Intersec, the world’s largest trade and networking event for security, safety and fire protection, is set to celebrate two decades of remarkable success when it opens its doors in January 2018 in Dubai, UAE.

The 20th anniversary edition will feature more than 1,300 exhibitors from 58 countries, while over 31,000 visitors from 128 countries are expected to attend as they seek the latest solutions across seven show sections of Commercial Security, Fire & Rescue, Safety & Health, Homeland Security & Policing, Perimeter & Physical Security, Cyber Security, and Smart Home & Building Automation.

Occupying 60,000 sq m across 13 halls and 10 per cent extra space at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Intersec 2018 has added a new Drones Pavilion and an indoor Drone Zone, while a Wearable Security Pavilion will put the spotlight on advanced textiles including head-up displays, body cameras, embedded sensors, exo-skeleton communications and more.

From humble beginnings in 1999 when it featured 61 exhibitors from 13 countries, Intersec has developed into a global powerhouse, with 19 of the world’s top 20 security solutions providers among the 1,300-plus exhibitors on board in 2018, said the organiser. The three-day event, which takes place from January 21 to 23, has grown in line with many of the exhibitors that have been with the show from the beginning. 

Naffco is one of 12 exhibitors at Intersec 2018 that participated in the inaugural edition in 1999.  Since then, the UAE-based company has established itself as one of the world’s leading suppliers of life and fire safety solutions, with a global network spanning more than 100 countries.

Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the organiser of Intersec, said: “Intersec continues to scale new heights as the world’s premier showcase of the latest security, fire, and life safety solutions.

“Societies, governments and corporates are increasingly pulling out the stops to combat various threats and ensure the security of people, infrastructure, property and information. This has led to a resultant surge in demand for the latest safety and security products and solutions.

Intersec’s impressive global presence over the last 20 years coincides with the Middle East region’s own rapid rise as a significant growth market for homeland and commercial security and fire protection, it said.

According to analysts Frost & Sullivan (F&S), the Middle East homeland security market, comprising monitoring and surveillance systems, restricted entry systems and perimeter security solutions, is estimated to reach $17.05 billion by 2021, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6 per cent between 2015 and 2021.

The commercial security market too has witnessed an upswing throughout the region, creating opportunities for suppliers of video surveillance, access control and intrusion detection. Valued at $1.93 billion in 2015, the market is expected to grow at a CAGR (2016-2021) of 17 per cent, reaching $4.82 billion by 2021, says F&S.