The global access-control market is projected to reach a total value of $10.4bn by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 10.6%, according to research by Markets and Markets.
Access control technically includes the time-honoured mechanical lock and key, but when people talk about access control in the modern security industry, they mean sophisticated electronic turnstiles, gates, wireless locks and other barriers increasingly incorporating aspects of IT and physical security.
Keys can be lost, stolen and copied, leaving assets vulnerable and requiring an expensive change of locks. Happily, when an electronic access card is lost or stolen, access rights can be withdrawn immediately, rendering the card inactive. Should thieves gain access before a theft is noticed, operators can identify when they breached security and – if there are multiple access points – where in the building they are at any given time.
Modern access-control systems also offer flexible access rights. For example, while all staff can generally gain access through a building’s main entrance, access to certain internal areas may be restricted to those with relevant authority. Access can also be restricted to specific time periods.
The plastic access card has long been the dominant form of identity verification. While they still govern access for most installed systems, biometric solutions – usually authenticating identity through facial, fingerprint and iris recognition – are becoming more reliable, affordable and widespread.
Often accused of being a conservative industry the access control sector is finally emulating its CCTV counterpart in embracing IP, open-platform technology, the internet of things and integration with, and interoperability between, building systems. Mobile access – gaining access using smartphones – is one burgeoning trend with numerous operational benefits.
August 12, 2020
Darren Worswick explains why security professionals need to balance using the latest access control tech with ensuring it is properly certified to better protect government buildings and other high-level infrastructure environments. Read More
August 12, 2020
The 101 on the use of biometric security systems in the security industry, including facial recognition, fingerprint scanners and more. Read More
August 5, 2020
Download IFSEC Global's free and exclusive trend report assessing the current state of physical access control and future trends in the sector. Read More
August 4, 2020
Assa Abloy details how businesses in the leisure and attractions sector can improve their security with more controlled and efficient intelligent access control solutions. Read More
July 24, 2020
Following a decision of its Board, Euralarm has welcomed its newest member Vanderbilt, joining the Security Section of the organisation. Read More
July 20, 2020
Assa Abloy explains how its wireless SMARTair solution was the ideal solution for access control renovation at a 16th-century school in Spain. Read More
July 7, 2020
Assa Abloy explores why wireless locks offer a useful option to extend an access control solution, with notable benefits for facility managers, installers and end users. Read More
July 2, 2020
Find out how Amthal Fire and Security blended modern access control solutions to the Edwardian decor at Kenilworth Court. Read More
June 19, 2020
We sit down with Gregory Blondeau to find out more about the company’s new Touchless Check-In solution, as well as why he believes security professionals are now so much more than simply ‘guards and gates’. Read More
June 18, 2020
Abloy discusses Incedo Business, the universal access control ecosystem that incorporates software and hardware into a single management platform. Read More