Castel - Experts & Thought Leaders

Founded in 1988 in Franqueville Saint Pierre, close to Rouen, France, SYNCHRONIC develop and produce solutions intended for all types of sites requiring protection of goods and people, such as banks, local authorities and more generally industrial, commercial or administrative sites. The company has 6 agencies to cover the French territory and is present worldwide mainly in French-speaking African and north African countries. SYNCHRONIC employs 60 people and achieved a turnover of 10.50M€ in 2019. “With this acquisition, the group strengthens its tertiary sector, already made up of CASTEL and MWS, and consolidates its position as a provider in access management and security for buildings”, confirms Philippe Mallard, Managing Director of the URMET France Group. URMET Connected buildings solution provider A player in the fields of intercom, access control, home automation and, more broadly, connected building, the URMET France Group has experienced steady and uninterrupted growth in turnover. ”The strength of the Group is to cover all the segments of the market chain (professional distribution, installers, general distribution…), to be multi-skilled, with an alliance of companies each expert in their fields. Like everyone, we are impacted by the health and economic crisis of COVID-19. However, we believe it is essential to continue our development in order to prepare for tomorrow“, continues Philippe Mallard. "The merger with SYNCHRONIC constitutes a great opportunity, their access control solutions, and in particular XSecur’ which obtained CSPN certification from ANSSI, will complement those offered by CASTEL", specifies Ali Mahmoud, Operations Manager of CASTEL and head of the group's tertiary division. Company’s presence in Europe “This acquisition is also part of the group’s innovation strategy. Synergies, particularly in development, will benefit all companies in both tertiary and residential sectors, and will allow us to provide ever more efficient, competitive and innovative solutions in a constantly moving sector”, said Pascal Perrin, Operations Manager of URMET France and head of the group's residential division. SYNCHRONIC will also benefit from CASTEL's export presence, particularly in Europe (Belgium, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, subsidiary in the United Kingdom), Russia, Australia, Middle East ..., and more widely of the international influence of the URMET Group. "The integration of SYNCHRONIC within a solid group in constant growth for 20 years and orientated to the international market, allows us to ensure the pursuit of our development. The complementarities between the different companies in the group will also create a new dynamic for our customers and our teams”, say Vincent Molina and Nicolas Bignard, co-managing directors of SYNCHRONIC.

Audio-video intercom from Castel has been installed at the €415 million Parc Olympique in Lyon, a sports stadium that hosted matches at UEFA Euro 2016. The 59,000-capacity venue in central France is the home ground of Olympique Lyonnais, which plays in the country’s top football division. Parc Olympique Lyonnais Parc Olympique Lyonnais boasts the most interconnected information systems for management and spectators in Europe. French telecom company Orange has built a private Wi-Fi network consisting of 500 routers that allow up to 20,000 people to be connected simultaneously. There are 350 IPTV (internet television) screens, enabling spectators to watch replays and view incidents from different angles. The stadium uses ninety audio-video intercom stations from Castel’s CAP IP suite. These full IP/SIP entry stations with Power over Ethernet (PoE) range from single to 10-button units. They feature colour cameras generating high-quality images with H.264 compression. They also benefit from a vandal-resistant 316 stainless steel fascia. The Wi-Fi intercom stations are at entrances, in the car parks, security zones and refuge areas. The breadth of the CAP IP offering meant that the client was able to choose the ideal model for each location in various parts of the stadium, as well as across the overall complex, which includes office space, a leisure centre, museum, and restaurants. Where there is a need for constant access by staff and authorised third parties, the stadium uses stations with built-in proximity readers. Access privileges can be adjusted on match days. Site-wide connectivity Castel responded to the need for connectivity by supplying its XELLIP Server Max, a full SIP intercom server to manage simultaneous audio or audio-video SIP calls. Calls and videos can be recorded and retained on a dedicated 1TB hard-drive partition. Ethernet network connection is achieved using 802.1X protocol (RADIUS) and there is integration with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Castel also enables SIP Intercom integration with Skype for Business. The embedded web server allows monitoring and operation from any browser The embedded web server allows monitoring and operation from any browser, but in the Lyon application there is centralised management by Security Center, the unified platform from Genetec. Castel and Genetec recently formed a technical alliance that gives security staff enhanced situational awareness, meaning they are able to identify, process and understand the critical elements of information about what is going on around them. Two-way video communication Vital elements of the Castel installation at the stadium are the full IP/SIP master stations. XE Desk-Screen V-P stations are used in central areas, including the security control room. They feature a colour video camera for two-way video communication. This can be invaluable if a visitor calling from an entry station requires assistance in navigating the 50-hectare site or has specific needs. The master stations have 4.3-inch TFT touchscreens with numerical keypads and function keys as well as four programmable keys. Atmane Bensghir is Business Development Manager UK & Ireland at Castel. He said: "The Lyon stadium is a new chapter in sports technology and Castel’s commitment to open systems contributed to the innovations. Current best practice shows that IT and intercom no longer need to be separated. Agile and adaptable vendors achieve convergence for their clients.” Microsoft App for refreshments The structural engineer for the Parc Olympique is VINCI, which is based in Paris, while the architect is the global practice, Populous, which specialises in sports facilities. Sports fans use a Microsoft app to select their seats, review highlights in play or even order food and drink from digitally connected sales outlets. Lyon is prospering at its new home ground and is currently fourth in Ligue 1. The club has also qualified for the current UEFA Champions League.

Castel intends to create intercoms that fit with all building styles, from modern buildings to historical monuments Specialising in IP access control and professional intercom solutions, Castel has always stressed the importance of developing custom-made products with clear added value by taking technical constraints and the functional requirements of the customer into account. Unique intercom design Castel has now gone a step further by creating a range of IP intercoms whose design is entirely customisable: A unique concept in the intercom market share Customised external design, where the only limit is the imagination A range of products that combines Castel’s expertise in security and functionality, Optimised prices and product availability made possible by the flexibility of Castel's organisation and its close relations with its national suppliers. ARCH-IP range Ali Mahmoud, Castel’s Operational Director, said: “With the ARCH-IP range, Castel is providing a solution that matches intercom systems perfectly to your construction or renovation projects. We also aim to meet the expectations of even the most demanding customers seeking to enhance their image through the intercom they choose.” Through this new range, Castel intends to create intercoms that fit perfectly with all building styles, from modern buildings to historical monuments, as well as to meet the needs of companies seeking to enhance their image through the design of their building entrance. Intercom systems have become a real focus these days for conveying corporate image.