Captains of industry. Paul Hucker. January 2015.
Paul Hucker, MD of Redvision CCTV Ltd.|Redvision was established in 2008 as a specialist, CCTV rugged PTZ and dome camera manufacturer. The company launched its highly successful X-SERIES™ range in May 2011.|Paul Hucker, Redvision’s founder and MD, explains more about the company, why its products are proving to be so popular and offers his vision of the future for the CCTV industry.
Redvision’s team.
The team at Redvision is a key element in the company’s success. It has unprecedented security industry knowledge and experience. I was a former owner and director of Dennard and most of us have worked in the CCTV industry for many years. We are UK-based; we understand CCTV products and we know where and how they are used. We also keep abreast of technological developments, which allow us to maximise product performance and ensure seamless integration with wider security and building management systems. Our in-house knowledge informs our new product development to keep us at the forefront of the market and is a resource our integrator customers are able to draw on.
X-SERIES™, the secret of Redvision’s success.
The X-SERIES™ has been an extremely successful product range for Redvision. It looks fit for purpose; both rugged and tough and meets most application specifications. It has become the preferred choice of architects and specifiers and is used extensively, but not exclusively, in public space, town centre and local authority applications.
The X-SERIES™ is based on a modular design. It is supplied ready to install as a dome, but easily converts into a rugged ball PTZ camera by removing its dome canopy. Its flat glass window allows a wiper to be added, which is an essential feature for outdoors in the UK. IR and white light modules can be fitted to the camera sides, for night-time operation. They use super-efficient, low power, LED illumination technology, in IR and Dual Light options.
We have developed a flexible painting process to suit architectural and environmental requirements. The X-SERIES™ is available in light grey or black powder-coat paint as standard and in any RAL colour. We have a marine-rated finish, originally developed for oil rig applications, which is environmentally tough and suitable for a diverse range of challenging locations, from coastal sites to chemical plants. We have an extensive range of brackets, mounts and accessories in the same finishes.
The new IP range.
We recently expanded into the IP market with the RVX-IP30™. The IP camera is based on the same physical design as the analogue X-SERIES™ and produces three simultaneous, real-time video streams. Its primary 1080p stream is for recording, with 720p, D1, VGA and QVGA stream options for lower band width recording, display and transmission. We are currently integrating with leading NVR and Video Management Software (VMS) solutions and expect huge growth in this market in 2015.
Total cost of ownership.
Many local authority and public space markets consider total cost of ownership (TCO) in their purchasing decisions, where both capital and operational costs are considered. The X-SERIES™ camera draws just 48W, similar to that of a small light bulb. Lambeth Council factored in Mean Time Before Failure (MTBF); ease of installation, upgrades, replacement, repair and servicing; the frequency and duration of down-time during routine and reactive maintenance work; and ease of use in their TCO calculations before selecting the X-SERIES™ cameras over eight other manufacturers’ products.
RedCop™ rapid deployment tower.
We introduced the RedCop™ trailer-mounted, rapid deployment, CCTV tower in 2014 for temporary or semi-permanent CCTV applications. RedCop™ comprises a Dual-Light X-SERIES™ on a 6m telescopic tower with four static, 2MP IP cameras, for continuous site coverage. PIRs detect site movement and audio functionality allows operators to communicate with visitors or warn off intruders. Although mains powered, RedCop™ will run for 72 hours without external power. The temporary CCTV market is huge and a growth opportunity for Redvision. We are already very successful in the construction market with RedCop™.
Our distribution network.
We supply specialist security distributors in the UK. In Europe and the Middle East we sell through a network of channel partners. Despite selling through distribution, we still support our products directly. This builds distributor and installer confidence. We get involved in specifying systems using the X-SERIES™ and provide advice on set up, operation and commissioning. Installers benefit because they are assured of an operational CCTV system at all times and distributors benefit from our manufacturer-level technical support. We have also set our distribution up in this way to safe-guard our high-quality reputation and to ensure we have an effective, direct feedback loop from our customers to our new product development team.
Redvision in 2015.
We have out-grown our existing building and are in the process of moving into a new factory nearby. This allows us to grow the production of our IP range, support and stock Redcop™ and house our expanding operations and sales team. With our new general manager, Mark Ryder, in post, I am now able to put my energy into new product development, as I am now less distracted by day to day operations. Our sales team is growing with Glenn Waterfall and Andy Alexander and I believe we are very well set up for continued success in 2015.