ASIS Q&A

August 2006

A conversation with one up-and-comer and one long-established company in the security industry

IT'S that time of year again. The highly anticipated ASIS show is scheduled for next month in San Diego, and the exhibitor list just keeps growing and growing. From ASIS first-timers to life members, this show is scheduled to welcome them all. So what can attendees look forward to this year? Who will be there, and what are they bringing to the table? We spoke with ASIS newbie Exacq and ASIS veteran Sanyo to find out.

With Exacq Technologies

This year's ASIS show will be a first for Exacq, and it's looking forward to the opportunities the show has to offer. Based in Indianapolis, Exacq Technologies is made up of a group of digital video surveillance industry pioneers. Exacq Technologies is a manufacturer of hybrid network digital video recording systems and OEM products for the security industry. We spoke with Dave Underwood, president of Exacq Technologies, to find out what this company is hoping to gain from ASIS 2006.

Q. Having just recently attended ISC West, what did you learn or observe from the experience as far as what attendees are looking for at these trade shows?

A. Well, there certainly were a lot of DVRs and NVRs at the show, and our booth was extremely busy, so I have to believe that attendees are looking for innovative, flexible and yet dependable digital video surveillance solutions. An important objective for Exacq at ISC West was to find the right dealers/integrators to represent the exacqVision system.

Q. You are attending ASIS next month, what are your expectations for this show? New leads? More exposure? What are you looking to gain from the show?

A. Certainly the ASIS show will bring us new leads and more exposure. With the introduction of our exacqVision network digital video recorder (NDVR) at ISC and the product roll-out that followed, we?re looking forward to ASIS to keep the momentum going. Even before its release, there was already a lot of interest in exacqVision, and now we're seeing that translate into real sales and installations all over the world.

Q. What new products or news can attendees look forward to from Exacq at the show? What do you have to offer that's different from what's already out there?

A. We will bring our latest version of the exacqVision NDVR. We built this system from the ground up to be a true hybrid system that treats traditional analog cameras and next-generation IP cameras in the same manner, seamlessly and from a single user interface. Since our systems are scalable, you have a virtually unlimited number of cameras available to you. Exacq Technologies is unique in that it designs and manufactures the exacqVision NDVR, as well as the eDVR hardware compression engine that powers the system. This allows our company to be more responsive to the needs of security professionals and not at the mercy of a third-party video compression board supplier.

Q. Is Exacq doing anything differently at ASIS that you didn't do at ISC West to attract more visitors to your booth?

A. With ISC West, we had only recently introduced the product, so we were doing everything in our power just to get to the show. We will head to ASIS with a solid product that's been on the market for nearly half a year. Plus, by this time, more people will have heard about us through our sales channel and marketing efforts.

Q. ASIS is one of the biggest security industry shows. Is Exacq poised to attend any other security shows? If so, which ones? If not, why?

A. We've found great success participating in several niche market shows geared towards financial/banking facilities, retail and law enforcement.

Dave Underwood is one of the co-founders of Exacq Technologies and serves as president of the company. A pioneer in the digital video industry, Underwood also co-founded Integral Technologies in 1994 where he served as president through 2002.




With Sanyo

Sanyo is a recognized name in the security industry. When you hear the name, you know people are talking about cameras, DVRs or CCTVs. And while the name has been around for years, its products are always changing, always improving. For many in the industry, it's hard to remember when there wasn't a Sanyo banner at ASIS. We sat down with Frank Abram, vice president and general manager for Sanyo Security Products, to find out what the company expects of this year's show and what it has learned from past experiences.

Q. How long has Sanyo been attending ASIS shows? And what's the biggest reason on why you continue to come back year after year?

A. Sanyo is a long-time exhibitor at ASIS. The biggest reason Sanyo continues to exhibit at the ASIS show is the exposure to the end-user attendees. ASIS provides the opportunity to see a significant number of end users in a single location and make that all-important initial product introduction.

Q. What are some of the biggest changes that you've noticed at ASIS shows?

A. Obviously, the number of exhibitors continues to increase year after year, as do the attendees. The ASIS show has been the primary show each year that provides the greatest exposure for the company and product to end users. The greatest trend over the last several years seen at ASIS has been the move to network/IP-based products.

Q. What has Sanyo done to stand out from the rest at ASIS shows?

A. Sanyo has taken advantage of available marketing opportunities at ASIS. We have done presentations in the booth, and this year we will have a new booth for the ASIS show.

Q. What do you expect to come out of this year's ASIS show? What knowledge do you expect to gain? What types of products/trends do you expect to see?

A. We attend trade shows with the primary goal of promoting our products and ultimately generating sales. However, there are other secondary benefits such as observing market trends, direction of competitive manufacturers and technological direction in the industry.

We would expect to come away from ASIS with this type of information,
as well as many good prospects for product sales. We expect the product trend to continue in the network/IP based arena, with a larger array of megapixel imaging products than at previous shows.

Q. Is Sanyo unveiling any new products or news at the show? If so, what can the readers look forward to from Sanyo?

A. Sanyo will be introducing new products at ASIS. The primary focus of the new product will be in the mid-range systems arena and network/IP-based product. Sanyo has made a firm commitment to be an active participant in the mid-sized systems arena, and our product offerings will reflect that commitment.

Q. As a seasoned show exhibitor, what advice or tips can you give to those companies that might be first-time exhibitors at this year's ASIS show?

A. I would caution the first-time exhibitor not to expect too much from the exposition with regard to immediate sales. This is not a show that generates sales from the show floor, as some do. ASIS is an exposition that helps introduce product to the end user and helps strengthen relationships. Take advantage of the opportunities at-hand, meeting the customer and researching the industry. Follow-up on the leads from the show -- this is where the sales are generated.

Frank Abram is the vice president and general manager for Sanyo Security Products.

This article originally appeared in the August 2006 issue of Security Products, ASIS Pre-Show Selection Guide supplement, pgs. 34F-34G.

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