Can I start by thanking all of you that attended our Security TWENTY event in Nottingham. Thanks to Mike Tennent of Tavcom in particular for sending this picture from the conference hall – looks like when DCI Mick Neville was speaking. Read all about it in the March 2016 print issue of Professional Security.
It was our best yet and was very well supported, I thought at one point that the team and I were going to have to start making sandwiches, as we had so many people there. Can I thank all the sponsors, exhibitors, speakers and you of course for making it a very successful day, not to mention Michael White who chaired the conference so well for us. The charity dinner on the night before raised a massive ยฃ3550, as you can read over the page. But donโt go just yet!? Once again can I thank everyone for their donations and of course can I thank the following companies for the raffle prizes. A drum roll please: Canon, Y3K, Aiphone, Axis Communications, Bosch, Samsung, Tavcom, CSL Dualcom, DVS, Videotec, Panasonic, Pelco, Winsted and Eligo. Turn to page 38 for some of the winnersโ pictures, and to read more about the event; or jump on to our website to have a look at gallery of pictures. If you missed it, well, our next stop is Dublin on April 5 and 6, to be sure! And if you canโt get over there then we will be in Manchester on July 4 and 5; but donโt disappear yet as I have some gossip for you.
You may have heard that the security division of distributor Anixter have been looking for a new general manager as Jarod Booth has moved into a new role, of EMEA Strategic Relationship Manager, someone who has been a regular visitor to our ST events. So that post has gone to Damian Marsh. Have you heard the name but canโt think where from? Damian has come from Assa Abloy where he was the UK Managing Director for the last three years and whom I met many a time at IFSEC; he had been with Assa longer than that as he had been promoted from within to that role. Prior to that he was at Honeywell, and if you go right back into his past you will find he worked for Thorn at one time and Siemens. So he has certainly got the pedigree for the role. We wish you lots of success.
Did I mention Honeywell? I think I did, you must have heard that Honeywell have acquired Xtralis for $480m from funds advised by Pacific Equity Partners and Blum Capital Partners. You may know that Xtralis have been looking for a buyer for some years now, but no, I donโt know what that means or how they plan (if they plan at all) to integrate the two companies. All I can say itโs business as usual meanwhile for both companies and I know that Xtralis are doing really well, having well exceeded all their targets over the last year. So Mick Goodfellow told me when I met him just the other week. So while we are talking about takeovers or mergers, are you also aware that Johnson Controls plan to merge with Tyco international. The dealโs expected to close at the end of 2016, as itโs still subject to approvals by regulators and shareholders. The combined company will be known as Johnson Controls plc and it forecasts revenues of $32 billion in 2016. Johnson Controls has 130,000 employees, operating in more than 150 countries providing products and services in three main areas: building efficiency, batteries and energy storage, and automotive. Tyco is a security and fire company with 57,000 employees. According to IHS the US-based market research company, Johnson Controls want to move manufacturing out of America, into Ireland, where Tyco have just built a massive complex.
But back to those movers and shakers: The distributor HBL Security have taken on Ashley Cardno, who joins them as Divisional Director. Heโll be focusing on the partnership with the Chinese CCTV manufacturer, Uniview; HBL is the official UK distributor. I first met Ashley when he was working over at Panasonic several years ago. Siemens have appointed Steven Foxley as the new Managing Director of Siemens Building Technologies for UK and Ireland, They are the installation arm of the company I believe? Steven is not new to the company as he has been with them since 2001. IDIS have also been recruiting again and have appointed David Williams as Internal Sales Support Executive and Boris Tomson as Technical Support Engineer based out of the companyโs European headquarters in Brentford. And last but by no means least Ian Davey has joined Mayflex as Sales Director. He is responsible for development of strategic new business, sales, and relationships with customers and vendors, and heads external and internal senior team managers and field sales representatives. We wish you all great success of course.
