“Our new research is helping carve out a definitive description of what the security systems integrator and security systems integration business is all about,” stated Security Sales & Integration Editor-in-Chief Scott Goldfine in previewing the findings of the magazine’s new “Identifying the Integrator” study set to appear in its April ISC West show issue.
The 30-minute presentation, which took place at the PSA Security Network‘s Owners Meeting, included a detailed analysis of the characteristics and business practices of systems integrators as derived from SSI‘s annual Installation Business Report.
The meeting was a highlight during a week that included several PSA educational sessions and networking events held in conjunction with the National Systems Contractors Association (NSCA) Systems Integration Expo.
Although the floor traffic at the Orlando Convention Center was typically moderate throughout the three-day expo, organizers reported it was the largest and best-attended NSCA convention yet. However, the security pavilion saw less activity than the rest of the hall and several exhibitors expressed their disappointment with the event. As a result, the general consensus was that PSA should seriously consider returning doing its own conference and expo as it had done for many years prior to partnering with NSCA beginning in 2004.
Exhibiting security companies at the show included Altronix, Notifier, IR, Optelecom, Dedicated Micros, Chamberlain, Bosch, Compass Technologies, HID, GE, IFS, Pelco, Sanyo, Tamron, Winsted and Aiphione.
Some of the greatest excitement that occurred at the exposition was due to mishaps and malfunctions.
Late during the opening day of the event, sprinklers malfunctioned and drenched several exhibitors’ booths, some of which included extremely expensive equipment like giant plasma screens. It took more than a half-hour for the water to be shut off and contained. During the afternoon the following day, an announcement over the P.A. system to evacuate due to an emergency situation caused hordes of attendees to spill out into the lobby area. It turned out to be a false alarm, but it resulted in an already sparsely populated convention hall to be even less congested.
Rumor has it that the evacuation was due to a neighboring event in which animals had gotten loose.
Three years ago at the Orlando Convention Center, on a hot, humid summer day, the air conditioning system broke down during ISC East. The ASIS Int’l Conference and Expo is scheduled for the same venue later this year.
Away from the troubled show floor, PSA held dozens of well-attended and worthwhile training sessions, including those conducted by SSI‘s own Bob Wimmer.
In addition, evening festivities included an opening mixer, a concert by 1970s superstars Kansas, a hospitality suites networking function featuring several key security product manufacturers and a PSA vendor awards dinner. The latter event featured entertainment by a hypnotist who wowed the crowd by inducing several banquet-goers to bend to his whims and suggestions. Among those caught under his spell was SSI Hall of Fame inductee Sandy Jones.
