processes and outcomes. That’s why, at ASSA ABLOY Security Solutions, we’ve recently invested in our electromechanical team to help our customers make the most of groundbreaking products such as ASSA’s CLIQ Remote system.”

ASSA ABLOY’s Future Lab provides insights and knowledge in articles and videos where security experts and customers share insights and innovative ideas on future opportunities and challenges in the market. For more information visit: http://futurelab.assaabloy.com/en/

*Further detail on the full range of CLIQ products from ASSA is available online at: http://www.assa.co.uk/en/site/assacouk/cliq-remote