A Welcome Return to Intersec Dubai 2022

One of the standout events in the security calendar each year is Intersec in Dubai. It is a welcome opportunity to enjoy a security exhibition and some winter sunshine in this unique location. Having recently returned, I am pleased to report that 2022 didn’t disappoint for TDSi again this year!

We were fortunate to share our stand with our fellow Vitaprotech Group sister company SORHEA, which was showcasing its market-leading perimeter intrusion detection systems – the perfect complement to our own integrated secure access control offering.

Travellers From Near and Far

Naturally the effects of the global pandemic were still evident in the attendee demographic at Intersec 2022, with noticeably fewer attendees from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the Middle East as a whole, due to travel concerns.

The mask wearing regime within Dubai and the wider UAE is stricter than it is in the UK, showing just how prudent people are and how seriously they take the ongoing risk of infection. However, everyone at the event felt very safe and secure and from a personal point of view I felt that was very positive indeed.

There was also a noticeable lack of Chinese exhibitors this year, and the absence of the usually large Chinese pavilion, which has dominated the event some previous years. Whilst there are few restrictions on Chinese delegates travelling, I gather the quarantine regime upon return is very stringent and probably discouraged many from attending Intersec this year.

Despite the obvious reservations of some potential visitors, we were delighted to welcome a myriad of people to our stand including some new potential partners from India, and a number of very interesting leads from Southeast Asia.

New Opportunities in India and the Middle East

Intersec is always a great barometer of the security market, not only in the Middle East region but also further afield. It was great to meet with visitors from India as this is a market we are keen to explore further. With the UK Government looking to broker closer trade agreements with India, it’s a great time to be building these connections.
One of the big issues we’ve always had with the Indian market is import tax, but we are hoping that as a result of high-level trade negotiations this will become less onerous, enabling UK manufacturers to be more competitive. It is still early days, but we are looking to improve our channel connections in India in anticipation of the huge potential opportunities there.

There were also very positive signs from our regional partners and customers from the Middle East that the market is expanding again, despite the travel fears of some potential event visitors. In many cases we are finding interest from projects in sectors we haven’t been very active in before in the region, such as healthcare for example.
Having been involved in a couple of large healthcare projects in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, we have seen a big increase in regional interest from security integrators in UAE for example. TDSi’s systems have been used in a lot of healthcare facilities in the UK and across Europe, so we are excited to be extending this to the Middle East as well.

The Way Forward

Whilst TDSi proudly exhibited at (the postponed) The Security Event 2021 in Birmingham back in September, Intersec 2022 was a big milestone for us in travelling outside of Europe again to exhibit on our own stand at a major trade event post COVID. Certainly, the world is not back to what we previously considered ‘normal’, but the interest is there from customers and partners around the world who are wanting to plan for the future.

As well as exhibiting at the show, we also scheduled some installer training in the region at the same time to show our ongoing commitment to supporting our customers, partners, and friends in the Middle East (and indeed wherever they need our assistance). Certainly, Intersec was a highly positive experience which has further inspired us all at the beginning of 2022.