Steve Rowlands, Divisional Director of Product Management at Paxton, discusses the latest trends and most sought-after access control features in the security industry.
As access control technology advances, businesses are looking for additional features to secure their buildings. There is a need for security systems with simplicity and flexibility in one solution. Paxton is an international manufacturer that develops access control systems with innovative software and hardware that is built-to-last. Having 37 years of experience in the security sector, Paxton export their products to over 63 countries, securing around 30,000 buildings globally each year.
Security Buyer Editor, Rebecca Spayne, interviewed Paxton’s Divisional Director of Product Management, Steve Rowlands, to find out more about access control systems, smart devices integration and wireless technology.
Can you introduce yourself and explain the function of the Paxton Product Management team?
I joined Paxton as the Support Manager in 2007. There was no Product Management department at the time. We have grown significantly in the past 15 years and have discovered the need for a Product Management team to oversee our expanding range of access control products.
We currently have nine people on the Product Management team. We look over the whole product cycle, from an idea or concept, to manufacture, delivery, and management.
What is the most sought-after feature of access control systems by end-users?
It is ‘convenience.’ Convenience is not something that we are asked for directly, but instead it is naturally expected by those who use any security system. Technology should be a tool that makes our lives simpler and doesn’t add complexity. Access control systems should reassure users that their building is secured but retain the simplicity of operation at the same time, so they can navigate a building with ease.
For example, access control and video surveillance were traditionally two separate systems. With achieving convenience in mind, we have designed our forward-thinking security system Paxton10. It is a system that allows end-users to manage access control and video on one platform. In addition to that, in 2021 we launched a feature called Multi-site, enabling facility administrators to navigate across up to 100 sites anywhere in the world. This saves the cost of installing one system per site and the time travelling to multiple facilities.
What do you think will be the next big trend in the security industry?
The adoption of wireless technologies such as Bluetooth, Z-wave and Zigbee in recent years continues to allow manufacturers to push the boundaries of what is achievable when it comes to access control and building automation. As this technology continues to evolve, it is allowing for wireless solutions such as smart credentials and wireless locksets to operate in a more reliable, user friendly and intuitive way.
The other trend I see is energy saving through integration of appliances and automation. The prices of gas and electricity will hit a record high in the coming months. People are looking for ways to lower energy usage and technology can be a useful tool. For instance, lights and appliances can be connected to an access control system to ensure that they are not left on when a building is unoccupied. This is possible with both our systems Net2 access control and Paxton10. The two systems provide a ‘Triggers and Actions’ feature that can be used to switch off appliances under certain circumstances. For example, site managers can set ‘when the last person in a building leaves’ as a trigger, and ‘turn off the lights’ can be set as an action, therefore reducing energy usage of lights left on in error.
In addition to this, our remote management application, Paxton Connect, allows facilities administrators and building managers to turn off appliances remotely, when there is no one in a building outside of office hours. These features make building management smarter and more efficient, thus helping reduce energy wastage and save on energy bills.
Subscription based services are also a trend making an impact in the security industry. It is another way of adding convenience to the systems. Giving customers the option to pay for the services they need and want via a subscrip…
To read the full interview, see our latest issue here.
Media contact
Rebecca Morpeth Spayne,
Editor, Security Portfolio
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922
Email: [email protected]
