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.
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 Happily, when an electronic access card is lost or stolen, access rights can be withdrawn immediately, rendering the card inactive.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.
June 19, 2018
Inner Range is throwing down the gauntlet to the security industry’s smartest minds and most nimble fingers to see who […] Read More
June 18, 2018
This in-depth white paper from Abloy UK considers the security challenges facing critical national infrastructure organisations and how they can best address them. Read More
June 15, 2018
ASSA ABLOY, the global leader in door opening solutions, has unveiled the latest integrated security and access control technologies it will be showcasing for commercial businesses at IFSEC 2018. Read More
June 15, 2018
After extensive consultation with a panel of judges from across the industry, we are delighted to reveal our roll call of the Top 50 influencers in security & fire 2018. Read More
June 14, 2018
This ASSA ABLOY-sponsored report, based on a poll of hundreds of professionals involved in the procurement, operation, deployment or maintenance of access control systems, gauges perception of, and demand for, wireless technologies in a market where hardwired systems still have an edge in the installed base. Read More
June 11, 2018
ANIXTER will host a series of demos testing cabling, networking and security solutions at IFSEC 2018. Read More
June 7, 2018
The company, a leader in big data solutions for physical security, will showcase new products Qognify ISM and Qognify ACI in addition to existing products from its award-winning portfolio. Read More
June 5, 2018
Derek McLean, Head of Technology Solutions at STANLEY Security, encapsulate's the company's ethos as he looks ahead to IFSEC 2018. Read More
June 5, 2018
How did ASSA ABLOY meet ULab's need for a flexible, wire-free access control system to maximise security, accommodate future expansion and complement the workspace’s sleek, contemporary design? Read More
June 5, 2018
A new feature of access control system Integriti that makes patrols harder for attackers to predict will be one of the main attractions on Inner Range's stand at IFSEC 2018. Read More