• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• The Hindu ePaper
• Business Line
• Business Line ePaper
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Archana Venkat

Chennai May 27 The real estate boom seems to have triggered an unusually high degree of interest in home security systems, if one goes by the business that Zicom Electronic Security Systems has been securing of late.

The company recently entered the home security market and has already bagged "lots of contracts," each between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 70 lakh, from builders of apartment complexes and villas in Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and New Delhi, according to Mr Santanu Choudhry, CEO (Consumer Services Group), Zicom.

Integrated security systems seem to be preferred by builders.

These comprise a central camera at the entrance of the building and video monitors installed inside all the homes.

Some builders are also installing CCTV surveillance systems for open spaces like parking lots and swimming pool areas, Mr Choudhry told Business Line.

Though real estate growth offers ample potential for Zicom to grow and market its products, the real money-spinner is likely to be another category - existing house owners.

"We are seeing demand from individuals and housing societies for our standalone products like burglar alarms and video door phones," said Mr Choudhry.

These products are priced upwards of Rs 6,250 (burglar alarms) and Rs 7,990 (black and white video door phones).

Colour video door phones are priced Rs 17,495 onwards.

"We are installing 120-130 systems (including standalone security systems) a day pan-India," he added.

The company is confident of gaining 30 per cent market share of the Rs 300-400 crore home security market this year.

The market is growing at over 40 per cent a year and would touch Rs 1,500- 2,000 crore in five years, he said.

However, Zicom is not placing its bets on India alone.

The company recently set up a manufacturing unit in Hong Kong and plans to enter the South-East Asian markets soon.

Earlier this month, it bought 49 per cent stake in Dubai- based UNISAFE Fire Protection Specialists to market its home and retail security systems in the Gulf and West Asian regions.

"We also plan to enter Sri Lanka and Bangladesh later."

The company has been receiving enquiries from African and East European countries too, he added.

More Stories on : New Business | Security | Interiors & Homes

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Zicom rides demand for home security systems

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line