Articles & Blogs

It’s a given – smart technology is transforming the way we live and work. There are few areas of daily life that haven’t been impacted by smart mobile devices; be those phones, tablets, watches or other; and the realm of Access Control is no different. Whilst it’s still early days for so-called ‘Smart Credentials’ technology adoption within access control solutions, its popularity is on the increase and with good reason.

Norbain SD have recently interviewed Linn Storang from Axis. Where we spoke about artificial intelligence and cyber security.

According to Omdia, body-worn video in non-law enforcement applications is set to be one of the top trends in physical security in 2021. How has this come about? We know from evidence to date that law enforcement bodies have had mixed results when using this technology. Some studies have shown that the use of Bodyworn Cameras by Police Forces has encouraged improvements in behaviour when the camera is on, both by members of the public and police officers alike. And in the UK, this technology has been heavily invested in by the majority of police forces, with the Metropolitan Police going so far as to issue a Bodyworn Camera to all frontline officers. But the technology also runs the risk of provoking negative reactions when used for law enforcement.

I’ve just finished my interview with Robin Hughes, Co-Founder at Secure Logiq and have come off the video call quite inspired. Robin and the team at Secure Logiq have had the most fantastic year, despite COVID; in fact, the restrictions due to COVID and the pandemic have done much to drive interest and, therefore, continued growth, for this specialist UK manufacturer. Secure Logiq will celebrate their 10th birthday in September 2021 and are in the midst of step changes in personnel to support the continuing increase in demand for their services. Norbain signed them up as a vendor back in Autumn 2020, recognising the advantage of bringing into our portfolio a vendor who offers servers specifically designed for HD Surveillance. So, what are the reasons behind this success story, apart from Secure Logiq being run by enthusiast experts who strive to be the best at what they do.

Integration or Interoperability, whichever you wish to call it, is a much-talked-about topic in the Security Sector. It is becoming more and more critical, as we move towards greater acceptance of Cloud-enabled and remote management solutions. End-user customers are looking for what can really improve their return on investment. There is also the ever-present threat of cybercrime and, to solve this, collaboration across manufacturers is key and must eventually become the new normal. It could be that cybercrime tips the balance for the industry as a whole because major efforts are underway to make widespread interoperability across cybersecurity a reality.  And with regards to integration across security solutions, whenever we add something to an existing security system, it’s important to ensure the amendment doesn’t ‘open the back door’ and increase cyber threats unnecessarily.

The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) was created 53 years ago to support and represent those operating in the private security sector. We thought it was time to find out what their current priorities are by catching up with Mike Reddington, Chief Executive Officer. Here’s an overview of our discussion, including background to the BSIA and the agenda for 2021 & beyond for Mike and his award-winning team.

Hikvision are very hot on research & development of security technology. With this in mind, they set up a dedicated R&D centre in the UK just over a year ago to best assist with local market product development needs and to respond to bespoke system requirements for UK customers. The Director of the UK R&D Centre is Ching Jin, and I caught up with him recently about what he sees as the short- and long-term trends likely to have an impact on the security industry. “In spite of a highly unusual 2020, the security industry’s constant transformation has not stopped,” Ching Jin says. “Several significant shifts in the use of technology are even accelerating, and these changes are expanding and reshaping the scope of the security industry, from keeping people and assets safe to creating more secure, efficient and intelligent environments.

In our most recent Industry Insights Interview, I caught up with Peter Webster, CCTV & Careline Centre Manager at Slough Borough Council and Owner /Director of The CCTV User Group, and discovered the challenges facing video surveillance in the public and ‘pseudo’ public sectors. With multiple headwinds facing these operations, including funding, out-of-date solutions, and new legislation, what needs to happen to secure the future security of our public spaces?

Last month, we spoke to Suprema UK & Ireland’s leader, Jamie McMillen about his career in the security industry and the fundamental rise of Biometric Technology as a game-changing solution within the sector. Jamie offered us his insights into the developments of this technology and the marketplace over the last 20 years since Suprema was born. We discussed the relative speed with which COVID has fast-forwarded acceptance of these newer access control methods, along with the pitfalls and knee jerk reactions he has observed, particularly since March 2020.

Like many ‘new’ or innovative ways of managing our lives, the 2020 pandemic and resulting remote working and living has catapulted cloud architecture to centre stage in our consciousness. What it allows us to do is not just store our data but access services from wherever we choose to connect.

Making sure your warehouse is safe internally and externally isn't hard. Our blog gives your ideas on which solutions are best to keep big premises safe and secure.

Back in early December, I had the pleasure of interviewing Una Riley, a well-known figure and inspiration to many in the Security Industry. And quite frankly, just a lovely lady. Una has just accepted the position of Chief Executive at IPSA; the International Professional Security Association, who are dedicated to frontline workers in the private Security Industry. IPSA are going through a radical shake up and among other improvements, have made the bold decision to offer their membership for free.