Until now, if you are a school, university or hospital security and public safety professional, you probably have never heard of Hikvision, but I’d be willing to wager many or most of you have their cameras already installed somewhere in your facilities. That’s because since its founding in 2001, the Hangzhou, China-based company has manufactured cameras for many of the world’s best known video surveillance companies.
In only 14 years, it has grown to become the largest producer of video surveillance equipment in the world. The company posted nearly $2.8 billion in sales revenue in 2014. From 2004 to 2014, it reported a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 53 percent. And now, Hikvision has set its sites on the U.S. video surveillance market.
I recently toured the company’s world headquarters in Hangzhou, China – during which its president, Yangzhong Hu, and international marketing director, Keen Yao, fielded questions from members of the trade media.
Although you and your systems integrators should review and discuss the quality of the company’s products (or any company’s products for that matter) to determine if they are the best option to fulfill your needs, you can’t argue about the volume of revenue and human capital Hikvision is dedicating to the execution of its global vision to become a complete solutions provider. More than 8 percent of its annual revenue is fed back into R&D. Through a translator, Hu said the company does consider acquisitions, but R&D is a corporate pillar. The company staffs more than 5,400 engineers, a pool of talent that includes more than 2,000 software engineers.
So what does this mean for hospital, K-12 and higher ed end users, particularly regarding the training and maintenance issues that often pose challenges to security camera systems?
According to Hikvision USA North American Director of Sales Chris Zenaty, to address system upkeep, Hikvision has a skilled network of sales application engineers throughout North America who consult with integrators and end-users before and after installation on system design and commissioning.
The company also holds in-person training sessions and webinars for integrators and end-users on cameras, NVRs and Hikvision’s VMS applications.
“In addition, our marketing and technical support teams offer comprehensive technical bulletins, video tutorials and product quick-guides to our customers and end users,” added Zenaty.
In the upcoming months and years, healthcare and education protection professionals should expect to hear more from Hikvision and its quest to elevate its brand to become a market leader in North America.
