BOTTROP, Germany--In line with its plans to push further into the European market, the Canada-based Genetec, a specialist in open-platform, IP-based video surveillance, access control and license plate recognition solutions, announced in May that it has established an office here from which it will target the German, Austrian and Swiss markets.

The new presence in the DACH region marks Genetec's latest expansion into Europe. The company already has its EMEA headquarters in Paris, along with offices dedicated to the Benelux, UK/Ireland, Iberia, Italy and Turkey.

The company has been carefully laying the groundwork for doing business in the German-speaking region for some time, taking part, for example, in trade shows in the region and establishing local partnerships, explained Waldemar Gollan, Genetec's new sale manager for DACH. With business in the region growing, however, the company decided it was time to establish an official presence. In addition to Gollan, Genetec is in the process of hiring sales engineer for region as well.

With a German-speaking team in place, one of the first key tasks will be to address system integrators and their needs, according to Gollan. "As they're our way to the market, there will definitely be a focus on getting a good mixture of system integrators on board and trained," he said. "We'll make sure our partners get the right background and support from our side to position the products and grow, ensuring success for both of us."

When it comes to building partner relationships with integrators, Genetec is looking on both sides of the divide, according to Gollan--those coming from a traditional CCTV background but who are now looking towards the IP market, as well as IT integrators who "need a little help and support" in terms of understanding the security mindset, Gollan explained. "We want to show them that CCTV or access control is nothing mystical, nothing that can't be learned."

In addition to supporting integration partners, Genetec will use its new base to help proselytize for IP technology in the security realm on the end-user side. "The capabilities of IP technology are still a little unknown here," said Gollan. There's some education to be done in terms of explaining the possibilities of a common, integrated solution with things like access control and license plate recognition. "All these features bring real benefits to end users, but it takes time to create the right mindset, to break down walls that come with the traditional way of doing CCTV."