Harper Chalice and Sorhea Click from Day One
Leading European electronic security group Vitaprotech has been highly acquisitive since securing the investment and support of Seven2 and BPIfrance. In May 2023, it brought British PID manufacturer Harper Chalice into its Sorhea division. GIT SECURITY caught up with Sorhea Head of International Sales Benjamin Tate to find out how it’s going as the company prepares to exhibit at Security Essen.
GIT SECURITY: Mr. Tate, what was it about Harper Chalice and its products that specifically appealed to Sorhea in acquiring it last May?
Benjamin Tate: As an established British manufacturer of perimeter intrusion detection systems with five NPSA certified products, Harper Chalice was an ideal match for Sorhea and the Vitaprotech Group as we look to expand into the UK security market.
Harper Chalice’s success is founded on a great team of in-house technical experts that fully master the technology, an expertise that is associated with a wealth of market knowledge and strong relationships that General Manager Adam O’Reilly and his team have built up within the UK security market for over the past 25 years.
How have the aspirations been achieved or exceeded since acquisition?
Benjamin Tate: Harper Chalice joined the Vitaprotech Group in May 2023 and the relationship clicked from Day 1! For Harper Chalice, the acquisition has served to expand their product portfolio of high-quality security solutions in the UK with the addition of Sorhea’s detectors and to expand their presence in Europe via Sorhea’s international sales team, which I head.
Harper Chalice also benefits from the support of all the services of the Vitaprotech Group, both financially and in terms of HR, IT, sales and marketing, and thus helping to strengthen and expand their activities in the UK and globally. One example of this would be Harper Chalice’s brand-new Integrated Security Hub, complete with fully functioning products from Sorhea, TDSi and Harper Chalice.
For Sorhea, the acquisition provides a strong base on which to promote and support systems integrators in all stages of their projects to protect critical infrastructure sites throughout the UK and Ireland. Iain Campbell, Head of Sales at Harper Chalice, is actively promoting Sorhea’s Maxiris, the world’s only active infrared barrier, to provide a virtual wall of up to 18 active infrared beams, with zoning functionality and remote configuration and maintenance – a highly reliable detector that end users throughout the world put their trust in.
For both companies, innovation is a key factor of current and future success. Our R&D roadmaps also benefit from the acquisition as the engineers of both companies are now working in close collaboration to share and benefit from each others’ expertise in integrating existing technology into each others’ systems as well as designing new functionality and products for the future.
How does the purchase of Harper Chalice fit into the broader Vitaprotech acquisition strategy?
Benjamin Tate: Supported by Seven2 and BPI, Vitaprotech is an international group of leading companies specialized in the development and manufacture of solutions in the sectors of intrusion detection, access control and intelligent monitoring. For more than 10 years, the Vitaprotech group has been committed to accompanying its members and supporting them in building a safer future for all.
The group is pursuing its ambitious development strategy both in France and internationally with the aim of becoming a global reference in the field of security. The UK market is a key focus for the Vitaprotech Group as stated by our President, Eric Thord, who said: “We are very pleased to integrate Harper Chalice to consolidate our presence in the UK, one of the most important geographical areas for the development of our group.” Indeed, this expansion in the UK market began in 2019 with the acquisition of the access control company TDSi, based in Poole.
How significant are the NPSA accreditations from the UK Home Office – in both the UK and European markets?
Benjamin Tate: For the UK market it goes without saying that the NPSA accreditations are essential when it comes to critical infrastructure projects. This puts Harper Chalice in a strong position as they have five certified NPSA products, the latest one being the HatchSecure system, designed to offer protection on water hatches, data and access hatches.
The NPSA accreditations are relatively unknown in Europe, however they can reassure end users who value products that have successfully passed stringent testing. Harper Chalice are currently planning to conduct further NPSA testing on their products going forward.
In which markets do you hope to grow in the UK with the full range of Sorhea products?
Benjamin Tate: The unique features of Sorhea’s products are catching the eye of many security experts in the UK across various markets. For example, the Maxiris active infrared barrier provides a unique zoning technology that allows the user to create up to three virtual zones between the transmitter and receiver columns. This functionality optimizes the alarm verification by localizing the intrusion to a specific zone and is particularly appreciated within the defense and aeronautical sector as well as the prison and petrochemical sectors.
Sorhea’s solar-powered solutions bring added value to all sites where civil works can be an expensive challenge. Taking away all the alarm and power cables makes life much easier in terms of installation and, most importantly in this challenging economic time, helps to lower installation costs.
The Solaris is the world’s only long-range, fully autonomous active infrared barrier. Powered via an integrated solar panel and battery, the Solaris can function in low-light environments 365 days a year. Indeed, the product has an autonomy of six weeks in total darkness! All alarms are communicated via a secure radio mesh network. The Solaris is ideal for existing industrial sites where civil works can be expensive as well as for utility sites where certain environmental restrictions make it more complicated to install cables in the ground.
And likewise, where do you hope to expand in Europe with Harper Chalice products?
Benjamin Tate: The HatchSecure is a fantastic product for the European market and Sorhea will be promoting it as a multi-purpose solution across Europe to protect hatches in water treatment plants, airports, datacenters as well as kiosks and skylights for an effective roof-top detection. Integration with Sorhea’s Maxibus-Neo makes it possible to connect up to 64 HatchSecure detectors per system.
Tell us more about the HatchSecure product.
Benjamin Tate: The HatchSecure is the latest product from Harper Chalice to be NPSA certified. Equipped with a range of built-in sensors, HatchSecure offers comprehensive hatch monitoring capabilities, from detecting tilts, vibrations and impacts to identifying sustained attacks or cutting torches. The system provides real-time alerts and notifications to security personnel.
Furthermore, all sensors are programmable and can be fine-tuned to meet specific user requirements, ensuring precise and reliable detection tailored to each application. Thanks to its modular design, the HatchSecure can be used to protect various applications including skylights, kiosks or access points to cable runways inside a building.
And what is your focus and product offering at Security Essen?
Benjamin Tate: At Security Essen, Sorhea will be sharing a stand with another member of the Vitaprotech Group, Til Technologies. Til Technologies is a leading manufacturer of access control and building management systems, with its HQ in Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. Both Sorhea and Til Technologies have opened a shared branch office in Rüsselsheim, 15 minutes from Frankfurt airport. Like the UK, Germany is a key focus for the Vitaprotech Group.
At Security Essen, Sorhea will be demonstrating its active infrared barriers, Maxiris and Solaris, as well as its detection cables; G-Fence 3000 and G-Fence 2400. Harper Chalice’s HatchSecure will also be on display. We will also be launching two new products; Maxibus-Neo and the Spectra.
The Maxibus-Neo is our latest hub that collects all the alarms of a site installation to one point and securely communicates them on to the VMS or PSIM software. The Maxibus-Neo integrates cybersecurity functionality that fully conforms with the NIS2 directive that will come into force in October 2024. The Maxibus-Neo also provides embedded video analytics licenses that can be used either as a mono-techology solution for specific zones around a perimeter (gates, entry points, car parks, etc.) or associated with our other technologies to create different detection scenarios.
Finally, the Spectra is our new PSIM software. For a live demo, come and visit our booth – Hall 6, Stand 6E27
