Security industry specialists to demonstrate expertise at Axis Communications’ Partner Showcase event in London

Axis Communications’ upcoming Partner Showcase biennial will welcome delegates from across the security industry and highlight the very latest advances in physical security technology. The event is to be held on Wednesday 16 October at White Hart Lane, the home of Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Axis Communications will host 27 partners who’ll be providing product demonstrations, engage in seminars and offer Q&A sessions on key topics ranging from cyber security, Artificial Intelligence (AI)/machine learning, behavioural analytics and detection right through to cloud/hosted services such as Video Surveillance-as-a-Service (VSaaS) and Access Control-as-a-Service (ACaaS).

The much-anticipated Axis Communications Partner Showcase represents an informal opportunity for system integrators, security installers, distributors, security consultants and end users to learn more about the future trends that are shaping the industry. Joining the Axis Communications team of experts will be subject matter specialists from every field across many industries who will explain the technology and, as valued Axis partners, deliver integrated solutions that address the key security challenges of today.

Content highlights to be delivered on the day will include:

*Future technology trends and their impact on video surveillance and access control

*How Internet of Things technologies are integrating in the cloud and the benefits they offer

*How ‘as-a-Service’ solutions (eg VSaaS and ACaaS) are changing the way in which end users buy security

*The importance of leveraging partnerships to address industry-wide challenges

*How innovation in network video is helping to drive business performance

*Analytics: AI, machine learning, deep learning and their impact on today’s industry

Delegates will benefit from an invaluable experience to learn more about the physical security landscape, while also networking with security industry peers. The Axis Communications Partner Showcase event provides an opportunity to engage in discussions around the hot topics with learnings that can be taken away and implemented to improve efficiencies delivered through greater business intelligence.

Registered exhibitors include 2N, Briefcam, Camstreamer, Citilog, Dedrone GmbH, Facit Data Systems, Genetec,  Milestone Systems, Morphean, Observit, Quanika, Secure Logiq, Siemon, Siklu Communication, SimonsVoss, Sound Intelligence, Synectics, Total Security Stockholm AB, Vaxtor Recognition Technologies and Veracity UK.

*To register for the event visit the website

Genetec announces support of Bosch, MOBOTIX and EUKLIS cameras for Stratocast cloud-based VMS

Genetec (the technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations and business intelligence solutions) has announced that Stratocast, its cloud-based Video Surveillance-as-a-Service (VSaaS) offer powered by the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform, now supports new camera models from Bosch, MOBOTIX and EUKLIS.

Stratocast is designed to meet the needs of organisations requiring a reliable and cost-effective video surveillance solution without the expense and complexities typically associated with installing and managing on-premises surveillance systems. It offers a true cloud solution for enterprise customers that want to easily deploy video surveillance in smaller footprint and remote locations.

Stratocast also supports hybrid cloud deployments for those end users wishing to keep certain on-premise storage and infrastructure hardware while gradually transitioning everything to the cloud.

Thanks to Stratocast’s open architecture, the portfolio of supported devices is also continually expanding and, as stated, will now support cameras from Bosch, MOBOTIX and EUKLIS in addition to existing support for hundreds of models from Axis Communications and Vivotek.   

“A driving force behind Stratocast is to deliver a cloud-based video management system based on an open architecture with no need for a local bridge or recorders,” said Oktay Yildiz, product line manager for Stratocast at Genetec. “At Genetec, we want to offer users a non-proprietary solution in the cloud such that they have the flexibility to integrate a variety of cameras to address their specific needs.”

Yildiz added: “With Stratocast, end users can transition to a cloud-based infrastructure while potentially leveraging their existing investment in camera hardware or choosing to install new cameras from a variety of supported brands.”

Georges Tannous, director of global alliances at Genetec, commented: “The growing interest for video surveillance in the cloud is a key driver in partner integration to the Stratocast platform. We’re excited about partner participation and these new integrations by Bosch, MOBOTIX and EUKLIS. We’re looking forward to adding more brands and models as they become available.”

*For a Stratocast trial visit: https://www.genetec.com/solutions/all-products/stratocast/overview#LookingForMoreInformationOrALiveDemo?

**For a full list of Stratocast-supported devices access: https://www.genetec.com/solutions/all-products/stratocast/supported-devices

***Stratocast provides the same SLA as all other Genetec cloud services, which is a credit-backed uptime guarantee of 99.9%

Ocucon scoops six Fraud Awards nominations

Ocucon, the world’s first Video Surveillance-as-a-Service (VSaaS) system, has been shortlisted across a range of categories for this year’s prestigious Fraud Awards, the leading accolade for those in the UK’s retail risk and loss prevention sector.

Organised by loss prevention conference Retail Risk, the Fraud Awards celebrate the very best individual and team performances, innovative new products and winning strategies within the retail and loss prevention sector over the last year.

Judged by a panel of internationally-renowned loss prevention professionals, the winners and runners-up will be announced on 4 October at the Fraud Awards Gala Dinner, to be held at Leicester City Football Club.

Breaking new ground in surveillance technology, the Newcastle-based Ocucon has been shortlisted a total of six times across five categories for its unlimited cloud-based storage platform, Ocucon, as well as its intelligent video redaction service Ocucon Pixelate.

The Ocucon team (from left to right): Simon Gardner, Maral O’Brien, Stuart Ferguson, Gary Trotter and Stephen Purvis

Categories include:

• Best Newcomer – recognising the most exciting new solution or company to enter the retail risk and loss prevention arena – Ocucon
• Best Newcomer – Ocucon Pixelate
• Most Innovative In-Store Solution – celebrating innovative approaches to an existing, tried and tested solution or genre – Ocucon
• Best Collaborative Solution – recognising products, solutions or services resulting from genuine collaboration that deliver a clear Return on Investment – Ocucon
• Most Innovative In-Store Surveillance Solution – celebrating innovative new uses of camera or surveillance technology benefiting the wider business – Ocucon
• Most Innovative Cross-Functional Solution – recognising innovative products, solutions or services that have a risk or loss prevention benefit, but sit outside of the Profit Protection Department – Ocucon Pixelate

Ocucon’s co-founder Gary Trotter commented: “To be shortlisted in this year’s Fraud Awards and across so many categories is testament to the great team we have based here in Newcastle, as well as our innovative and collaborative approach. Since our launch in October, we’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Dell and Google, to deliver the first-of-its-kind cloud-based storage service for CCTV and surveillance technology and launch our new intelligent video redaction service Ocucon Pixelate. As a result, we’ve seen significant interest in Ocucon both from large UK corporations and retailers, but also major retailers in North America. Our story is just one example of how tech start-ups can thrive here in the North East to compete on both the UK and the global stage.”

Launched in October last year, Ocucon is set to revolutionise the ability of businesses to defend against fraudulent cases of slips, trips and falls – currently estimated to cost the UK’s economy alone more than £800 million each year – by removing physical limitations on the amount of surveillance footage an organisation can save.

Ocucon delivers a powerful, cloud-based storage and retrieval platform combining intelligent data analytics with the facility to store, analyse and retrieve unlimited amounts of HD video surveillance footage from within the Ocucon portal.

Ocucon is expected to be of interest to any organisation capturing significant amounts of CCTV data. Since its launch, Ocucon has seen significant interest from both UK and US supermarkets and retail chains.

IHS Research Note: ‘Security system integration market worth an estimated $59.5 billion in 2013’

According to a new report from IHS, the world market for security system integration was valued at $59.5 billion in 2013, an increase of almost $5 billion from 2012. Paul Bremner (Senior Analyst for Video Surveillance – Security Services at IHS) outlines the detail.

The security system integration market consists of design, consultancy, installation, service and maintenance as well as the sales of video surveillance, physical access control and intruder alarm equipment. Revenue is expected to continue growing in excess of 9% through to 2018.

The market is characterised by a handful of large international players, numerous regional rivals and many local competitors. Such a competitive landscape means fierce competition abounds and that both integrators and installers must remain at the forefront of technology trends to be able to continue serving Best in Class integration packages to their customers.

One trend that integrators have been eyeing closely of late is Security as a Service (SaaS), whether it be Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) or Access Control as a Service (ACaaS). Both offer promising opportunities for integrators to expand their recurring monthly revenue while simultaneously becoming closer to the end customer. This model also allows integrators to increase the value they bring to the table, and also lets them be seen as working together with their customers as partners.

As equipment margins continue to edge lower for integrators, driven by price declines in the equipment itself, it is the services that integrators can offer – as well as the added value they’re perceived to bring to the customer – that will ultimately prove to be the separator between the winners and losers in this market.

IHS Research Note: $120 billion physical security industry continues to grow

In the latest Research Note from IHS, David Green (senior analyst for video surveillance and security services) provides a detailed and timely appraisal of the overall physical security equipment and services market.

The IHS report entitled ‘Physical Security Equipment and Services: 2014’ combines annual product revenues for the following equipment types: video surveillance, access control, intruder alarms, perimeter security, entrance control (pedestrian and vehicle), consumer video surveillance, thermal cameras and wireless infrastructure as well as service revenues assigned to Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS), Access Control as a Service (ACaaS), remote monitoring services and security systems integration.

According to IHS, strong market demand in an increasingly competitive physical security equipment and services industry is still driving overall revenue growth in all global regions.

Key findings of the latest IHS report are as follows:
• The market reached $120 billion in revenue during 2013, representing a 10.8% increase in market size compared to 2012
• The USA remains the largest country for spend with over $6.5 billion allocated solely on equipment, although China is edging closer to the Number One ranking each year
• One in every $5 spent on physical security equipment in Asia is for a Government building, not including other state-led facilities and installations such as airports or infrastructure
• On a global basis, no single company holds a market share greater than 5% for the physical security equipment and services sector

As global economic conditions continue to improve and budgets slowly increase, the physical security industry continues to perform strongly across the world. Growth in the number of projects employing different types of physical security equipment as a single solution is also increasing, often managed through the same platform.

Strong market demand in an increasingly competitive physical security equipment and services industry is still driving overall revenue growth in all global regions

Regional variations to be observed

Service-based offerings are proving popular in the American market as manufacturers and service providers look to bridge the gap between consumer-style business models and professional standard services.

Markets such as VSaaS or ACaaS only account for a small proportion of total revenues right now, but are expected to see some of the highest growth rates over the next five years.

IHS already sees this convergence in the supply market as well, with telecommunications companies now taking a greater interest in the security sector.

The EMEA market is much more evenly spread across all equipment and service types although it shares more similarities with the American market than with Asia. Equipment spending is particularly spread across different technology types. For example, entrance control accounts for almost 25% of all physical security equipment revenue which is higher than for any other region.

Asia remains the fastest-growing market in the world and has very different end user patterns and requirements. The equipment market in particular exhibits a strong focus on video surveillance, wherein 17% of all revenue spent on physical security equipment and services in China during 2013 was on just that (and often originating through larger Government-funded schemes or projects).

Recognising a competitive environment

While global revenues for physical security equipment and services continue to increase, any expectations that the security industry supply market would start to consolidate appear premature.

The Top 15 manufacturers and service providers accounted for only 22% of the global market in 2013 (a decrease of 3% on just 12 months earlier). Furthermore, no single company can boast a market share above 5%, in turn proving the fragmented nature of this growing industry and the high levels of competition.

One developing trend in this competitive environment is the rise of Asian-based manufacturers gaining market share outside of their domestic markets. In 2013, four of the Top 10 equipment manufacturers globally were based in Asia.

Companies that have performed strongly in their domestic market and have improved product quality are now starting to expand into new markets. This is a trend that IHS expects to continue and one which will drive increased price pressure in the American and EMEA markets over the next few years.

However, any price pressures are not currently strong enough to outweigh the increases in general market demand. This means that the overall market for physical security equipment and services is expected to continue with strong growth for the foreseeable future.