Securex South Africa reinforced its reputation as Africa’s leading security and fire trade exhibition this year, with its 25th anniversary show delighting visitors and exhibitors alike.

The expo, which took place recently at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, was once again co-located with A-OSH EXPO, Africa’s leading occupational health and safety (OHS) trade show, drawing in 10,482 visitors across the two shows over three days.

Securex 2018 numbers at-a-glance

Securex alone attracted 7,129 attendees from 46 different countries, including 20 countries just within the African region. The best-represented African countries included Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, and Ghana. These countries contributed 58,8 percent of the show’s international visitors.

“We are pleased to announce that visitor numbers increased by more than 40 percent year-on-year for Securex against 2017, with 1,416 new visitors for 2018,” says Sven Smit, Portfolio Director at Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery. “We also saw international visitor numbers increase by a massive 80 percent.”

Securex visitors this year ranged between 18 and over 51 in age, with 51,5 percent falling within the 35 to 50 age group, and 24,8 percent under the age of 35.

“The calibre of Securex visitors cannot be disputed,” Smit continues. “A whopping 84,3 percent either make or influence purchasing decisions. Job functions included MD/ CEO, systems integrators, installers, engineers and technicians, as well as security managers, amongst others.”

Reflective of the security industry at large

“The fantastic response to the 2018 expo brings attention to the fact that security – at a commercial, physical and cyber level - is a critical discussion topic for the continent at large,” he clarifies. “It also emphasises the fact that Securex has become the go-to place for security professionals to gain exposure to new trends within the sector, keep up-to-date with the latest technologies and services, and network with the industry’s experts. Market trends and developments under discussion at Securex this year included Artificial Intelligence (AI), algorithms and analytics, cybersecurity advancements, biometrics trends, and more.”

Visitors to the show this year echo this sentiment. “I’ve been attending Securex every year for the past 10 years, and make a point of travelling to South Africa from Malawi every year for the show. It’s important for us to come and see new technologies, find out what’s happening within the market, and meet suppliers, all in one place,” stated Hetherwick Kamwiyo of Heag Integrated Systems.

“Securex 2018 has blown me away,” added Sizwe Dhlamini from Control Group. “I’ve learnt such a lot today, there’s just so much information available and I was able to directly ask the questions I needed to.”

New year, new features

“Securex 2018 was also our biggest show in history, supported by almost 200 exhibiting companies, of which close to 50 were new on the show,” adds Smit.

Aside from the show’s popular free-to-attend seminar theatre, which featured more than 20 new topical sessions, Securex 2018 saw the launch of its inaugural Cyber Lab, powered by XGRC Software, in a nod to industry development. The Cyber Lab covered additional focused content on topics such as social engineering, the legal implications of information security, and encrypted communication, while giving real-time demonstrations on hacking.

Visitors were also able to witness canine handling demos first-hand by Pseudo Scent and Dogs SA as well as the South African Intruder Detection Services Association (SAIDSA) Tech-man competition, and see the New Product Display showcasing the latest in security products.

Securex 2019 will take place from 14 to 16 May next year at Gallagher Convention Centre. For more information, please visit www.securex.co.za, or contact Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery on +27 11 835-1565.