Growing at more than double the global average of 5.5 per cent, the Middle East has evolved in the fastest and the biggest market for security solutions with the region deploying the latest in technology for on ground security, safety, and fire protection as well as IT security at every single node. Intersec started out as the trade fair for companies in the regional security, safety, and fire protection industries and has now evolved to a show that hosts over 1,000 exhibitors from over 50 countries at the Dubai World Trade Centre – growing steadily at 10 per cent growth over last year.
Featuring 13 country specific pavilions and an exhibitor list with over 85% participation headquartered outside the UAE, Intersec is now one of the most influential trade fair for security, safety, and fire protection. Participation from the UAE will include almost all the key Government entities including Intersec’s official partners, the Dubai Police, the Dubai Civil Defence, and the Dubai Police Academy. This year also marks the inaugural presence of the General Police Equipment Exhibition & Conference (GPEC) Pavilion, which will serve as a showcase for the Homeland Security & Policing section, while the Dubai SME Pavilion will highlight some of the leading home-grown safety, security, and fire protection providers. The inclusion of a special Data Security pavilion will give visitors an indication of the level of cyber-threats and the solutions pertaining to these online threats.
Addressing the conference, Ahmed Pauwels, CEO, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said “For many years now, Intersec has played a leading role in shaping the security industry worldwide. And it’s no coincidence that the Middle East is home to the world’s foremost security showpiece event. Upcoming high-profile events such as the Dubai Expo 2020 only serve to place more emphasis on the importance of proper security and safety measures to protect people and assets in the wider Middle East and African region.”
With the onset of Dubai’s Smart City and other such high profile developments in the region, the UAE Civil Defence teams and the Police departments of every Emirate are focusing on implementing the latest technologies in their services to help achieve the requirements of turning Dubai into an “intelligent city” via applying “intelligent services”.
Speaking at the event, Lt. Col.Jamal Ahmed Ibrahim, Director of Preventive Safety Department, Dubai Civil Defence, said “This year we are displaying several intelligent services with a strategy to enable access to these services using smartphone applications. Technologies such as the intelligent inference system, smart home system, access to fire control and protection equipment in smart buildings, in addition to the smart guidance post system and applications of smart photography are some of our key showcases.”
Addressing the question of the role of Dubai in the state of things going on in the region and what is the state of the security, Col. Humaid Al Ansari, Head of Sport Affairs, Dubai Police said “Dubai has been working under the direction of the vision of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and this includes ensuring that Dubai is the safest city in the world. Today Dubai is touted as being an Electronic City and soon it will be a Smart City and in a city such as this, to provide the best safety and security to the residents and make an example of the nation , all the efforts are made to upgrade and maintain the latest in the security and safety equipment.”
Niju Vijayan, Director, Automation & Electronics Practice, Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, Frost & Sullivan shared some critical insights into the Middle East security spaces notably the transition of all analogue interfaces into Internet or online connectivity; the explosion of mobile access, the need for Big Data related technology tools due to the development of the “Internet of Things” and so on. He specially mentions “Middle East will Contribute 10% to the Global Physical Security Market in 2020” supporting this empirical data showing a CAGR of 25.25% since 2012.
Speaking about their participation Baraa Dakhel, Regional Manager, Business Development at Bosch Security Systems mentioned “This year will focused on solutions we carry in our portfolio for four key verticals namely, airports, stadiums, hotels, and energy & utilities all under the theme ‘Maximize Connected Security’. This is the slogan Bosch have adapted for this year’s Intersec edition reflecting our focus on connectivity.” Bosch will be demonstrating technologies that cover connectivity via video sensors, big data, smart cameras, video analytics, as well as some of the technologies driving connectivity at a devices level with machines talking to machines, sensors collecting all sorts of data to create value by automating lives, facilitating decision making , contributing to safer roads, and so on.
Intersec, the 17th edition, is being hosted at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from the 18th to the 20th of January. It will feature more than 2,000 brands, including 13 country-specific pavilions from Germany, UK, USA, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Korea, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, and the UAE. The trade fair will feature the world’s top ten commercial security providers exhibiting: Honeywell, Bosch, Safran Morpho, Hikvision, ASSA ABLOY, Axis, Flir, Samsung Techwin, Dahua, and Tyco.
Written by Partha Srinivasan
