Q&A: Panasonic’s Panoramic Perspective
Jean-Marc Allain, the new president of Panasonic System Solutions Co. (PSSA), discusses the abundance of opportunities in the face of current economic woes.
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To consumers and security professionals alike there is perhaps no name better known for providing innovative and reliable electronic devices than Panasonic. This is particularly true in the realm of imaging technologies, which for more than 50 years the company has leveraged to become one of the security industry’s leading suppliers of CCTV and video surveillance products.
Panasonic’s rich history is based on the amazing story of Konosuke Matsushita. In 1917 at the age of 22, the entrepreneur parlayed his invention of an electrical attachment plug and two-way socket into the establishment of Matsushita Electric Devices Manufacturing Works, which later became Panasonic. Although he retired in 1973 (deceased 1989), Konosuke’s legacy and belief that the primary mission of a business is to benefit society lives on.
Today, Panasonic Corp. is one of the world’s largest electronic products manufacturers with more than 550 companies employing in excess of 305,000 people. The company’s North American headquarters are located in Secaucus, N.J., where it markets a broad line of digital and other electronics products for consumer, business and industrial use — including security.
Having served the security industry for more than half-a-century, Panasonic continues to demonstrate nimbleness in meeting evolving technology and business trends. This has never been more critical than in recent years as advancements such as integration, digital video, IP-based systems, megapixel cameras and analytics have teamed with new marketplace dynamics to initiate true paradigm shifts.
Panasonic has responded by adjusting its strategic approach to focus on total enterprise-level security system solutions as opposed to purely products. To help blaze that path, Jean-Marc (J.M.) Allain has been named to succeed Frank DeFina as president of Panasonic System Solutions Co. (PSSA). Allain, a former manager of global operations for Duos Technologies, holds degrees in international trade and finance, business administration, and systems engineering.
To find out more about PSSA’s new philosophy regarding the security market and get to the heart of what it means for installing systems integrators, SSI flagged down Allain for an exclusive interview. Although he declined to comment on Panasonic’s looming acquisition of Sanyo, the energetic executive did explain why he is so enthusiastic about his new position and discussed the abundance of opportunities in the face of current economic woes.
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About the Author
Scott Goldfine, Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher
Scott Goldfine is Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher of Security Sales & Integration. Well-versed in the technical and business aspects of electronic security (video surveillance, access control, systems integration, intrusion detection, fire/life safety), Goldfine is nationally recognized as an industry expert and speaker. Goldfine is involved in several security events and organizations, including the Electronic Security Association (ESA), Security Industry Association (SIA), Security Industry Alarm Coalition (SIAC), False Alarm Reduction Association (FARA), ASIS Int'l and more. Goldfine also serves on several boards, including the SIA Marketing Committee, CSAA Marketing and Communications Committee, PSA Cybersecurity Advisory Council and Robolliance. He is a certified alarm technician, former cable-TV tech, audio company entrepreneur, and lifelong electronics and computers enthusiast. Goldfine joined Security Sales & Integration in 1998.
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