Asian access control market set for boom

The use of access control equipment in Asia is much less widespread than in other parts of the world, the report says.

"However, awareness and acceptance of the technology are both rapidly increasing, driven by the omnipresent terrorist threat and influx of Western access control companies attracted by the high growth potential the Asian market offers.

"IMS Research predicts the Asian market for electronic physical access control equipment will reach US$460.2m (£260m) in 2009, with a forecast compound annual growth rate of 16.3 per cent."

The report explains that while the Chinese government reduced its spending on infrastructure in 2005, the construction industry is still booming, with apartment blocks shooting up across China's big cities. In addition, there are several major building projects in the pipeline, such as the Olympics in Beijing and the World Expo in Shanghai, that will drive growth for security equipment, such as access controls.

Paul Everett, the report author at IMS, said: "Despite technology being so advanced in Asia, there are still a large number of buildings that are yet to install access control equipment. In Japan, for example, there are very few access control manufacturers and hence very little access control equipment is used.

"As a result there is huge potential for companies to move in and take advantage of this untapped market.

"China is undeniably the market with the greatest potential in the 21st century for suppliers of access controls and international companies are fighting for position. Consequently, China has become a fierce battlefield, with a large number of domestic and foreign security manufacturers competing for business."

IMS forecasts that by 2009, China will emerge as the largest market in Asia for access control equipment, with 31.5 per cent of the market.