SDM - May 2008 - (Page 60)

FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS: STATE OF THE MARKET PHOTO COURTESY OF HAIG SERVICE CORP. Conventional systems are being used more in retrofit applications, thinks Joe Donato, national sales manager for Summit Systems Technologies, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. “We sell a lot of the conventional systems in retrofit applications, where you don’t want to rip out the smoke detectors,” Donato says. “It’s less expensive to buy a conventional system than addressable, but that margin is getting smaller. The cost is such that for maybe a few dollars more, you can put in an intelligent addressable system that gives you a lot more flexibility.” As addressable systems become more afford- Haig Service Corp. employees Richard Mayer (left), able, they are edging conventional fire panels to general manager of the company’s Fort Lauderapproximately 40 percent to 45 percent of the dale, Fla. branch, and Brent Dupont, field service market, Maccone estimates. “The newer, more technician, check out a broadband voice evacuaintelligent products are about the same price as the tion system. old, more labor-intensive-to-install system of five to 10 years ago,” he observes. now, about 95 percent, are fully addressable, where Brozik has witnessed a large increase in address- five years ago it might have been 50:50,” he reveals. able systems in his area. “Most systems we install “The price of addressable systems has come down significantly, and there’s much more of a demand, especially for larger facilities.” End Users Want More Information Harvey Cohen, vice president and general manager of central station, Affiliated Central Inc., End users are looking at the long-term costs of a system, thinks Jeff Hendrickson, director of marketing for Silent Knight by Honeywell, Sheepshead Bay, N.Y., emphasizes the value of the Maple Grove, Minn. “They are getting a lot smarter,” he observes. monitoring his company does. “They’re looking at the lifetime cost of the fire system. I think the facili“Monitoring has almost become a commodity,” ties managers are just more aware that these are buildings and systems he insists. He points out that addressable systems that are going to be in for the long haul, and they certainly want to make now report many more zones than they used to. sure a system is maintainable and easy to service.” “There’s a lot more involved in monitoring of Mitch Brozik, president and CEO of Secure US, Morgantown, W.Va., alarms than 20 years ago, but some dealers have agrees that end users are paying much more attention to after-the-sale and that perception of a very inexpensive price because recurring costs, maintenance service fees and test and inspection costs. of advertisements,” Cohen asserts. “I think that is one of the ways they’re starting to life-cost the price Maccone is enthused about fire alarm systems of the system, rather than letting a general contractor come in and low- that use IP communicators in place of two teleball it to get it locked in with a proprietary product, and be stuck with phone lines, each of which can cost $80 to $90 that vendor for a long time,” Brozik relates. monthly. Shawn Laskoski, marketing leader for fire and communications at GE “One of our many end users has 3,300 stores Security, Bradenton, Fla., has seen increased interest from end users nationwide,” he reports, calculating the cost of two in having access to the fire alarm event information. phone lines at $130. “How many widgets do those Harold Sowell, owner of Pioneer Communications, Cookeville, retail stores have to sell to profit $429,000?” Tenn., also has experienced this with his customers. “Fire alarm Among the products Sturgess is seeing growth in systems are more accepted now than they were in the past, and the is voice evacuation. “We’re starting to play in the newer systems aren’t as much of a nuisance as the older systems,” mass-evacuation space, and that’s another trend that Sowell insists. “I think the addressable systems give the customer I think will continue to be strong,” he predicts. more information so they know what causes the alarm to go off, which Laskoski, also, believes mass notification sysputs them more at ease.” tems will be important this year. “How mass notifi- SKE-450 Voice Evac System: Clear Voice Messages throughout Your Facility Sponsored by SILENT KNIGHT 60 May 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SDM - May 2008

SDM - May 2008 Contents Editor’s Angle Exclusive ISC West Coverage Stanley Convergent’s Newest Acquisition Cisco Introduces New IP Cameras, Expands Physical Security Solution Portfolio Ionit Technologies Partners with Walgreens; Places DVR Systems in Stores Nationwide Pennsylvania-Based Security System Providers Merge Custom Home Electronics Distributor Inks Distribution Agreement Security and the Law Integration Intelligence 18th Annual SDM 100: Double Digits Fire Systems: State of the Market Addressable Fire Control Systems Storage: Where Can We Put All This? Central Station Managed Access Technology at Work 5-Minute Tech Quiz Technology Solutions & Skills Security NetWorkings SDM Marketplace Classifieds

SDM - May 2008

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