Axis Communications Addresses Canon Ownership, Market Opportunities During Partners Event

Network video leader rounds up 10th annual Connect & Convergence Conference in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO – Imaging innovation, collaboration and cybersecurity were among the themes seen, heard and felt as Axis Communications hosted its 10th annual Connect & Converge Conference (ACCC) at San Antonio’s Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa Nov. 9-12. The event, which drew nearly 400 attendees this year, brought together the leading network camera manufacturer’s security integrator and technology partners for education, celebration and networking. The function ― the first ACCC since Axis’ acquisition by Canon for nearly $3 billion earlier this year ― has grown 75% since its inception in San Diego.

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The program consisted of general assembly presentations, breakout sessions, vendor partners showcase, mixers, a 10-year ACCC party, a Texas-themed extravaganza and an awards banquet. All of the proceedings were extremely well organized and executed, and integrator attendees were quite pleased with the event itself as well as the valuable information it provided them. It was difficult not to be won over by the host’s hospitality and impressed by what has become one of the industry’s broadest and most innovative IP video surveillance product lines.

The affair opened with Axis Founder and Director of New Projects Martin Gren, General Manager Fredrik Nilsson and Vice President of Global Sales Bodil Sonesson decked out in cowboy garb much to the audience’s delight. They discussed the impact of new ownership on Axis’ business, how the video surveillance market is changing and growing and some key innovations the Lund, Sweden-headquartered high-tech company has introduced into the marketplace. 

The trio wasted little time addressing the elephant in the room by stressing that Canon’s ownership represents only positive ramifications for Axis as an organization that will manifest in better-than-ever products for the company’s technology partners. Gren pointed out that Axis already had a long history collaborating with Canon and that the two businesses mesh well due to their long-term orientation and pure-play focus on imaging technology innovation. They said the association only strengthens Axis, especially from being able to tap into Canon’s world-class R&D resources, and in particular taking advantage of the Japanese conglomerate’s lenses and sensors from both cost and performance perspectives. They said on the whole the new ownership will be for the most part transparent to Axis’ technology partners and customers. Of course, only time will tell.

The event was well attended by integrators and the trade media.

The Axis executives then discussed the added value the business brings integrators. Nilsson noted that manufacturing costs are too competitive to differentiate a supplier and so Axis focuses on delivering innovative products, superior training, tools, user experience, segment insight, solutions and tech services. Sonesson talked about how on top of that the company is really focused on people because those connections and relationships are at least as vital as all the rest of it. As part of these sentiments, the company has begun opening Axis Experience Centers, unveiling the latest one in Irvine, Calif., during the recent ASIS show in Anaheim, and it was announced another is about to open in Toronto with several others slated to appear throughout 2016.

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The threesome touched on the scope and scale of the overall video surveillance market and the amazing opportunities to be had. They cited a 12% annual growth rate even as 90% of all physical security spending is going into people. Nilsson noted how one of Axis’ directives is figuring out how to deliver value that helps add more of that 90% to the 10% presently allotted to electronic security. The presenters also mentioned some specific Axis innovations that have moved the needle. These technologies and offerings were discussed in greater detail during both the following general session presentation and in a workshop. Gren wrapped up the opening keynote asserting that while there is all this attention to the so-called Internet of Things now, Axis began its existence more than 30 years ago pushing the envelope of connecting various devices to the World Wide Web. In that spirit, Axis is expanding its security products beyond video surveillance into access control, video door stations, communications and more.

Next up, Axis Product Manager Kent Fransson and Professional Services Manager Patrik Pettersson shared the manufacturer’s products roadmap. They stopped well short of delving into all of the approximately 80 products/updates the vendor has made available the past year. Some highlights of what they said were recently released or due either by year end or during 2016 included: network horn speaker (C3003-E); network video door station (A8004-VE); wireless installation tool (T8415); site designer tool; XF40 and XF40 explosion-proof cameras; affordable thermal cameras (Q1941-E); PIR motion detectors (T8331/-E); stainless-steel dome (Q3505); and what Axis bills as the “world’s first” pan/tilt/zoom camera (Q6128) with 4K resolution. The duo also noted that ongoing enhancements and improvements are introduced into all existing products on an ongoing basis as their regular course of continuous advancement business.

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Scott Goldfine is the marketing director for Elite Interactive Solutions. He is the former editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He can be reached at [email protected].

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