Market Update
The Middle East Eyes
High-End Products
The region’s large-scale projects demand top-of-the-line security equipment,
borrowing and implementing standards from its European neighbors.
By Rosa Chen
G
overnments and business
owners in the GCC region
are developing world-class
buildings and infrastructure. It is
not surprising, therefore, that they
demand sophisticated security
equipment. Consultants and experts
from the U.K., U.S., and other
mature markets shape the security
landscape.
Legislations and
Standards
The Dubai Police Department of
Protective Systems (DPS) issued laws
governing security installations at
banks, hotels and malls, said Syed
Khurram, Business Development
Manager for Dedicated Micros.
V i d e o
▲ S yed Khurram, Business Development
Manager for Dedicated Micros
▲P
 eter Bilsted, Sales Director, MEA and
ANZ, Milestone Systems
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22 MAR 2010
surveillance specifications such as
WDR, IR, auto iris, day and night
capabilities, and minimum lux levels
are included in Law No. 24 for Security
Requirements, said Peter Bilsted, Sales
Director, MEA and ANZ, Milestone
Systems. “Police consultants must
approve system designs of all publicly
accessible places.”
The DPS now certifies engineers
and technicians to meet profes-
sional standards, said Noor Ul
Mushtaq, MD of Al Taaraf Group.
Manufacturers new to the market
should become acquainted with
consultants to understand current
requirements.
Outside the GCC, surveillance is
heavily regulated in Jordan. Privacy
is an issue, and spy cameras as well
as miniature cameras are
▲N
 oor Ul Mushtaq, MD of Al Taaraf
Group
▲ I mad Abu Dabasi, GM of Electronic ▲ David Beanland, GM of the Middle
Supplies East for AMG Systems
www.asmag.com 22
forbidden, said Imad Abu Dabasi,
GM of Electronic Supplies.
Standards and requirements are
set from the get-go with direct
government involvement, making
the bidding process very straight-
forward.
Migration to IP
The verdict for IP penetration is
divided. With many high-risk critical
facilities being built, analog systems
are often still preferred.
For image sensors, analog CCDs
have a higher temperature rating
than digital CMOS sensors, which
is important given the extreme
heat of the Middle East, said David
Beanland, GM of the Middle East for
AMG Systems. With a wider range of
analog cameras, including explosion-
proof, high-speed PTZ and thermal
imaging, more flexibility in design is
allowed for.
C o u p l e d w i t h re c e n t b u d g e t
constraints, users with existing
systems sometimes stick w i t h
analog systems rather than invest
in IP, said Oliver Vellacott, CEO of
IndigoVision.
Other experts have had a different
experience. “We have a very
disproportionate demand for
IP here in the Middle East,
c o m p a re d t o o u r b u s i n e s s
globally,” said Michael Flink,
 Market Update

GM of Middle East, Honeywell Kuwait, Qatar,

Security. Pakistan and ▲ Oliver Vellacott, CEO of IndigoVision

IMS Research reported that Afghanistan are

the Middle East has the highest large IP users, Al
penetration of IP globally, up to Akkad said.
50 percent, said Baraa Al Akkad, In Abu Dhabi, 80
Regional Manager for Axis percent of current
Communications. “Opportunities are installations are
▲ I mad Wanley, Manager of Security ▲ Noriyuki Hayashi, Sales and Marketing
huge, with all the greenfield sites.” IP-based systems, Systems Division, Yusuf Bin Ahmed Manager, System Solutions Department,
Other network camera manufac- said Elie Keyrouz, Kanoo Panasonic Marketing Middle East
turers, including Sony and Panasonic, Sales Manager of Gulf
also witnessed high growth rates in Commercial Group.
2009 for the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are are restricted to military use, and
On the other hand, competition in specifying more IP. Analog is predom- require government approval prior
the analog market is also increasing, inant in Saudi Arabia, as wireless to deployment.”
w i t h t h e p re s e n c e o f K o re a n , networks are limited in range and Despite these barriers, IP is
Taiwanese and Chinese products, easily interrupted by physical barriers undoubtedly a growing trend for the
said Noriyuki Hayashi, Sales such as walls, said Imad Wanley, region.
and Marketing Manager, System Manager of the Security Systems
Solutions Department, Panasonic Division, Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo. Product Trends
Marketing Middle East. Wireless video has been deployed Middle Eastern buyers are open
Regarding network infrastructure, for applications that do not allow for to high-end and reliable products.
campus-based setups are reliable and wires, such as places of worship. For larger installations involving
can support thousands of cameras In Turkey, 90 percent of systems more subsystems, total solutions
for a given site, Flink said. However, are analog, as the country’s IT supported by a single brand are
telecommunications is lacking and infrastructure is lacking, said Murat preferred to reduce complications,
expensive, slowing the uptake of Akalin, Security Consultant at said Andrew Pigram, Technical
IP. To this end, remote surveillance Teknokam. “Widespread IP adoption Director of Norbain.
remains a challenge. is difficult because conventional WiFi
At the frontline, the UAE, Iran, lacks range, and WiMax frequencies Video Surveillance
Users are moving toward higher
resolution cameras with PoE capabil-
ities, along with outdoor-ready
equipment.
Megapixel cameras with strong
digital zooming capabilities are
adopted for event recording and
forensic purposes, said Andrew
Mansour, MD of Cititec.
Government users in Saudi Arabia
and Abu Dhabi are the biggest
users. “Network cameras, including
megapixel, are growing at 20 to 30
percent per year, and next year we
should see doubled growth,” said
Roger Ghostine, Regional Business
Development Director, MENA,
▲ Opportunities for IP-based systems are boundless, with so much new construction occuring at greenfield sites. Harco Group. Competition between

54
22 MAR 2010 www.asmag.com 22
 Market Update
SD network cameras and megapixel
cameras is intensifying.
Lower cost megapixel cameras,
often around US$500, are frequently
used, Al Akkad said. These are
typically 1.3- or 2-megapixel, with
H.264 compression.
Developments such as improved
dynamic, higher fps and integration
with more NVRs and VMS make
megapixel cameras more attractive
to buyers. “Larger 1/2-inch sensors
capture more light and better perfor-
mance,” Ghostine said.
PoE is becoming a strong driver
for lowering the cost of installations.
“Low-cost, entry-level cameras with
PoE sold well last year,” Al Akkad
said.
Outdoor cameras require rugged
housing to withstand extreme
temperatures. “If your cameras fail
at a site 50 kilometers into the desert,
the cost of repair can easily exceed
the value of the camera. Therefore,
outdoor equipment must withstand
temperatures of up to 60 degrees
Celsius,” Ghostine said.
WDR is required for outdoor
deployment. “Strong sunlight
produces huge contrast against
shadowy areas, so cameras must
be equipped with powerful WDR
capabilities to meet surveillance
requirements,” Al Akkad said.
Storage equipment must have
good heat dissipation and low power
consumption. “Most PC-based
▲ A ndrew Pigram, Technical Director of ▲ S unil Bal, Business Development
Norbain
56
22 MAR 2010
servers are designed to work within
a controlled 20-degree Celsuis
environment, but DVRs and NVRs
are often installed in rooms where
temperatures exceed 30 degrees.
When this happens, storage rooms
may need restructuring to build
more air conditioners,” Pigram said.
Access Control
Any business starting up requires
access control, so the market is
limitless, said Sunil Bal, Business
Development Manager of Business
Connection.
Users have high expectations for
aesthetics. “Products, including
panels, cards and readers, must
look up-to-date and sophisticated,”
said Ian Compton, Director of Sales
MEA at HID Global. Magnetic stripe
technology is giving way to proximity
cards and contactless smart cards.
A common problem is impractical
requests. “Half the requests we’ve
received for access control require
redundant servers for fewer than
1,000 card holders. If your server
goes down, a local control panel can
still operate all management and
capabilities offline until the server
gets reestablished. These applications
do not require a central server to be
online at all times,” Flink said.
Biometrics is seeing rapid adoption,
particularly for fingerprint and facial
recognition, Bal said. “Last year we
sold more basic biometrics units,
compared to card-based readers.”
Users are more
educated about
biometrics, which
drives growth.
“ We ’ r e s e e i n g
more genuine
understanding
o f t h e
Manager of Business Connection technology's
www.asmag.com 22
capabilities,” said Olaf Zeissig,
Regional Manager of Bosch Security
Systems.
More low-cost biometric sensors
are coming from Asia. However, the
technology’s capabilities cannot be
compromised, Compton said.
Intrusion Detection
Physical guards and barriers
dominate the intrusion detection
market. For large projects, perimeter
solutions are incorporating advanced
radar-based systems.
Wealth and assets require secure
perimeters, and radars guide
cameras to track potential threats,
s a i d J a s o n B u r g e r, S a l e s a n d
Marketing Manager of Navtech
Radar. “The great thing about this
region is that terrains are quite flat
and there’s so much space. These
are perfect conditions for radars to
secure wide areas.”
Alternate technologies include
buried cables, active IR sensors,
PIR sensors, motion detectors and
dual-technology sensors. “The
commercial barrier is that customers
choose these basic technologies
because they are less costly and more
familiar,” Burger said.
More intrusion sensors are
integrated with video. “PIR
sensors are installed in windows of
commercial buildings, retail shops
and residences, then connected to
a DVR so cameras can verify an
intrusion,” Wanley said.
J e w e l e r s i n D u b a i a re u s i n g
intrusion alarms monitored by Dubai
Police operators, Ul Mushtaq said.
New solutions include both wired
and wireless control panels that can
support up to 64 inputs and integrate
different modules, said Mohamed
Abu Eida, Chief Executive Manager
of Scada Systems.