A host of VIPs, industry veterans and customers assembled at UTC Fire & Security UK’s headquarters in Milton Keynes to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Aritech in the UK.
Aritech began trading in the UK in 1978 from offices in Romford, before moving to its current Milton Keynes location. The company changed owner and name several times and was acquired by UTC Fire & Security in year 2010, but Aritech remained one of the security and fire industry’s best known brands over the years. Today, the Aritech product line represents an extensive range of electronic security and fire products and continues to innovate.
Guest speakers, including Jeff Little, Chief Executive of the NSI, and Stefan Hay, Head of Membership Development at the Electrical Contractors’ Association, praised the company for its continuing role as a technology pioneer.
“It’s great to see what Aritech has achieved over 35 years and really wonderful that the current team seems as enthusiastic and committed as ever,” Jeff Little told guests. He predicted that the security industry was facing a period of profound change, including the rise of new risks and the acceleration of information technology, and he said that companies like UTC would play an important part in meeting the challenges ahead. Stefan Hay said that the convergence of security with IT made installation an increasingly exciting and important area to work in.
The original Aritech UK Managing Director Graham Harper also made a guest appearance, along with his PA from the very first days, Theresa Grainger. Graham, who went on to set up Harper Chalice, recalled how Aritech started with very basic but effective products and rapidly grew its sales, customer base and its range of technology.
Among other guests at the event were early customers, including Mike Cahalane, who was later a key figure in setting up the Association of Security Consultants, and several customers who had themselves installed Aritech detectors and sounders at the start of their careers. A collection of the original 1970s products and catalogues was on display and it was revealed that some of this equipment is still in full working order in premises where it was originally installed.
Guests were shown around the company’s state-of-the-art technology demonstration suite, conference room and the training facilities which are available for installers and customers to use. The ‘Aritech 35’ afternoon concluded with a look ahead at some of the upcoming Aritech launches, including the new PIRcam, a wireless sensor with visual alarm verification, and the latest Advisor management software, which integrates different areas such as intrusion, access control and video, and takes security system control to a new level. Installers and users at the demonstration saw for themselves how this new system makes control easy, using a tablet, AndroidTM or iPhone®.
“We are very proud of what Aritech has achieved and how it has always set the highest standards in terms of product performance and reliability,” concluded Kevin Swann, country manager, UTC Fire & Security UK Ltd. “This gathering is proof of the loyalty and affection that the brand continues to inspire.”
Did you miss Aritech 35? Don’t worry – catch up with Aritech at Consec tradeshow or one of our upcoming road shows.
To learn more, visit www.utcfssecurityproducts.co.uk
