Colombian companies that market fire detection systems continue in their battle to generate more awareness in the use of these solutions. According to our guests, the local market is registering better numbers within this segment than the previous year. By: Duván Chaverra A.
The Colombian security industry has not stopped showing significant advances, the progress of this sector goes hand in hand with the development of a country that economically shows remarkable improvements in its percentages, product of a greater confidence of foreign investors and a more dynamic consumer.
Local and international economic portals speak positively of Colombia as an important economy in Latin America and that is growing. The digital newspaper AméricaEconomía.com recently highlighted that this country will grow by around 4% in 2010, a figure valued by the optimism generated in businessmen by the arrival of a new government headed by President Juan Manuel Santos.
But we wanted the representatives of the industry themselves to be the ones to determine if the numbers of the present in the industry are equally positive to those of the economy in general and to be more specific we will talk about the sector of fire control systems, a niche that apparently is not the strongest in the region, partly because of the poor legislation that exists to regulate these solutions in that nation.
That is why we invited two experts in the field who are part of recognized companies in the sector: Carlos Guzmán, general manager of AGM Business and Johana Camacho, marketing representative of ADT Integrated. With them we will know their particular experiences during 2010 with the commercialization of this kind of technology in the South American country.
Initially, the guests were very satisfied with the performance of this sector during this year: "In terms of sales, the fire detector industry has grown compared to 2009, as many companies have resumed their investments in fire systems," said Carlos Guzmán.
Johana Camacho commented on the same issue that industries such as construction have allowed a better movement in the fire sector: "So far in 2010 there has been a reactivation in the fire detector industry, all thanks to the construction process of new buildings and industries; this sector, which is part of the range of products offered for the integral protection of real estate, takes strength and is considered an important part for the security of the different properties".
The positive part becomes more important if we remember that at this time in the previous year already began to breathe air of economic crisis, which weakened, either to a greater or lesser extent to the different sectors.
"2009 was a difficult year for all segments in the area of security. Specifically speaking, fire detectors were no exception and sales were down 15% compared to 2008," Guzman said.
While Johana Camacho commented on the balance of 2009 for her company: "For ADT Integrated Solutions in Colombia a balance is made in sales of 2009 for the segment of fire detectors in which sales are recorded with considerable sums, yielding a positive balance taking into account the economic crisis of the moment; while it is true that there was a decrease in sales and concreted businesses, it was not something of greater impact, the constant of good sales was maintained".
Optimism in the near future
The birth of new businesses and the arrival of more solutions for fire detection generate optimism in the industry environment for the end of 2010.
"We have had a growth of 50% participation due to the incursion of new projects in sectors in which it had not been explored in the past. As of October of this year we start a new fiscal period, which means that to date the goals established to be met throughout the year are covered. The new challenges begin very soon, so it is expected to start our a new cycle rebounding in new projects, "said Johana Camacho.
Meanwhile, Carlos Guzmán indicated that "2010 began with many expectations due to the issue of elections in Colombia, however the growth with respect to 2009 has been 10% and has been in accordance with expectations. But we expect to exceed projections, due to the introduction to the market of lower cost fire detectors with high quality standards (UL, NFPA), which will allow us to reach other broader market segments."
The cost factor
There is no doubt that one of the factors that infer in the acquisition of fire detection systems is their value, in addition to the lack of knowledge of some consumers influence the decision when selecting the best solution.
"The price will be a very important factor when deciding, so this variable will be critical in all fire detection products, however, all products, whether they are of lower or higher cost, must comply with international quality standards that allow them to ensure optimal quality. We believe that the solutions that do not achieve the ideal positioning are those that optimize and make fire detection more efficient, and this has been due to the lack of culture of the end customer to adopt these solutions, and their high cost with respect to traditional products, "said the representative of AGM Business.
For her part, Johana Camacho mentioned some products that due to their cost do not have a wide demand: "Air suction detection is a preventive technology of early response. This type of solution is still very expensive for the Colombian market and has not been diversified or promoted for its ideal knowledge and applications. Likewise, laser technology for early smoke detection is an excellent business resource, but it is also very expensive."
Regulations are still needed
The lack of strict regulations on the use of fire detection systems have prevented companies in the sector from generating better results commercially. This is recognized by our guests, who referred to the subject as follows:
- AGM Business: "The lack of effective regulation and an entity that requires that these standards be met, make sales of fire systems much lower than in other countries. However, much progress has been made on the issue of culturizing people about the need to protect their assets and human personnel in their companies. Some companies make union efforts to create laws that require the use of these systems, but until a collective and integral commitment is achieved by the Government, unions and industrial sectors, it will not be possible to create an effective regulation that benefits everyone. "
- ADT Integrated Solutions: "It affects the fact of not having clear rules regarding industrial safety, but an initiative in this sense would constitute a new way to increase sales, of course it must be focused on the protection of lives and awareness of the use of this technology in the industry".
Johana Camacho complemented the statement by mentioning that despite this, efforts are being made in that nation to improve security.
"Colombia as a unit does not represent a significant advance, but in each city there is significant pressure from insurers to protect the facilities and infrastructure of companies. Taking into account these important variables, the security sector has to be proactive and permanently updated in the technology and products that are constantly being developed to be at the forefront of international standards. Likewise, the incursion of the main international hotels that arrive in the country have norms that require the local market to comply with global standards for its operation.
New technologies for the country
Carlos Guzmán, general manager of AGM Business, spoke about the arrival of new products in the country, among which he highlighted two types of smoke detectors.
- Suction smoke detectors: these take a sample of the air contained in an enclosure, analyze it and determine if the place has a fire risk or not.
- Wireless smoke detectors: they are sensors that do not require wiring for their operation and installation. Their biggest advantage is that they can be installed in places where there is no pipe or wiring for fire. This makes them attractive to many buildings, factories and commercial facilities that require fire systems but do not have the proper installation infrastructure.
Leave your comment