Review: The Security Event 2019

The Security Event, its first edition, was launched at the NEC in Birmingham running for 3 days from 9 to 11 April. Alongside its already established cousins, The Fire Event, The Health and Safety Event and The Facilities Event, The Security Event complemented them perfectly and with a cry “designed by the industry, for the industry,” set itself a very high bar for success.

The designed by the industry piece is easy to explain, Anixter, Assa Abloy, Avigilon, Comelit, Honeywell, Tdsi, Texeco, Tyco, Videcon, all founding partners who helped set the foundation on which the event was built. John Davies the Managing Director and owner of Tdsi summed up the founding partners thoughts when he said, “the ability to work with the show organisers to properly shape the event to what our needs and objectives are for a show like this, was extremely refreshing and has been incredibly rewarding. For once we are being listened to.”

Located back in the heart of the UK, Birmingham was the ideal location to unite and reconnect security professionals. Recognised as the central hub for security trade, it was welcomed by many as Jarod Booth, Strategic Relationship Manager, Security, Anixter comments “There is a gap in terms of opportunities to connect with integrators, end-users and installers outside of London and the South of England, and we feel that the location of The Security Event helped bridge that gap.”

Seminar Program
The educational seminars drew a lot of interest with over 50 percent of visitors registering to attend the sessions. Panel discussions and talks ranged from convergence in an increasingly cyber-enabled age, aimed at the skills installers needed, to behavioral detection and analysis which saw a queue of people waiting to talk to Andrew Palmer from Gatwick Airport and Darren Stanton, The Human Lie Detector even after their program ran 20 mins over! Tony Porter, the Surveillance Camera Commissioner outlined his latest guidance and a designing out crime panel brought the West Midlands Designing out Crime, Regional Organised Crime Unit, CSSC, together with Jaguar Landrover and Warrior Doors.

Numbers

43 educational sessions kept the 5,912 Visitors and over 100 exhibitors up to date with the latest thinking over the 3 days and it was clear that many of the visitors were on a quest to source products for large and small projects. One such global retail brand was looking to upgrade its entire security infrastructure for its tens of thousands of outlets globally and choose The Security Event as the platform to source this solution stating that the ‘Quality of exhibiting and content’ drove the decision. The numbers broke all expectations and there have been more bookings for next year’s event than there were exhibitors at this year, the success rippled across the industry.

Business and Network
The Security Event was not just focused on the here and now. Looking after the next generation is being driven by The Security Institute’s Next Generation in Security initiative and they arranged for over 50 police cadets to visit and get insights into security manufacturing, installation, designing out crime, software provision and so much more.

Networking and the ability to get together as an industry was at the heart of The Security Event and the drinks on the first and second nights from 16.00-17.30 gave the industry a chance to network and do business amongst themselves packing out the central networking bar as expected and The Bierkeller on Broad Street in Birmingham welcomed over 400 VIP’s and exhibitors for an Industry party.

Reviews
“Great to see a major security event back in the Midlands, and incredible line up of exhibitors, educational opportunities and close interaction with Police and business through the Designing Out Crime initiative,” said Barrie Millett, the Head of Operational Resilience with the Birmingham based Wesleyan Group and Chair of the West Midlands CSSC.

Peter Jones, CEO of the Nineteen Group, who own the event said, “When we first acquired The Security Event I wasn’t sure if we could deliver what the industry eagerly anticipated from a security event back at the NEC, but by sheer hard work and determination from an exceptional team of people, not only did we deliver but we exceeded what I could of hoped for.”

Tristan Norman, a founding partner and the Event Director for The Security Event said, “I was blown away by the constant number of people who kept stopping me and saying how much they were enjoying the event, what exceptional standard the visitors were, and how the exhibition perfectly aligned with their business needs. For its first edition, we have set a perfect foundation to use as a springboard moving forwards. This year is only the start of what promises to be a special journey for the event and the industry – Next year we will deliver a new larger hall, more exhibitors, more content, more features, more Industry lead initiatives, and more visitors – expect big things from TSE 2020!”

The coming year, The Security Event will be held on 28-30 April 2020.