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local companies with a very pro-
prietary view on the technology.
Is that a problem?
Yes, I think that access control has
traditionally been very proprietary
hardware dominated. This has
been much to the annoyance of
the end users. They really don't
like being told to use a given
vendor.
Your unified Security Center
platform combines video surveil-
lance with access control and
LPR, and integrates seamlessly
with a multitude of partner tech-
nologies such as video analytics
and intrusion software. Is it
time to abandon the term video
management system (VMS) and
replace it with the term security
management system (SMS)?
Actually I have never heard that
expression SMS, but I really
like it. So I will credit you for it
when I use it. We have seen this
unification for a long time. That
is why we have been working to
implement it.
Do you think that security com-
panies will develop more into
operators for their customers?
Yes, that is coming, but it will
happen in a way that you might
find much more complex and
surprisingly different. We are do-
ing that for some large cities, but
Synergis and entered the access
control market, how did that go?
Initially we were very surprised
that it was such a closed market.
HID had an open device, but
convincing other vendors to open
their doors for us was very hard in
the beginning. However, slowly
but surely over the years, we were
to convince seven or eight vendors
with devices to open up their
integration to us.
Axis, the global market leading
IP-camera manufacturer, intro-
duced an access control device
last year. What do your think
about that?
Axis are going to change the game
in two ways, one is that they have
this open architecture on a global
scale, they are also implement-
ing changes in the access control
distribution model.
So you are convinced they are
going to be successful?
Yes, because access control products
are going to be used on more doors
than ever before. You are seeing ac-
cess control going into the consum-
er market now, and this is really
going to be a big game-changer and
I think that Axis will be successful
in that market.
The access control market in
many countries is dominated by
Pierre Racz, founded Genetec in
1997. In those days, analogue se-
curity systems were dominating the
market. Network video surveillance
had no acceptance in the security
industry. Now, the technology shift
from analogue to digital security
technology is a fact and Genetec is
at the forefront of this shift.
What is unique about Genetec?
Our culture. This was commented
to us by partners visiting our facil-
ity and noticing the infectious en-
ergy. Further our camera partners,
they were so surprised about how
much we test the firmware inside
their cameras; but this is because
there were catastrophes in the past
where people would upgrade the
firmware and then whole airports
would have to be shut down
because there was a bug in the new
firmware.
Based on statistics for 2012
Genetec was named as the world
market leader in the VMS-mar-
ket by IHS in 2013. What is the
key to your success in general?
Innovation is in our DNA. By
investing over 20 percent of our
revenue in R&D, we foster a
strong culture of innovation. From
pioneering IP video, to developing
the industry's first unified security
platform that combines video,
access control, and license plate
recognition, to bringing physical
security to the Cloud, we are con-
sistently delivering groundbreak-
ing solutions to our industry.
Genetec is very strong in Ameri-
ca and Milestone are stronger in
Europe. In your opinion is that
a correct description?
It is correct and it is surprising,
because before 2008 I think 40
percent of our revenue came from
the Americas and 30 percent from
Europe. But then, after the reces-
sion, Europe stopped investing. In
the United States they brushed of
the dust and got back on the horse.
We have been getting more than
50 percent annual growth in North
America. Much to our surprise, be-
cause prior to 2008, we had sensed
that something was wrong with the
economy, but we didn't know what.
We thought it was better to invest in
Europe because we thought that the
trouble would be in North America.
So we invested a lot in Europe and
we were growing our European op-
erations, and as it turns out, it is our
North American operations where
the results are coming from.
So how are your revenues
divided today?
Close to 50 percent comes from
North America. Europe stands for
a little less than 30 percent. We
thought that Europe would take a
bigger share.
And the other 20 percent,
what is that?
It is the rest of the world. Asia
Pacific and South America. South
America is growing quite strong,
Asia Pacific is the one that is grow-
ing the slowest, and the exception
is Australia, where we are growing
like crazy.
In 2006 Genetec launched the
IP based access control system
the VMS market
Ethiris
®
Video Management Software
PierreRacz,CEOofGenetec:
"Being independent means enormous freedom to make long-term decisions"
Genetec, the world's leading vendor of video man-
agement software (VMS), according to IHS, has also
gained great success within the access control and
automated license plate recognition (ALPR) arenas.
The expansion into Asia Pacific and the Latin Ameri-
can market and a steadfast focus on product devel-
opment are some of the reasons behind Genetec's
continuous strong growth.
detektor met up with founder of the company,
Pierre Racz, President & CEO at Genetec's HQ in
Montreal to talk about his views on the trends in
the market.
By Lennart Alexandrie
Pierre Racz,
CEO of Genetec.