Secutech 2013 Rivets Global Attention on Taiwan's Security and Safety Products
The expanded size and turnout of the fair reflects Taiwan's leading status in the world's security supply chain
2013/09/03 | By Steve Chuang
The annual show, organized by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd., is the world's best-known original design and manufacturing trade fair for security and safety products. For years it has consisted of three concurrent shows--Composec (Components of Security), Fire & Safety, and Info Security--along with educational seminars. This year, the tradition was continued on a larger scale with a record number of attendees from all over the world.
According to the organizer, the show accommodated 510 exhibitors from 19 different countries and attracted a total of 25,807 visitors from 100 countries during its three-day run. Japan, China, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, the US, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Indonesia were the top 10 sources of foreign visitors to the event.
“Secutech is a trade event that security industry people don't want to miss,” commented Parson Lee, managing director of Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media. “I am happy that the show attracted visitors from nearby countries and regions such as China, Japan, and Malaysia, as well as Russia and South Africa which are far away from Taiwan.”
The size and turnout of this year's show reflects not just increasing global demand for security and safety control products and services, but also Taiwan's leading status in the world's supply chain.
Statistics compiled by Taiwan's Bureau of Foreign Trade indicate that the island's exports of CCTV (closed circuit television) and related video surveillance equipment surged 37% in 2011, driven mostly by network-related equipment and systems along with RFID (radio frequency identification) technology-based access control products. Globally known Taiwan brands in the field include Vivotek, Geovision, and Everfocus.
The world's steadily increasing demand for security and safety products is a prime driver of Secutech's growth. According to the latest report by IMS Research, a British market researcher, the budgets of physical security equipment end-users have increased by 45% since 2012. Of nearly 200 end-users polled in the IMS survey, 44% said they budget over US$100,000 every year for the procurement of such products, and 20% report spending more than US$500,000. With the rise of global terrorism boosting the need for security and safety, the end-user market is bursting with growth potential.
Another IMS Research report, entitled “The World Market for Consumer and DIY Video Surveillance Equipment,” says that sales of analogue cameras are estimated to have reached some 3 million units in 2012, mostly fueled by the U.S. market, the world's largest single market for surveillance cameras for ordinary consumers and DIY users.
Spotlight Exhibit
Visitors to Secutech 2013 had access to a full array of security and safety products, including IP megapixel cameras, HD surveillance cameras, video capturing and system management software, transmission and storage devices, access controllers, biometric devices, access cards and readers, locks and related hardware, intrusion alarms, smart home devices, intelligent building security systems, application solutions, vehicle security products, police equipment, personal protection products, and fire protection equipment, as well as GPS and satellite communication devices, rescue tools, IT devices, and related software.
New, innovative, and trendsetting products showcased by high-profile exhibitors added to the show's overall impact. For instance, the Full HD Outdoor IR Poe IP Camera (coded ICA-3250V), from PLANET Technology, was developed in line with the trend toward full HD video surveillance. It allows simultaneous compression of captured motion pictures in the H.264/MPEG-4 and M-JEPG format; strengthens the visibility of images captured under extremely bright or dark environments with a WDR (wide dynamic range) enhancement function; complies with IEEE 802.3af PoE and ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) interfaces for flexible deployment and high interoperability; and measures up to IP66 waterproof standards for use in harsh environments.
The SKR600 RFID & Keypad Lock was a big hit as well. This product, displayed by Taiwan-based Sun Castle Global Precision Technology Co., a high-tech lock supplier, features fashionable minimalist-style exterior design and a combination of RFID and digital code technologies that provide three different ways of unlocking and offers a One-Card solution that makes it applicable to mass transportation systems, ID cards, and office security.
Another highlight of the show was the CC8130 Counter Camera released by VIVOTEK, which is notable for its compact cube-shaped exterior coupled with a 1-megapixel wide-angle lens, making it ideal for retail and indoor surveillance with no dead corners. The camera is built with an integrated microphone, ensuring more effective surveillance and enabling sound recording within a 5-meter radius; thanks to a unique mounting design, it is easy to install.
Growing National Diversity
The show was also notable for the diversity of its national exhibitors. One striking example was provided by the Shenzhen Pavilion, where, the organizer noted, more than 60 top manufacturers from Shenzhen in southeastern China were assembled to showcase a variety of security products, mostly analogue surveillance and related systems. This is one indication of China's rapid emergence in the global supply chain.
A large number of Korean suppliers of HD surveillance devices, CCTVs, vehicle security products, alarms, biometric devices, and security accessories were present at the Korea Pavilion, organized by Korea Electronics Association. Heavyweights as HDPRO, MicroDigital, Pinetron, ITX, and Dmax, along with first-time exhibitors such as Pravis and Secubest, joined the group to show off Korea's prowess in developing security technologies and products.
Meanwhile, a number of globally competitive suppliers from India, Vietnam, Brazil, Russia, and New Zealand took part in the show, with exhibits covering management software, perimeter protection systems, CCTV test instruments, transmission devices, and accessories. The growing number of foreign exhibitors made Secutech more obviously than ever an international platform that enhances business and technology exchanges among industry insiders from all over the world.
To ride on the trend of smart home security, this year the show organized Home Security and Access Control Display areas with a wide spectrum of IP surveillance products for household use and a full line of access control products such as controllers, cards, readers, locks, RFID systems, biometric devices, and hybrid systems.
Other Features
Secutech 2013 featured a number of other activities that made it especially attractive to both exhibitors and visitors. A business matching program arranged by the organizer, for instance, was highly praised by attendees.
The organizer reported that Dennis Chang, president of Chuan Yen Tech Co., a Taiwanese supplier of mobile water mist equipment for firefighting, gave high marks to the program because it effectively linked his company with a professional buyer from Brazil interested in its firefighting products.
The organizer also brought in buyer delegations from Europe, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam, and arranged “Start Buyer” meeting rooms where buyers and exhibitors could hold private face-to-face conversations about business partnerships.
These services proved popular as well as helpful. One buyer from Vietnam, who is working on a smart city project in Hanoi and came to the show looking for security solutions including access control and fire alarms, told the organizer that thanks largely to the show's services, which made his sourcing easier, faster, and more effective, he met 15 potential suppliers in a short time and would pick some from among them to work with on his project in the near future.
The Secutech Award area, where the best IP cameras and NVR (network video recorder) cameras chosen by buyer voting were exhibited, was another of the show's highlights. In addition to boosting the exposure of high-profile products, this area also offered buyers easy access to security products with proven quality and functionality. This year's winning IP cameras were produced by Dahua, Everfocus, Lilin, Panasonic, Sony, and VIVOTEK, while the winning NVR cameras were from NUUO, Qnap, and Synology.
Educational Events
The show was rife with educational opportunities, with a total of 22 seminars held during its three days. Discussions centered on surveillance, security components, fire and safety, and information security.
Among the most popular of these events was the Global Digital Surveillance Forum (GDSF), which featured instructive lectures given by surveillance specialists from the top 50 companies listed in the “Security 50” as well as experts from several leading brands. The talks included advice on CCTV upgrades as well as insights into the IP surveillance buy-side community and upcoming challenges for the industry.
For instance, Steve Ma, executive vice president of Taiwan's VIVOTEK, talked about “Megapixel Panoramic Surveillance.” He pointed out that the panoramic idea is derived from CCTV systems and used in surveillance to reduce the number of cameras used in a system. However, he said, this concept is encountering challenges including a lack of sufficient resolution and distortion introduced by fisheye lenses. He described how such systems have been developed and upgraded for better surveillance at more efficient cost.
Other talks at this year's GDSF included “Hikvision Storage Solution for HD Surveillance” by Derek Yang of Hikvision Digital Technology Co., a China-based video surveillance solution provider; “Panasonic Solution for Security” by Tohru Takahashi of Panasonic Systems Networks Co.; “Reliable Infrared LEDs for CCTV Camera Illumination” by Michael Gu of Osram Opto Semiconductors Asia Ltd.; and “How to Consolidate the System with HD-CCTV” by Leslie Park of Webgate, a Korea-headquartered provider of HD-CCTV solutions.
To help Taiwanese suppliers from the hardware, building materials, and tools sectors expand their reach into the security and safety market, CENS, the most experienced of Taiwan's export media, participated in Secutech 2013 where it distributed its magazines, including CENS Hardware and Guidebook to Taiwan Hand Tools, to foreign buyers interested in the island's advanced, high-quality products.
The next Secutech will be held on Mar. 19-21, 2014, again in the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center.