Honeywell focused on connected home/building

LAS VEGAS—A newly reorganized Honeywell Security and Fire intends to do more acquisitions in its quest to provide “the best connected solutions,” David Paja, Honeywell Security and Fire president, told Security Systems News.

Noting that Honeywell CEO and chairman David Cote has talked about the “intent to leverage M&A as a strong tool” in driving innovation, Paja said acquiring technology, particularly software, is “a strategy at the forefront of the process.”

Honeywell completed two deals in recent weeks. On March 1, it bought RSI for $123 million.

And today Honeywell announced that it closed the $480 million acquisition of Xtralis, a provider of smoke detection, perimeter security technologies, and video analytics software.

Asked what kind of acquisitions HSF is seeking, Paja noted that Xtralis and RSI have entirely different profiles. “What's important is how they help and enhance the connected offering,” Paja said.

Honeywell in September announced it would merge its security and fire businesses into one new business, Honeywell Security and Fire. That global reorg is almost entirely complete, said Todd Rief, HSF president Americas.

Rief said that Honeywell is trying to drive a few things through the reorganization, “accelerate innovation in the space” and “invest in emerging trends and key initiatives.” The result is a Honeywell that is a more exciting place for employees to work, and an easier company for dealers to do business with, he said.

At ISC West this week, Honeywell will be talking about its connected home/residential and connected buildings for SMB and enterprise. It will showcase its Honeywell Total Connect Remote Services, new AlarmNet services, and the SWIFT 2.0 family of wireless smoke detectors. Honeywell will highlight technology from recent acquisitions including Xtralis's long-range PIR detector and RSI's video verification technology.

RSI includes a DIY solution with the purchase of RSI. “We think it enables our channel partners to address or tap into new customers that they could not go after [previously],” Rief said.