Avant teams with ObjectVideo

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico--Avant Technologies, a designer, manufacturer and installer of networked video solutions serving private and government institutions in Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States, announced in March a collaboration with ObjectVideo to embed their OnBoard intelligent video software into Avant's Video Sentinel video management platform. Executives at both companies said the agreement will help them grow into new markets. "We have a very strong presence in Latin America," said Avant president Luis Ramirez. "We want to strengthen our position in the United States. We will position ourselves for that growth with ObjectVideo's help." As for ObjectVideo, "We have been engaged [in Latin America] through the integration community in a server-based platform product," said Brian Baker, managing director, OEM business development, at ObjectVideo. "But this is a very concerted effort that's unique. I would characterize it as an interesting first for us. I would say that there is a recognition in security products, across the board, that intelligent video is going to be very prevalent as a system out there." "There's an untapped market," Ramirez agreed, "and it will grow quickly I believe." Odalys Fajardo-Guerrero, managing director of global investigation and security consulting firm Vance's Miami office, overseeing operations in Florida, Latin America, and the Caribbean, is the vice chairman of the Latin America Regional Council, which is part of the Overseas Security Advisory Council of the U.S. Department of State. She agrees with Ramirez's assessment: "It's a ripe market, particularly Mexico." Avant Technologies has been in Puerto Rico since 1992, founded when Wang closed down its facility here and Ramirez and others bought the management assets, and started to outsource manufacturing. "Since that time," said Avant marketing manager Alberto Diaz, "we've evolved from being a manufacturer of PCs to being a designer and engineer of security systems at the enterprise level." Brian Eckert, vice president of sales and marketing at ObjectVideo, said Avant was attractive as a partner because they allowed Object Video access to their clients, and "with Avant, we have a very unique situation in that they have an incumbent client base, especially in Puerto Rico, where they are clearly the market leaders." Ramirez said Avant will look to employ the intelligent video piece in their urban surveillance projects and financial institution applications.