Ioimage hits American distribution channel

DENTON, Texas--Ioimage, a video-analytic appliances manufacturer with North American offices here, struck a deal in September with two security distributors, Northern Video Systems and Supercircuits, in an effort to make their products more accessible to a broader customer base throughout North America and bring video analytics to the mass marketplace. Supercircuits, based in Austin, Texas, brings more than 100,000 clients to the deal. Northern Video Systems is based in California and boasts the "ability to deliver the industry's most innovative products, at the most affordable prices." Ioimage's video appliances product line, which includes video encoders and IP cameras, were initially designed for high-risk security sites such as nuclear power facilities and Israel's military. However, the company now provides an off-the-shelf, plug-and-play encoder or camera, which includes built-in video analytics. Dvir Doron, vice president of marketing at ioimage, said his company is seeing car dealerships, schools, and warehouses purchase their products, bringing a broader commercial market into play. "Northern Video and Supercircuits enables us to enhance our reach," he said. "It's easier for a dealer and an installer to get a hold of an ioimage product now." "About 95 percent of our installations require a five-minute installation, and that provides a good solution. Another five percent takes a little bit more, about 20 minutes to install. That's the way the product is built," said Doron. "I think the barrier to entry is the simplicity and the ability to provide a box, which is not a simple problem to solve." Ioimage now hopes to penetrate the market with their installer- and user-friendly products, which will now be even easier to buy. Mark Dell Thompson, chief executive officer of Supercircuits, is pleased with the product his company is buying into. "You don't have to go high-tech the whole way," said Thompson. "If you take the average dealer, they aren't doing the types of things that nuclear power plants are. You put this simple camera in and run analytics. It's so plug-and-play, and with an earlier generation of infrastructure, that's just magic." Thompson is confident customers will be receptive to the newly available product line, both because of its simplicity and affordability, and also because of its accuracy in detecting false alarms. He said that he brought the new line to ASIS and was happy with the positive reactions: "Almost every one of our large accounts we've spoken to have said, 'I have needs for that today.'"