IFSEC is finding it difficult like the rest of the security industry, but gossip about the show is just that – gossip, often by people with their own agendas. IFSEC organiser James Blue invited Professional Security Magazine MD Roy Cooper to his London office beside the Thames for a show update.
In case you think IFSEC is suffering from the recession, take it from me that the floor plan for this year’s show runs to three full sheets of A3 paper. It’ll look a bit different from previous years anyway because it’s in a new space. And some formerly central stands such as distributor Norbain pulled out some months ago. But the doom-sayers note that Norbain has taken pains to stay close to the show, by running its usual evening do for installers and manufacturers; and the firm has confirmed it’s sponsoring the Monday night awards dinner (which has gone back to being a black-tie affair on May 11). I’ll bet too that after some tango-steps around will-they or won’t-they, many exhibitors that have queried privately or publicly whether they will go, will go. For one thing, if a company signed up as usual after last year’s show, before the recession swept in, to cancel will mean a charge. And James Blue, sitting in a meeting room looking over the Thames at Blackfriars, makes the point that there could be scope for some good deals, if companies do commit to exhibiting. Stand builders and carpet contractors and the like may be looking for work because other, non-security shows have cancelled or been quieter. IFSEC too is happy to talk about working with possible exhibitors, about being flexible. Don’t you want your full stand on the show floor? Talk about a stand with a meeting or demonstration area; or how about hiring a meeting room outside the exhibition floor.
James Blue admits that the organisers have found the going tough, since October. But he points to independent research that there are three reasons why people visit IFSEC – to learn about new products; networking; and the educational programmes. I’ll put it more simply – as I like to do! – people go to the show to catch up with old mates and to see who’s still around. That’s true, recession or no recession. You can always argue that now more than ever you need to show your face and to put your brand more in people’s faces. James names three or four companies that have increased their stand size. “So it isn’t all doom and gloom here,” he says.
I can go back to the very first IFSEC in London in Victor Green days. So I’ve seen the event change as the venue changed and as the industry and indeed the world has changed. Recently we’ve seen low-cost airlines, that come into Birmingham bringing international visitors – that is after all the ‘I’ in IFSEC. James reports that about 30 to 34 per cent of visitors are international ones, while the split of UK-based and overseas exhibitors is (very roughly) half and half. “IFSEC is viewed as a more international event for our customers. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with Essen [the German security show every other year, last in autumn 2008], it’s a good show, but we view it [IFSEC] as more international, and I think our customers do as well.”
So if you do go – and as I say, I expect that after ums and ahs you will – what will you see? Well, there may be fewer double-decker stands, and the aisles may be a bit wider, which will be welcome if you are dashing around from one appointment to another. So the show, which is enormous and can be daunting to navigate, could seem easier to walk around. And this year IFSEC is planning VIP schemes. James says: “We are working with all exhibitors to nominate their top customers and we have created a club lounge; and those top buyers will get free parking and free breakfast if they arrive before 11.30am; again, we want to make sure that cost isn’t a factor.” He does add that he can’t offer 33,000 free parking places and breakfasts, but that’s something for you, installer or end user, to ask about. In the lounge for end users, James adds, suppliers won’t be allowed in unless invited. This is backed by research, that installers attending know what they are going for, while end users might get a bit more overwhelmed by the hundreds of stands. Hence a room to meet and greet people and grab some catering might appeal. There’ll be free seminars on the exhibition floor as in previous years, with a recession spin this time, on managing your installation business in a downturn. Last year after a few quieter years on the conference side, IFSEC ran three days of talks on security management topics. More of the same this year (visit www.ifsec.co.uk/conference), themed, James says, so that you can dip in and out and not have to sit in a conference room all day.
James says that the entries to the product awards have been on a par with last year: “I see that as a good sign that innovation is still taking place in the marketplace; people still want to shout about their products. People still want to say, ‘I am an IFSEC award winner’.”
As for what new you can expect to see at the show, James suggests HD and video analytics; but hybrid CCTV systems, too, because people are still looking to get more out of their current CCTV: “Those exhibitors who have return on investment in their message will do well. What we are finding is that the decision-makers are coming to the show, because whereas the business might send an executive, they [the decision-makers] are going themselves, because they can get a feel for what is going on in the market place.”
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