Security Journal UK discusses IFSEC 2022 with Gerry Dunphy, Event Director, Security & Fire at Informa Markets EMEA.
For almost 50 years, IFSEC International has brought together the biggest names in global security to share knowledge and expertise at the annual exhibition. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some significant recent disruption to the show’s run and so, for the first time since 2019, IFSEC is back with an in-person event, taking place from 17-19 May at ExCeL London.
With excitement building ahead of the show, Security Journal UK caught up with Gerry Dunphy, Event Director, Security & Fire at Informa Markets EMEA to discuss the critical role that in-person events play within the security industry as well as the ways in which IFSEC 2022 will differ from previous editions of the show.
A security ecosystem
Following a COVID-enforced break of three years, excitement is once again building for an in-person edition of IFSEC. It has been an incredibly challenging period for event organisers and also for the companies that utilise these platforms to showcase their latest solutions.
Gerry Dunphy paid particular tribute to the exhibitors that have maintained their support of the show: “It has been a really long three years and as organisers, we have pretty much been on standby for the entire period. We have tried on three separate occasions to host the show and have been unable to because of the COVID restrictions that were in place at the time.
“It is now all systems go and we are incredibly excited. I want to say a massive thank you to all the exhibitors for sticking with the program. I appreciate it has been a tough time for them as well so we are truly grateful for the support we have received and we are delighted to be putting on what promises to be another fantastic edition of IFSEC.”
One thing that COVID did prove is that there really is no substitute for in-person events. Dunphy added: “IFSEC will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023 and is now very much an established fixture in the global security calendar. The industry loves being together in one place, experiencing the technology, meeting the experts and asking the searching questions which need to be asked, it is something that virtual events just can’t offer. We are providing an ecosystem that’s focused on security for three days, all in one place.”
The definitive reunion
Visitors to the show in May can expect to see a wide range of cutting-edge security solutions from many of the industry’s most well-known manufacturers. Some of the exhibitors confirmed to attend include Hikvision, Dahua, Advancis, Morse Watchmans, Paxton, Texecom plus many more.
Dunphy explained: “IFSEC 2022 is going to be the definitive reunion for the professional security sector. We have all of our partners and stakeholders in place, including the BSIA, ASIS and The Security Institute.
“The show is an amazing opportunity to reunite everybody under the same roof, with lots of social gatherings, networking sessions and learning opportunities. There will be in excess of 250 companies exhibiting their products and we are still seeing new exhibitors coming on-board now, even at this late stage. It’s a chance for everybody to properly catch up, considering they may not have seen each other since 2019.”
In addition to the exhibitors on show, IFSEC will also be offering on-site training sessions for the very first time. Installers, integrators and engineers will be able to attend focused, in-person training sessions to ensure they remain on top of the latest best practices in security and secure CPD points to keep up with the growing push for competency requirements.
The initiative will provide delegates with an unmatched opportunity to get the most out of their visit to the shows, where it will be possible to source new solutions, network with peers and suppliers and develop existing knowledge, all in one place.
Dunphy said: “Skills and competency are now at the forefront of the security and fire safety professions, so we’re delighted to be able to introduce focused and relevant training sessions into the shows. IFSEC and FIREX Training is an important addition as visiting customers can not only view and experience the latest technology and speak to vendors, they can now partake in high calibre CPD training sessions to ensure they’re keeping up with current trends, standards and innovations. It means the shows truly become fully rounded experiences for installers and engineers.”
Topics being covered include:
A small fee will be charged per session to encourage attendance, though heavily subsidised from the original costs as part of IFSEC and FIREX’s ongoing support in helping to address the skills gap. Each course will start in the morning or around midday and last anywhere between four to six hours, to ensure delegates receive an appropriate level of training, while also allowing for plenty of time to speak to suppliers and catch up with like-minded professionals on the show floor.
Putting products to the test
Alongside the new IFSEC Training feature, traditional favourites such as the Converged Security Centre and the LPCB Attack Testing Zone will once again be present. The Converged Security Centre is being hosted in partnership with Advancis and will provide a range of real-life examples for end users to see how managed security solutions can help them to enhance their security.
The LPCB Attack Testing Zone at IFSEC attracts thousands of visitors and 2022 is set to be no different. Throughout the course of the event, attendees can observe live test sessions, carried out by professionals from the LPCB team to demonstrate the effectiveness of some of the most robust physical security equipment in the industry.
The Attack Testing Zone will showcase a wide range of products used to protect high security facilities and sites such as critical infrastructure and mitigate against the potential risks of terror incidents, including:
The area is hosted by BRE, whose LPCB certification mark for fire and security products and services is highly respected around the globe. LPCB has been working with the industry, specifiers and government under various guises, including the Fire Offices’ Committee and Loss Prevention Certification Board, since 1868.
Over the course of the show, BRE’s expert team of security test engineers will carry out a series of live forced entry tests on a variety of security products, demonstrating the rigorous approach taken when evaluating products’ resistance to forced entry, the capabilities of products certified to LPS1175 and the dangers of selecting uncertified products.
Dunphy is looking forward to seeing what the team has in store: “We invented the idea of the Attack Testing Zone and we are immensely proud of the huge attraction it has become. This year, there will be demonstrations of products from ASSA ABLOY, CLD Fencing, Frontier Pitts and Barkers Fencing, to name just a few. The whole zone has become a real showstopper.”
He concluded: “Anybody working in the professional security sector should not miss this reunion opportunity, I can’t wait to see everybody there.”
For more information about IFSEC 2022 or to register to attend, please visit: www.ifsecglobal.com/ifsec-international-security-event/
This article was originally published in the April edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.