Archive: January 2016
Ten top integrators talk tech
January 29, 2016Martha Entwistle
YARMOUTH, Maine—For the second year in a row, Security Systems News has asked 10 top integrators which technology trends they believe integrators should be paying attention to and why. Again this year, cybersecurity and cloud were among those top trends, but several other technologies were identified including video and data analytics, big data.Executives from the following companies participated in this report: Extravision Video Technologies, Security Equipment Inc., Integrated Security Systems,...
IBS improves its personal safety app
January 27, 2016Spencer Ives
DALLAS—IBS, a central station-focused software company, has made improvements to its Safe and Secure offering, a panic button app designed to give monitoring centers an entrée into the personal protection space and more RMR.“It's a nice addition to our existing customers that allows them to … enter into a market very, very simply,” Jens Kolind, vice president for IBS, told Security Systems News. US Monitoring started using the app in June 2015 and discussed its advantages with...
Central stations have more options to get UL-listed
January 27, 2016Spencer Ives
NORTHBROOK, Ill.—Underwriters Laboratories now allows central stations using newer technologies—such as virtualization—ways to become UL-listed.Specifically, central stations will “have new options for compliance with 827, [and] those options should be better aligned with current technologies,” Steve Schmit, engineering manager for UL, told Security Systems News. “The technologies that central stations want to implement now, because it makes sense for them to do...
UCC acquired by COPS' owner Lydia Security Monitoring
January 27, 2016Spencer Ives
WILLIAMSTOWN, N.J.—Lydia Security Monitoring, the parent company of COPS Monitoring, both based here, announced today it has acquired wholesale central station United Central Control.“COPS and UCC are CSAA member companies, and both are well-run and respected monitoring companies. Lydia's acquisition of UCC adds an impressive business to their existing third party monitoring portfolio,” CSAA executive director Jay Hauhn told Security Systems News.In a prepared statement, Jim McMullen,...
Lydia receives $75 million
January 27, 2016Spencer Ives
WILLIAMSTOWN, N.J.—Lydia Security Monitoring, the parent company of COPS Monitoring, received a $75 million credit facility from Citizens Bank, the bank announced Jan. 25.“Lydia plans to use this line of credit for general corporate purposes and to expand its presence in the market,” David Smith, COPS' director of marketing and communications, told Security Systems News, in an email interview.Citizens served as lead left arranger and administrative agent for the transaction.Jim...
Erin go bragh: The JCI/Tyco megamerger
January 27, 2016Martha Entwistle
After spending the past 10 years divesting itself of non-core businesses, Tyco is now going to become part of a much larger company. And, after being a Milwaukee company since 1885, Johnson Controls will now have its official domicile, with Tyco, in Cork, Ireland. Here's a video interview I did with Mark Van Dover of Tyco Integrated Security about being a standalone company.
Tyco and Johnson Controls announced Monday that they would merge. We don't generally see deals this big in the security industry....
Tyco closes ShopperTrak acquisition
January 27, 2016Martha Entwistle
CORK, Ireland—Tyco on Jan. 26 announced that it has completed the $175 million cash acquisition of ShopperTrak, a Chicago-based global provider of analytics for the retail industry.Tyco announced its intention to acquire ShopperTrak, which currently generates $75 million in annual revenues, in December.ShopperTrak's solutions include perimeter traffic counting, in-store consumer behavior analytics and industry benchmarking.Tyco plans to combine ShopperTrak capabilities with its existing loss...
Central Station information at TechSec
January 27, 2016Spencer Ives
TechSec Solutions is coming up next week in Delray Beach, Fla., Feb. 2-3, and there will be topics of interest for monitoring stations.
One session that affects all companies in the industry looks at cybersecurity, and how it threatens the physical security world. Joe Coe, sales engineer with Hikvision; Rodney Thayer, a consultant with Smithee, Spelvin, Agnew and Splinge; and Chris Pechkam will take the stage to talk about new vulnerabilities that arise from more internet connectivity.
In the...
How I Use My System: Barry Chisholm
January 26, 2016Spencer Ives
Barry Chisholm, regional sales manager for American Alarm and Communications, oversees sales in three of the company's offices, including its headquarters in Arlington, Mass. Chisholm started in sales at American Alarm in December 2011, rising to his current position in 2013. He began his career at ADT in 1994. Security Systems News caught up with Chisholm in early January to talk about his home security system.What kind of system do you have?I have a DMP system in my home with full perimeter protection—all...
Five Questions: Annette El-Jor
January 26, 2016Spencer Ives
Richmond Alarm is a full-service alarm company, founded in 1947, based in Midlothian, Va. The company monitors about 30,000 accounts from its own monitoring center—two-thirds of which are wholesale. Annette El-Jor recently joined the team as its operations manager, in charge of the technicians, service, installations, fire inspections, and inventory control. In early January, Security Systems News asked her five questions.Are you from Virginia originally?I am, yes. I've been here all my life.What...