Business analysts and industry experts the world over are unanimous that the pressure and logic to increase the pace of convergence of high technology digital video security and Building Management Solutions (BMS) industries is a crucial success factor in the industrial, commercial and residential business environment.

In line with the aforementioned and the Schneider Electric business vision and strategy to be a leading solution and services entity in the burgeoning building automation and securitisation management environment, Schneider Electric has acquired the California-based Pelco video security solutions provider. This brings to Schneider Electric 20 years of world-class and industry leading video security expertise together with an incredible growth record and an excellent reputation for customer service. The product, system and service offering ranges from simple camera mounts and enclosures, to the latest in IP camera digital network-based digital video surveillance and management systems. Pelco offers over 5,500 products to fit any video security and management application.

The acquisition of Pelco significantly reinforces the Schneider Electric service and solution offering in its comprehensive BMS business offering that encompasses energy efficiency and management systems, power management, HVAC control, electronic access control and video security thereby increasing its ability to provide small to extremely large fully integrated solutions and services.

Helping lead the way in South Africa in this arena are Herman Walsh (HW), the Strategic Marketing Director of Schneider Electric South Africa and Wolfgang Engling (WE), the Area Manager for Pelco South Africa. We decided to sit down with them to discuss what bringing Pelco under the umbrella of Schneider Electric means to the video security, access control and BMS industries and what customers can expect going forward.

What were the forces behind Schneider Electric’s acquisition of Pelco?
HW – Schneider Electric has always desired to expand its solutions and services footprint and portfolio in the BMS business, which is underpinned by TAC in Sweden. BMS has traditionally been focused on Power and Energy management, HVAC & Lighting Control, Security, and Fire. Prior to the Pelco acquisition, TAC’s offering within the video security business perimeter was somewhat limited in breadth. There is no doubt in my mind and that of the industry that Pelco is one of the leading suppliers of video security products, systems and solutions. It is a natural and strategic fit for going into the future. (HW)

Can you briefly explain how Pelco fits into the overall Schneider Electric organization and the role Pelco will play?
HW - Pelco is an autonomous entity within Schneider Electric and TAC. David McDonald, as Pelco President and CEO, will report directly to Arne Frank (chairman & CEO of TAC worldwide). In this capacity, Pelco will lead Schneider Electric’s and TAC’s efforts in Fire and Security worldwide. Pelco will have a global focus on selling integrated security solutions inclusive of video, access control, and fire.

Locally, Pelco will remain an independent division of Schneider Electric for the foreseeable future. We are already working very closely together as a team to ensure we offer the same high quality of service and products to our customers that they have come to expect from us. Consequently, the big advantage that you as a customer can expect is that the offering from both entities is now greatly combined, expanded and strengthened. Each entity can now draw on the expertise and business foundation that has already been established by each company in its respective field.

As of this interview, the acquisition has been official for only a couple of months now.
What are your primary concerns and considerations?
WE - I believe it is critical to make sure that we get the correct message across to the security industry; the message being that Pelco has now truly reached a global status and can now be seen as an offering that will span from traditional CCTV into the bigger picture of total building management. Pelco has now become part of a total “one-stop-shop” solution provider with its total product range being integrated and tested into the Schneider portfolio. Pelco will continue to grow from strength to strength over the coming years in the CCTV industry and will continue to offer our customers leading edge technology.

Discuss the changes to be expected as Pelco moves from a privately held company to a part of a larger, multinational, public company?
WE - I don’t believe that much will change as our focus will still be on delivering a solid, stable product with a fanatical customer support. This is what our customers have come to expect from Pelco and will receive from Schneider Electric in the future.

Can you describe the relationship that Pelco will now have with Schneider Electric?
HW - It’s really important to note that Pelco will treat Schneider Electric as a national account just like all the other Pelco customers. In terms of the arrangement with Schneider Electric, Pelco is another supplier to Schneider Electric and our pricing will be consistent to the pricing given to any other national account. The channels are sacrosanct, so it is not in Pelco’s interests to treat Schneider Electric any differently to the other integrators with whom they have forged important and solid relationships.

Discuss the opportunities soon to be available with the integration of Schneider Electric and Pelco?
HW - Presently in South Africa, there are very few companies that can boast a completely integrated building management solution spanning energy and power management, HVAC control, electronic access control and video security all under one umbrella. This has obvious advantages, such as seamless integration, dealing with one company for all your BMS requirements and most of all cost optimization, i.e., both operating and capital expenditure are minimized.

As we all know, access control and video security are seamlessly intertwined. In the past, Pelco was not seamlessly integrated with any access control solution and additional software had to be written to integrate any other third party access control system with Pelco. With this acquisition, Schneider Electric can offer a completely integrated electronic security solution that can form part of a fully integrated building management solution and service. This results in the security system assisting the BMS system to realize ideal building environmental and security conditions at all times, while minimizing energy consumption. The power of such an offering becomes very apparent and the opportunities are endless!

How will this integration benefit us in South Africa with regard to the current energy crisis we are experiencing?
HW - As mentioned previously, the integrated electronic security system will form part of our total building management solution, which will assist in minimizing the building’s energy consumption.

Imagine your building management system being intelligent enough to react according to your personal preferences. This will depend on the overall energy efficiency policies of the building. For example, say you return to the office after hours. The BMS system has already automatically switched off your air-conditioning supply and lights in your office to minimize energy consumption. Once you enter the building, the security system immediately enforces the ideal environmental and lighting conditions in your office, according to your preferences, via the building management software. Once you leave, it again returns to the standby condition. This is just one example of how the Schneider Electric BMS system can ensure you experience ideal conditions in your building whilst still reducing your energy consumption. If all the buildings in South Africa installed our BMS system, there would be no energy crisis.

How do you see yourselves standing out above the competition in the future?
WE - By joining forces and drawing from the years of experience in each other’s respective fields, we can only grow from strength-to-strength. We aim to be the leading technologically advanced “one-stop-shop” Building Management Solutions provider that revolutionizes the way South Africa thinks about intelligent buildings. We want to be known as the company that is pulling the “Green Building” band wagon in South Africa. We will continue to play our part in ensuring that South Africa is regarded by all other countries as an energy-efficient and “green” nation.