Arecont Vision Visit Shows How Surveillance Specialist Spreads Its Pixel Dust (Security Sales & Integration)

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GLENDALE, Calif. — Having long-discussed visiting Arecont Vision’s headquarters here with industry friends Executive Vice President Scott Schafer and Vice President, North American Sales Carole Dougan, I finally did so, taking advantage of a West Coast trip for the ASIS Seminar and Exhibits in nearby Anaheim. As luck would have it, neither of them could be there for my preshow tour of the megapixel (MP) camera manufacturer’s primary base of operations but two other colleagues, Vice President of Marketing Jeff Whitney and Director of Sales Operations & Partner Relations Jason Schimpf, were exceedingly cordial and informative hosts.

Inconspicuously nestled along a boulevard dotted with mostly single- and two-story independent and chain businesses, Arecont occupies parts of most floors within an unremarkable office building (apart from some company signage) of approximately six stories. Within those confines, the video surveillance leader conducts the vast majority of all its operations, from executive suites to product design and testing to assembly to tech support and service.

It’s really quite novel and amazing to see such a comprehensive security manufacturing business conducted in such an environment. But the MP imaging innovator certainly makes it work to its advantage.

Whitney took me through Arecont’s 12-year history and several of the milestones it has also recently been highlighting in its exhibit booth. They include: 2-MP H.264 network camera (2004); 3-MP H.264 dual-sensor day/night camera (2005); 5-MP H.264 network camera (2006); 180˚ and 360° 8-MP panoramic cameras (2006); complete product line of H.264 MP cameras (2008); 10-MP H.264 network camera (2009); 20-MP 180˚ and 360° panoramic cameras (2011); 12-MP 180˚ panoramic camera with WDR (2012); smallest multi-megapixel all-in-one MicroDome, 1-5MP (2013); 40-MP 180˚ and 360° panoramic cameras (2013); SurroundVideo Omni multi-directional camera (2014); and this year the MicroDome G2 remote focus and SurroundVideo G5 remote focus/remote zoom cameras.

According to Whitney, Arecont will have released 14 new products in 2015. He told me the company has shipped 3.5 trillion pixels since its founding. He also explained that although Arecont is widely known for its multi-imagers, the business is more diversified than you might think, with 50% of revenues coming from other types of products.

Whitney was especially proud of the company’s upward trajectory the past few years in customer satisfaction. He acknowledged there had been some quality control challenges in the past but that they have been completely ironed out as Arecont continues to push toward Schafer’s stated goal of a zero failure rate.