You, too, can 'manufacture'

WARREN, N.J.—With many “manufacturers” in the video marketplace already using contract manufacturing from Asia and elsewhere, some integrators might question why they shouldn't just “manufacture” their own equipment, and cut out the middle man. MindTree is a service-provider looking to help you do just that.

In May, the company unveiled a suite of IP video surveillance solutions that is “ready-to-brand,” meaning integrators can sell video management software, video analytics, encoders, decoders, and DVRs all with their own brand right on the box. The products are event ONVIF compliant, so could theoretically come out of the box interoperable with a host of other products, depending on the progress made by manufacturers in implementing ONVIF specifications. MindTree provides the product reference designs, and hooks the integrator (or distributor) up with the appropriate manufacturing partner, facilitating the process.

MindTree, with headquarters here and in Bangalore, India, was formed in an attempt to blend the business understanding of IT firms in the West with the cost-effectiveness of IT firms in the East, and has operated an R&D services business for nearly a decade, said Puneet Jetli, senior VP and head of MindTree's Video Surveillance Group. After spending years creating products-on-demand for other companies, MindTree decided to develop its own intellectual property and license that to other firms on an OEM basis, getting started in Blue Tooth technology, and now moving into IP surveillance.

“This market hasn't seen a ready-to-brand proposition,” Jetli said. “People are OEMing, but in a small way, and we feel there's an opportunity to create a solution that's scalable, completely IT-based, standards-based, and intelligent. That's something we've worked on for the last two years, and we've come up with a portfolio of solutions that we're ready to take to market.”

Of course, integrators would have to handle the support calls, warranty, and all the other headaches that manufacturers deal with in serving their customers, but MindTree would handle product upgrades and the creation features that might be requested by customers.

“We're looking for people who have the competence and are focused in this space,” Jetli said. “Even if you're a three-to-five million-dollar systems integrator, if you're looking to transition your customers to the IP world, MindTree can still be a good partner for you. We're not looking for partners just based on volume.”