Hurley assumes helm at Bosch

FAIRPORT, N.Y.--One of the biggest players in the North American security industry marked a milestone this month when Shamus Hurley assumed the helm at Bosch Security Systems. The move comes four years after the well-known German manufacturer first entered the North American security market with its acquisition of Detection Systems, based here, and Salinas, Calif.-based Radionics. Hurley joined the company in 2002, serving first as vice president of sales for North America, and then as vice president of the Americas region. He replaces Peter Ribinski as president. Ribinski, an executive from the German corporation, oversaw the company's entrance into the market. He has been promoted to serve on the board of Bosch's Power Tool division in Germany. Hurley worked side-by-side with Ribinski through transitions including: Bosch's acquisition of Philips CSI, a Lancaster, Pa-based camera product manufacture in 2002, an upgrade of its manufacturing facility here to administrative and executive offices, moving its customer service department here from California, and streamlining its distribution facilities from three to one in Lancaster, Pa. Hurley's been lauded for overseeing a tripling in size of the America's region during his tenure. In the future, Hurley said the company wants to expand and improve upon this accomplishment, by becoming one of the leading technology suppliers in the industry globally, with the goal of having 15 percent market share by 2010. His short-term goals include expanding the IP portfolio, especially in video- and alarm transport. He also wants to improve the company's organic growth skills. "Growth on our own is what it all comes down to," he said. For the longer term, Hurley said he wants to anticipate latent opportunities for customers. "One way to do this is through dealer advisory boards,' he said. "Another way to do this is to explore what the end user is looking for, to try and understand their experience. " Hurley anticipates demand to grow for a wider range of Bosch products. "As the big players in this industry get bigger, we want to increase Bosch's breadth of offerings, either through acquisition or internal offerings," he said. "With consolidations it's in Bosch's interest to drive brand specific products, to bring business opportunities and better products to our partners," he said. Hurley also said that where it makes sense, the company may look more toward acquiring technology rather than companies, and integrating the technology into the Bosch business.