United Kingdom (UK) News

A major upgrade to security and public information systems, provided by Siemens Business Technologies, is helping Exchange Quay in one of Salford's premier business districts to retain and enhance the enviable reputation which has allowed it to attract a host of blue-chip tenants.Originally built in 1989 using futuristic building designs and strategically located at the entrance to the Salford Quays business area, the 12-acre Exchange Quay site has, since its opening, made effective use of CCTV...

Zareba Systems Europe Limited, a subsidiary of Zareba Systems, Inc. recently named Coventry based Simtec Products as the sole UK distributor of Zareba Systems perimeter security products.  The partnership will bring more focus to the sales and distribution of the company's security products in the UK.Managing Director Simon Ragdale says, "We are delighted to have formed this alliance with Simtec Products, drawing on the industry experience of John Simm, John introduced security ele...

According to figures published by the Metropolitan Police last year (Crime in London schools 2000-2004), every week in the UK there are 2,100 arson attacks, 20 schools are damaged or destroyed by arson, two people die and 55 people are injured in fire-related incidents, and the (direct) cost of arson is put at somewhere around £40 million.  The Met Police figures also show the number of burglaries at schools at 7,500 for the period, and a further 7,300 reports of criminal damage. The...

Steve Hunt, President of 4A International, discusses some of the challenges associated with integrating physical security and IT and offers some practical solutions.   A chief financial officer recently told 4A International that in one month he received two purchase order requests that he could not approve.  One came from the security department for an €1 million upgrade to the access control infrastructure to manage people and their privileges to corporate assets....

Honeywell today announced the appointment of Yves Pichon as marketing leader for Honeywell Security and Custom Electronics in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).  Based in Sophia Antipolis, Yves Pichon is responsible for product development and marketing for all commercial and residential solutions including the well-known Galaxy intruder panels and the Domonial wireless ranges.Yves Pichon's career in the security industry spans more than 16 years in key roles with Fichet Bauche, Sen...

Acquisition expands opportunities for both companies in secure card issuance and electronic access control.ASSA ABLOY's HID Global Corporation announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fargo Electronics, Inc. for an all cash consideration.  The transaction is expected to close at the end of the third quarter, subject to Fargo stockholder and regulatory approvals.The acquisition is a result of a long-standing relationship between the two security solution...

Bewator Entro access control system was recently installed as part of Sweden's prominent Skarholmen Centre redevelopment. Leading access security specialist, Siemens Building Technologies Security Products, was commissioned by Swedish security installers, Skanska and Flexib El, to provide an integrated solution for security and access control to the construction site of this 60,000 m2, half a billion kronor (ca. 40 million pounds) Skarholmen redevelopment. This comprehensive redevelopm...

Axis Communications has received Frost & Sullivan's 2006 Award for Market Penetration Leadership in network video.  The award is presented each year to the company that has demonstrated strategic excellence in product innovation, marketing, and sales strategies that have resulted in the largest gain in market share over the past two to three years.Frost & Sullivan identified Axis by analyzing market share gain, the company's increase in sales, and brand awareness efforts in...

Axis Communications, the market leading IP-Surveillance vendor, network cameras and video servers have been deployed at Data Electronics Group (DEG), a highly successful data centre provider serving large enterprises in Ireland. The products are designed to provide an additional layer of security on the data floors within DEG’s headquarters site at Kilcarbery Business Park (KBP) in Dublin. The new system consists of 60 AXIS 210 Network Cameras, 32 existing analogue-based CCTV cameras feedi...

Stratford-on-Avon is no stranger to CCTV.  As a crime management tool and key component of the town’s Retail Radio Link network – designed to detect, track and resolve retail-related crime – surveillance has served the area well for many years.  Last year alone, 535 arrests were directly attributed to CCTV.  One of the latest modern day issues to visit the birthplace of Shakespeare, however, is mounting traffic congestion.  In consultation with ADT and Penta...

REDWAVE, the new external detector from Optex Europe that combines several technologies in a single unit to provide the optimum installation performance, is having a profound impact in reducing the number of false alarms for Tuffnells Parcels Express – the nationwide business-to-business delivery operation.Through its installer, Richards CCTV, Tuffnells has deployed REDWAVE technology to protect the perimeter at two of its largest distribution centres in Haydock and Northampton that have b...

Ben Gurion International Airport improves security and expedites travel with Recognition Systems HandKey® Ben Gurion International Airport increases security, expedites travel with Ingersoll Rand's Recognition Systems HandKey® "Tighter security expedites air travel, and more efficient operations help make our airport one of the world's best." - Israel Ben Haim, Managing Director, Ben Gurion International Airport Summary Ben Gurion International Airport improves s...

"Combining smart cards with biometric identification at the Port of Rotterdam has reduced cargo handling time significantly and increased security levels." - Helen Thomas, international sales manager, Recognition System Summary Europe's largest container port strengthens security and speeds cargo handling with biometric access control systems. Business Need The Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest container port and a major international industrial and transportation hub, shipped or pro...

NICE Systems, the global provider of advanced solutions that enable organizations to extract Insight from Interactions™ to drive performance, today announced that it has been selected by Lockheed Martin to supply NICE Perform™ for use in Lockheed Martin's FS21 system used to provide flight services.  The multi-million dollar win is part of a project headed by Lockheed Martin, for which it was selected to manage and operate the FAA's Automated Flight Service Stations (AFS...

IndigoVision's integrated IP video solution is providing state-of-the-art CCTV surveillance for the new £5 million Automotive Centre of Excellence at Gateshead College.  The centre provides automotive, manufacturing and logistics training and includes a vehicle showroom, workshops and specialist welding facilities all fully supported with extensive IT.The college wanted a leading edge networked based solution to CCTV surveillance and chose IndigoVision over alternative IP based sy...

The SignHear signature verification system is the patented ground breaking technology developed by Sign Assured Ltd.  The SignHear system like no other uses the sound of your handwritten signature to verify your identity.  The traditional methods of comparing the images of signatures are both insecure and costly, though the acceptance by customers has kept it alive well past its sell-by date.  What SignHear bring to the market place is a system, which is low in cost, high in robus...

Vista, the UK's premier brand of CCTV equipment, has announced the lucky winners of their IFSEC prize draw, a Yamaha VX110 Sports Jet Ski.When Mike Kelly, Chris Asbury and David Edwards of Hafele visited the Norbain stand at IFSEC this year, they came away with a lot more than they bargained for.  "We couldn't believe the Vista prize draw this year and immediately agreed that if one of us won it, we'd all share it," says Mike Kelly, Purchasing Manager of Hafele.  "We'd v...

Zandar Technologies has successfully teamed up with security systems integrator, Guardian Security Services to upgrade the video system used to monitor a chemical facility in Ohio, USA.  Recognizing the need to scrutinize the site for potential threats, Guardian wanted to ensure that it could clearly monitor perimeters, parking lots, entry points, and busy internal areas to secure the site.  The result of this partnership is increased security for the chemical facility.Guardian Se...

First Security (Guards) Ltd - one of the leading companies within the manned guarding sector - has won a significant new contract to protect the Edmonton Green Shopping Centre in Enfield, North London, one of two Shopping Centres it protects for the property development company St. Modwen Properties Plc.The contract, managed by St. Modwen Developments (Edmonton) Ltd, is to provide a team of security personnel "to provide a safe and pleasant environment for both shoppers and retailers alike,...

Mitsubishi Electric, a world leader in the innovative design and manufacture of advanced security solutions, once again exhibited at this year's IFSEC. At the exhibition, Mitsubishi launched a new 16 channel digital recorder the DX-TL4516E and previewed a 9 channel version the DX-TL4509E, which will be launched later this year.   Also on display were examples from the current range of DVR’s.Mitsubishi’s range of DX-TL recorders have all been designed as fully featured, reli...

Two intrepid cyclists, Nigel Petrie - Chairman of AD Group and Dedicated Micros - and Peter Vince, are starting an epic ten-day journey from Pfetterhouse in Switzerland Thursday (18 May) in a bid to cover the entire 400 mile length of the Western Front, the scene of some of the most arduous and costly battles of World War 1.   With the invaluable help and support of the Royal British Legion, the duo hope that their journey will raise awareness of "the Line" and, cruciall...

Zandar Technologies, a leading innovator in the design and development of high quality multi-source display and management solutions, has upgraded its video surveillance and monitoring system for a Central Florida water utility.  Although the majority of the surveillance system was installed in 2003 by local experts SiteSecure, Inc., Zandar and SiteSecure teamed up again to update the system, providing full network access for the operators and a custom User Interface based on Zandar 's...

Axis Communications were selected as part of an innovative home digital television service Video servers from the global leader in network video Axis Communications were selected as part of an innovative home digital television service called Digital Bridge, which was officially launched in Shoreditch this week. Video streams gathered from analogue-based Pan Tilt Zoom dome cameras are being routed into Axis 241S Video Servers by leading Axis solution partner CNL (Compute...

Shopping Centre specialist systems integrator, G1 Ltd, have hired Paul Murray as Commercial Manager."The move is part of G1's future direction towards expanding and growing the business with an existing Shopping Centre customer base.  In this newly created role, Paul will be integral in developing new business opportunities as well as managing our sales and maintenance teams." comments Chris Best, Director of G1.  "I bring a solid operational knowledge of what soluti...

The debate over restrictions regarding the wearing of hooded tops - 'hoodies' - and baseball caps continues to hit the headlines in the UK.  It has been reported that shopping centres, some schools and even the courts (through Anti Social Behaviour Orders) have been clamping down on this type of attire.  In one Scottish town (Paisley) shops have been displaying signs to highlight their 'hats off, hoods down' policy, frustrated by the fact that many shoplifters use these...

Dedicated Micros – part of AD Group - has appointed Andrew Finn as its new Managing Director with responsibility for Europe, Middle East and Asia.Andrew who is also Group Finance Director at  AD Group, has been an invaluable member of the team at Dedicated Micros since 1998 when he joined as UK Financial Controller and rose rapidly to become, in under a year, Group Financial Controller.  He was appointed to the Dedicated Micros Board in 2002 and after his promotion to the po...

The 2006 BII NITAs, the most prestigious training awards in the licensed retail sector have been launched, and now is the time to get your entries in.  With the new mandatory licences for door supervisors, door supervisor training has become essential, and now is your opportunity to be gain formal recognition of your training programme by winning a prestigious BII NITA award. The door supervisor-training award is being sponsored by BIIAB and City & Guilds, and is aimed at the organisati...

Siemens Building Technologies’ new integrated motion detection system, Eyetec, has received the accolade “Best New Intruder Alarm Product”, at the IFSEC 2006 Security Industry Awards.  The award was presented at an official ceremony, supported by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA), on 8th May 2006.  Another Siemens product, the Sistore CX EDS intelligent embedded codec, was also nominated as a finalist within the “Best New CCTV Product” categ...

With still another ten months to go before the doors open on ISE 2007 in Amsterdam, the show organisers have confirmed that sales are 40% up compared to the similar period before ISE 2006.  As a result, the three Halls already secured at the Amsterdam RAI are almost full.  With over 90% of space already secured from exhibitors at this years show, there is a growing interest from new companies, reflecting the consistent growth of this leading European show. Amsterdam next January will b...

Jim Earwaker has joined the PES (Professional Engineering Services) team at Frontline Security Solutions.  Jim, who has for the last six years been with TASC/Diabold, was previously a contractor for Cisco and as such was involved with providing IP related integrated security solutions for many blue chip end-users. “Jim’s IT knowledge and in particular his understanding of how access control and CCTV systems can offer additional benefits by working in harmony with a network infra...