NEW YORK—The Aug. 28-30 International Security Conference (ISC) and Exposition East marked the last time the show will be held annually in New York (the show will begin rotating between New York and Orlando, Fla., beginning next year). Despite aisleway traffic being lower than in the past, many manufacturers said they made as many contacts as with other shows. They launched new products and promoted authorized dealer programs while the majority of attendees – from installers to facility managers and government officials – searched for new technology despite a sluggish economy. In fact, many attendees said their businesses are steady and growing.
While no educational courses or seminars were offered during show hours, dealers were able to devote more time walking the show floor for products. Topping off product popularity or need were the lines of digital CCTV products by various manufacturers such as Panasonic, Pelco, Silent Witness and more. Some new DVRs featured hard drive recorders and the option of direct playback from an external DVD-RAM drive. Also, some featured cameras offered wider recording ranges while other digital cameras can complement analog CCD cameras in existing systems.
The new buzz that lingered throughout the show was remote monitoring equipment quickly becoming a suitable and convenient system for end users. Other companies, such as Wespot and SmaL Camera Technologies, displayed their camera products with hopes to partner up with a major North American manufacturer for distribution.
As with ISC West held in March, ISC East co-located with The Home Automation Show, which occupied a fraction of the show floor but, nonetheless, was busy with system integrators and dealers tapping into this market.
Other activities revolving around ISC East’s show hours included a keynote address on the state of the security industry, an “Industry Incorrect” panel discussion on current issues, separate symposiums on school security and critical incident.
On a lighter note, ADI hosted at its booth a trivia challenge involving dealers and their sales managers, and the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association awarded daily cash drawings as part of its new booth game.
As with every ISC show, security professionals were able to attend security tours to landmark locations in the city. In particular, the Aug. 27 security tour at the American Museum of Natural History was comprised of a small group of security professionals who toured the museum’s high-tech security areas. The group was able to pass through the museum’s fingerprint and identification office and on to the main command center, where security personnel monitor areas for crowd control and to protect some of the most rare and unique artifacts.
