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Security firm integrates own software with equipment to create new solutionsPROTECTING buildings, equipment and other facilities these days is far less about fences and security guards, and more to do with high-tech digital policing.迷你倉Singapore security firm Ademco leads in this area, deploying its vast array of "weaponry" - from sensors and video surveillance to central monitoring systems and motion detectors - all aimed at detecting and preventing intrusions, theft and damage.And when things do go wrong, it can activate disaster recovery systems to get the show back on the road as fast as possible.Ademco serves 8,000 customers here and across the region, including banks, manufacturing firms and high-security sites.Managing director Toby Koh said: "We developed our own software to integrate the equipment we're selling to create new solutions, to remain relevant and competitive in the market."Gradually, all the systems we developed turned into a technology platform, from where we now have economies of scale."This approach - develop once and sell to many - has paid off. All the technology and services from Ademco are Internet-enabled, which allows customers easy all-year access while making support and maintenance more efficient."We've now added data analytics, which means that customers can look at the data we collect and gain insights," Mr Koh told The Straits Times last week.This has also changed the way the company bills its customers, who now pay subscriptions instead of a one-off price."Many companies don't want high capital overheads but are willing to pay operation costs," noted Mr Koh."For us, security becomes a service and subscription is the best way to pay for it."Mr Koh, who became managing director about 10 years ago, saw risk management changing in the light of the Sept 11, 2001, terror attacks."Business owners must think of protecting assets, staff, shareholders and customers. As technology develops, we have to use it to enhance our services and solutions," he said.When he saw multinational corporations, such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, outsource manufacturing to companies like Hi-P here and in neighbouring countries, he decided to ride the wave."These (multinational corporations) have security audit requirements at their third-party manufacturing plants. They have to protect their intellectual property assets. We provide services like remote video surveillance as well as staff attendance systems," said Mr Koh."Employees are given smart cards which they just tap to get into the building. They also use the same cards, for example, to see the doctor and to get food in the canteen."Every time an employee taps his card, the informat文件倉on is captured at the human resource department... It's easy to get the attendance record as well as (find out) whether he is likely to turn up for work."Ademco, which hires about 400 people here and other countries in South-east Asia, expects a revenue of about $28 million this year, which is about the same as last year. Singapore is its biggest market followed by the Philippines. It recently opened an office in India.The business was started by Mr Koh's father, Mr Koh Tiong Chwee, who was the regional managing director of Ademco, an American firm that made security equipment such as fire alarms, control panels, magnetic contacts for doors, shock sensors for safes and smoke detectors.When recession hit the United States in 1985, the older Mr Koh bought the regional operations for US$1 million and continued using the Ademco name.The younger Mr Koh had always known he would join the family business. School holidays were spent at the office packing goods or helping his father at trade shows overseas.However, to "get an experience of working for a corporation", he became a corporate banker for about two years before joining Ademco in 1995 as a sales manager and, later, a business development manager.Ademco, which is based in Tan Boon Liat building in Tiong Bahru, also provides central monitoring services, fire alarms and building automation.It is the only security company audited with the SS540, a standard awarded by Spring Singapore for business continuity. It means the firm has the capacity to respond and recover from disasters."We've two data recovery centres. Our customer data is updated simultaneously to the cloud, so the information they get at either centre is up to date," said Mr Koh. "Recently, we did an exercise to test these centres. We could switch over to the disaster recovery site in five hours."The firm has a contract to monitor all lifts in JTC Corporation buildings. It also monitors equipment like water tanks in commercial buildings. Sensors in the tanks can detect low water levels and action can be taken.Ademco is now using its digital arsenal in other areas. A pilot project now under way involves using sensors to look for leaks in PUB's water pipe network.The sensors are placed on top of the water pipes at 1km intervals to listen to the acoustic signature of each stretch of pipe. When a leak develops, this signature changes. Ademco's operations centre can monitor the data all year round, so less water will be wasted and fewer resources expended to excavate roads."Our aim is to move into security as a service, where we can get recurring revenue," added Mr Koh. "We also hope to expand our monitoring service contracts."chngkeg@sph.com.sg存倉