Archive: March 2003
NBFAA seeking member data for insurance program
March 20, 2003Mike Higgins
March 20, 2003
SILVER SPRING, Md. - The National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association is making a push to collect vital data from its members for a new insurance plan.
The NBFAA is in the process of developing a risk retention group (RRG) with Marsh Advantage America.
The RRG is designed to work like an insurance company, with the ability to issue its own policies and do its own underwriting at a cost savings for members.
For the past several months, the NBFAA has been collecting loss history...
ARC moves into custom digs
March 20, 2003Andrea Gura
March 20, 2003
EUCLID, Ohio - More than a decade after the design and construction of a custom central station facility to house its operations, another central station here has moved into that facility as part of its plan for growth.
American Response Center, formed in late 2001, will move into the new building in late June or early July, according to Jim Osborne, ARC’s president. The building was built and designed in the late 1980s for Emergency Response Center, a central...
Visonic acquires Elpas
March 20, 2003SSN Staff
March 20, 2003
TEL AVIV, Israel - Wireless security and home automation product manufacturer Visonic Technologies has acquired automated asset management solutions provider Elpas in a share swap that will enable the two companies to develop a single comprehensive platform for its combined customer base.
To target both the large institution and home/small office markets, the company will combine facility protection, access control, asset management, personal security, infant abduction and mismatch...
Former Gyyr president joins March Networks
March 13, 2003SSN Staff
March 13, 2003
OTTAWA, Ontario - The former president of Gyyr has joined up with March Networks to become its senior vice president of global sales, marketing and product management.
The addition comes as March Networks continues on its path of growing in the network digital video market. The company has recently increased the number of participants in its reseller program, from 10 integrators to more than 70, and has added a new digital video recorder.
“March networks has...
Lau ends Viisage stock sale
March 13, 2003SSN Staff
March 13, 2003
LITTLETON, Mass. - A technology investment company that spun off facial recognition company Viisage Technology in 1996 has terminated its program to sell shares of common stock of Viisage through a manage sale program.
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Honeywell acquires Gamewell
March 13, 2003Chelsie Woods
March 13, 2003
ASHLAND, Mass. - Honeywell Fire Solutions Group is expanding its reach in the fire products market, recently announcing its acquisition of The Gamewell Co., a privately held manufacturer of commercial fire systems.
The purchase of the commercial products manufacturer that introduced the first wide-area network fire reporting system is expected to strengthen Honeywell’s already strong presence in the fire market. The purchase price for the 151-year-old company was...
VideoMinex to pick up automotive monitoring firm
March 13, 2003Andrea Gura
March 13, 2003
FITCHBURG, Mass. - An interactive video firm here has taken over the monitoring for 300 automotive dealers from an Atlanta-based company that it intends to buy later this month.
VideoMinex, with its headquarters here, transferred the 300 accounts to its main central station in Houston late last month and, earlier this week, informed customers of Atlanta-based Electroguard of the pending acquisition.
The purchase of Electroguard, the first in 2003 for VideoMinex, is a continuation...
Verified response unlikely to come to Delaware
March 6, 2003Mike Higgins
March 6, 2003
DOVER, Del. - Recently, the topic of verified response has been a hot one in the alarm industry, with many communities looking to follow the lead of the Los Angeles Police Commission and adopt a verified response policy for burglar alarms.
While most of those efforts had been limited to individual communities, the state of Delaware had been considering legislation that would move all police in the state to a verified response policy.
The bill, which was introduced in February...
Intelli-Check files patent infringement lawsuit
March 6, 2003SSN Staff
March 6, 2003
WOODBURY, N.Y. - Document verification company Intelli-Check has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against CardCom Technology, claiming the company infringes upon its ID-Check technology.
In its lawsuit against the Buena Park, Calif., company, Intelli-Check is seeking an unspecified amount of compensation and an injunction.
Intelli-Check claims CardCom, which manufacturers the ViAge age verification system and other products, has made, sold and marketed patented technology.
Minnesota sees an outpouring of interest in alarm licensing exam
March 6, 2003Chelsie Woods
March 6, 2003
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Although Minnesota’s Alarm & Communication Contractors License is scheduled to expire at the end of April and be replaced with a new law, its termination may be delayed because so many people are showing interest in taking the A&C exam.
According to John Schultz, executive secretary of the Minnesota Board of Electricity, the agency is receiving more than 100 applicants per day from people who want to take the A&C exam.
By taking the A&C exam...