Access Control: The Success of Instinctive Identification

STid has been leading the field in the design of contactless instinctive identification solutions for more than 20 years. With revenues of €13 million in 2019, the group’s strong growth is fuelled by supplying solutions to protect people, data and property for enterprises, ­governments and the most demanding industries. We take a closer look at the latest news from STid and the major trends in security with STid’s CEO, Vincent Dupart.

GIT SECURITY: Tell us about the skills behind STid’s success.
Vincent Dupart: STid is a pioneer in the command of contactless identification technologies and the IoT. The Group deploys this know-how in two strategically important fields of activity: security, with access control for people and vehicles, and traceability in industries like aerospace, energy or defence. Our strength lies in our capacity to merge enterprise security policies with ease of use. These conflicting expectations can both be met thanks to two key factors: innovation for greater ease of use and uncompromising levels of security.

What are the major trends for STid in 2019–2020?
Vincent Dupart: 2019 is the first year of our five-year growth plan. STid now posts revenues of €13 million, employs 70 people and operates on a global scale. We are progressing well, with a growth rate of 39%. This has been achieved thanks to our development in the United Kingdom, the United States and the Middle East, and to our investments in industrial traceability.
A dynamic that is reflected by recent events in the Group. The Strategic Committee for Security Industries also recently awarded us its “Major Events” label, in readiness for the preparations of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games in France. We ­recently won the 2019 Golden Trophy at the APS exhibition in France, and we have also been nominated for the 2019 Detektor International Award for Spectre, our simultaneous and automatic vehicle and driver identification solution. A great reward for our team!

How is Spectre an innovative solution?
Vincent Dupart: The new Spectre range of readers combines passive UHF technologies and Bluetooth. What are its main benefits? The automatic and remote identification of vehicles, with simultaneous access control of up to four lanes. Spectre can also withstand impacts and acts of vandalism and has received an IK10 certification. This new range is designed to optimise access to parking lots and the management of vehicle fleets for businesses, industry and State organisations. The Spectre reader has revolutionised the codes of vehicle access control.

What are the next steps?
Vincent Dupart: We are continuing to invest in the technologies of the future, still on the basis of open and interoperable solutions. This is a bold stance. By working with open technologies, we run the risk of witnessing our customers turn to other solutions however our annual growth demonstrates that we have adopted the correct position. Today, a reader that is scalable over time, working on open technologies or offering resin-free solutions, all make STid a unique player on the contactless identification market. Also, we plan to reinforce our teams. In 2019, we have made 25 new hires in order to offer the proximity and the presence that our customers’ needs demand. Growing is our priority but not at any cost. We will maintain the same level and quality of service on which STid’s reputation is built.