ME security market poised for double digit growth

Dubai / Emirates Business

The Middle East market for security, safety, and fire protection is on
track for double digit growth over the next four years, as regional governments and the private sector look
for improved technologies to better protect assets, people, businesses, and borders.
Led by the Gulf nations of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, regional countries are making rapid strides to upgrade infrastructure and secure their countries, with research from analysts Frost & Sullivan (F&S) highlighting the tremendous potential that remains to be unlocked in the region.
An industry white paper published by F&S outlined the latest trends and opportunities in the market, with spending in Middle East commercial, cyber, and homeland security, along with fire protection, and smart home building automation on a steep upward growth curve.
According to F&S, the Middle East commercial security market, which includes intruder alarms, CCTV surveillance, electronic locks, perimeter protection, door alarms, access control and identification systems, is expected to be worth US$10.2 billion by 2020, growing annually by 24 per cent from its US$3.8 billion value in 2015. Similarly, the region’s homeland security market is forecast to grow annually by 21 per cent up to 2020, with market revenues increasing to US$34.2 billion, driven predominantly by investments in critical infrastructure, major events, and the need to counter perceived threats.
Fire protection also has huge growth potential, with the Middle East’s fire safety market estimated to grow annually by 12.5 per cent from 2012 to 2020. During this period, the market will grow from US$1.6 billion to US$4.2 billion, making it one of the world’s largest fire safety markets.
The latest figures come in the final countdown to Intersec 2017, the world’s leading trade fair for security, safety, and fire protection, which is scheduled to be ten per cent larger year-on-year when it opens from January 22-24 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The 19th edition of the annual three-day event will feature more than 1,300 exhibitors from 52 countries, while over 31,000 visitors from 128 countries are expected to attend as they seek the latest solutions across seven show sections of Commercial Security, Fire & Rescue, Safety & Health, Homeland Security & Policing, Perimeter & Physical Security, Information Security, and Smart Home & Building Automation.
Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the organiser of Intersec, said: “Middle East organisations and end-users realise the impact of security and fire safety on their overall productivity and bottom lines, while regional governments have always been committed to protecting critical assets and people in the face of perceived threats along with social and commercial interests.
With more than 580 exhibitors, Commercial Security is the largest section at Intersec 2017, with more than two-thirds of the world’s top 50 security solutions players on board, including Hikvision, Bosch, Dahua, Assa Abloy, Tyco, FLIR, Hanwha Techwin, Axis Communications, Avigilon Panasonic, Infinova, IDIS, and Milestone Systems.
With more than 50 exhibitors, Information Security has been one of the major growth sections at Intersec, and has doubled in size every year since it was first introduced to the show in 2014, as security threats to businesses spread beyond the physical realm. Headline exhibitors confirming their participation early next year include Agility Grid, Al-Mazroui – ICAS, Commend, Dell, Easy World, Hanvon, Infosec, Matrix, Netronics, Quantum IT, and Rittal, a manufacturer of IT networking and Data Centre Physical Infrastructure solutions.
Smart Home & Building Automation is the most recent show section added to Intersec’s vast product scope, as urbanisation and a new age of ICT (Information and communications technology) aids the march toward smarter integration of different functions like electro-mechanical controls, fire and safety security systems, and energy management.
According to F&S, the Middle
East Building Automation market is anticipated to grow 7.32 per cent
annually with a revenue projection of US$ 560.5 million by 2020.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with their large projects on housing and
commercial construction, will drive demand for smarter and control-enabled buildings.
Among the 50 plus leading players in this section at Intersec 2017 are Fermax, Somfy, HDL, Videocom, Techcom, Hunt and Teleste, all of which will present their latest solutions to a regional market that’s beginning to demonstrate interest in the benefits of home automation and systems integration. Fire & Rescue (400 exhibitors), Safety & Health (100 exhibitors), Homeland Security & Policing (100 exhibitors), and Perimeter & Physical Security (50 exhibitors) wrap up the dedicated show sections at Intersec 2017, firmly underlining its position as world’s most influential exhibition dedicated to security, safety and fire protection.
The show’s strong international flavour will be further enhanced
by 14 country pavilions from Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, UK, and USA.
Returning features to Intersec 2017 include the Safety Design in Buildings Pavilion in the Fire & Rescue section, which has doubled in size and will shine the light on fire-rated building materials such as facades, fabrics, doors, windows, paints, stucco, and egress systems.
Intersec 2017 is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and officially supported by Dubai Police, the Dubai Civil Defence, and Dubai Police Academy.