Linear to offer Z-Wave product line

CARLSBAD, Calif.—Linear will introduce a new line of Z-Wave-enabled products at ISC West this year as the result of an asset acquisition from Advanced Control Technologies, Duane Paulson, Linear SVP, product and market development, told Security Systems News.

The purchase, announced Jan. 23, included “a lighting control product line, a couple of engineers and domain knowledge. [The engineers bring] years and years of knowledge working with Z-Wave,” Paulson said. He declined to discuss terms of the deal.

ACT will continue as a company, “just not in the Z-Wave business,” Paulson said. Linear is known for its wireless security and access control products.

“This is a big deal for Linear and a good deal for security installers, no matter what panel they use. They'll now have access to a full line of lighting products from us, a well-known stable company in the security industry,” he said.

Linear helped design and manufactures the 2GIG security panel. Its new Z-Wave products will work with 2GIG and other panels, such as Honeywell's LYNX and UTC panels as well, Paulson said.

As more security dealers get into home automation, they want to layer on “more and more non-security peripherals,” he said. This acquisition makes sense for Linear because “virtually all [of those peripherals] are Z-Wave.”

Paulson said the most common peripherals being attached to security systems are “thermostats, lighting and door locks … in that order.” Linear's first line of Z-Wave products will be a complete lighting control line.

“We will show products at ISC West and will ship at right about that time,” he added.