Genetec unveils London HQ

Seeking to build upon strong growth in the wider EMEA region, Canadian-based Genetec has unveiled a new UK HQ in the centre of London, moving away from its previous home in Reading. IFSEC Global reports back from the opening.

With the UK considered to be a major growth area in Genetec’s wider plans, 2019 seemed like the right time to move to a new hub in London for the business. The new hub certainly features a fresh look, with the business operating across two cleanly-designed floors, one of which serves as an opportunity to showcase its range of technologies and solutions in the security sector.

Within this, Genetec is also hoping to provide a platform to better connect with its local industry partners. And, being situated in the economic centre of the UK, believes there is no better place to be. Meanwhile, the business has plenty of backing from Quebec, where its worldwide operation is based, with the UK being noted as demonstrating ‘a large appetite for technology’.

On the move, Paul Dodds, Country Manager UK & Ireland at Genetec, commented: “Genetec has seen excellent year-on-year growth in this region, and this new headquarters will allow us to better serve our growing client base in the UK. Furthermore, the new facilities will let us work more closely with our partners to give up-to-date training, compelling educational experiences, and state-of-the-art support.

“Furthermore, as Brexit has caused so much commercial uncertainty, opening brand-new headquarters has served as a sign of the company’s continued commitment to the region and the clear value it places on the role of the UK market.”

Fresh approach

Primarily seen as a data company, Genetec is now developing a more ‘unified view of security’, building core security centres to bring all systems together. One example of this is its Citywatch system. A platform only available in the US at current, the system has been designed to support 999 (or 911) call centres and provide a much better understanding for first response units. Another example is its well-known Security Center, which you can find all about in our recent interview with Simon Cook, Global Sales Engineering Director, an0d is currently being used in venues such as Twickenham Stadium, amongst others.

As well as these developments, Genetec continues to provide the software behind a number of key manufacturers in the video surveillance sector and produces hardware for its automatic licence plate recognition (ALPR) systems, AutoVu.

Moving forwards, the business sees cyber security as a top priority for organisations, regardless of the company size or sector they operate in. Paul believes this is largely down to the incredible proliferation of IoT devices. While this has provided increased connectivity, it’s also increased the area of attack – as any connected device on a network could serve as an entry point for a cyber-criminal.

Another trend involves using data collected by security components to optimise a business. Put simply, this means security systems can generate value outside of just the security function. “Using technology to add more value helps businesses – such as banks or retailers optimise operations and yield additional insights previously not possible,” adds Paul.

Training at Genetec

The new HQ isn’t just an extension of the growth of the UK business, however. Practical uses for customers will include a focus on training and development for integrators and end users, with the new London HQ acting as a hub for this.

Paul explains: “Training is an important aspect of customer care, so it will be a key focus at the new London headquarters. It’s available for integrators and end users as all Genetec installers must be certified to use the equipment. This is because there is no one size fits all approach, so every solution is specific to the user’s requirements.

“To facilitate this, we have dedicated sales engineers that work closely with end users and integrators to ensure the solutions are optimised for that specific client, and crucially, the environment they’re trying to secure. The London headquarters will be central to this close-knit relationship going forward. Genetec also offers bespoke training and field engineering services on site.”

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