Secutech Vietnam reached new heights as it closed its doors last week, having seen visitor numbers increase to an estimate of over 13,800 (2017: 12,097). Positive feedback from buyers and exhibitors alike also cemented the fair’s position as the ideal shop window into the regional security industry.

The enlarged show occupied the entirety of Hall A at the Saigon Exhibition & Convention Center, and was categorised into three separate zones that accommodated buyers from different sectors. Of particular note was the new Smart Home and Smart Building zone, which was added to the show floor this year alongside the returning Security zone and the Fire & Safety zone.

The addition of the new zone contributed to an uptick in exhibitor numbers at the show, which rose 16% from last year’s total to reach 310 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions (2017: 270). The knock on effect of this increase was an 11% rise in exhibition space, which reached 10,000 sqm (2017: 9,000 sqm). 

Speaking about the driving forces behind these impressive numbers, Ms Regina Tsai, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd said: “The high number of government and commercial sector development projects in Vietnam has translated into significant demand for surveillance, access control, biometric recognition and other related security and fire safety solutions. With this in mind, I am delighted that buyers are increasingly recognising Secutech Vietnam as the place to source these products and cross paths with major international and domestic suppliers.”

A large number of suppliers were present at the Smart Home and Smart Building zone, which was a hive of activity during the fair. Astec, Dahua, Phuong Viet, Samsung, Smart Z and a blend of related companies displayed products at the zone, with solutions that stretched from home automation and controls, to intelligent building and energy saving devices. The addition of these technologies to the show floor contributed to making the 2018 edition of Secutech Vietnam the most comprehensive to date.

One notable debutant at Secutech Vietnam was hosted at the new zone in the form of the Z-Wave Pavilion. The flourishing residential property sector helped to attract system integrators, distributors and end users of home automation technologies to the pavilion, which housed smart lock manufacturers Saykey and Kaadas. Meanwhile, SMAhome also made its first appearance at Secutech Vietnam with a host of IoT enabled technologies for Smart Home.

Two other pavilions to experience high footfall during the show were the Korea Fire Institute (KFI) and UL Pavilions at the Fire & Safety zone. A host of Korean companies and associations were present at the KFI Pavilion to showcase fire extinguishers, fire alarms, fire hoses, alarm control units, fire fighting suits, escape chutes, valves, and related equipment. Meanwhile, the UL Pavilion was home to UL certified fire safety products from brands such as CSJ, HD Fire, NM Fire, Newage Fire, PCJ, UL and WEFLO.
 
Plenty of attention and positive feedback also surrounded the new Singapore Pavilion. Led by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, the pavilion featured modular control platforms, key management systems, facial recognition systems, and surveillance solutions with applications for Vietnam’s growing smart city market.

Smart Solutions Vietnam forum paints picture of future security trends in the region
To supplement the exhibition portion of Secutech Vietnam, a fringe programme of concurrent events was organised to promote information exchange. One highlight was the new Smart Solutions Vietnam Forum which allowed speakers from high profile companies Bosch, Kedacom, ICP DAS, Samsung, Seagate, and Western Digital to deliver presentations about their latest innovations as well as future industry trends. 

The well-received forum, which was followed by a business networking party, focused on new and upcoming solutions for the six vertical markets of smart transportation, smart storage, smart factory, smart building, smart enterprise, and smart city.

Meanwhile, further opportunities for learning and information exchange were on offer at the Fire & Safety Rescue Seminar which returned again this year with a host of informative presentations, such as “Fire Safety Applications for Industrial Revolution 4.0”. Among the speakers were members of the Korea Fire Institute and UL pavilions, who discussed solutions for factory, building and personal safety.

Comments from exhibitors:
“This is our first time exhibiting at Secutech Vietnam. Our company is newly formed and focuses on offering software solutions for management. The exhibition is a great platform from which to introduce our products to the market. The number of visitors we were able to meet went far beyond our expectations. The customer service was also well organised and clear, which makes setting up for the show much easier.”
Mr Chih Hao Huang, Product Director, UP Tech, Vietnam

“CP Plus has participated in both Secutech India and Thailand, but this is our first time exhibiting at Secutech Vietnam and in the country. Exhibiting here is very important for us to showcase our brand and make people aware of our company. We are satisfied with the exhibition this year because we were able to connect with customers.”
Mr Aman Arora, Vice President – Sales (Asia), CP PLUS, Singapore

“We are showcasing our smart transportation and smart building solutions which include video systems that can read license plates and cameras that can perform facial recognition. We connect our products with fire alarm systems, public address systems and access control systems. We attend Secutech Vietnam to increase our brand exposure and connect with System Integrators, end users, decision makers and technical teams. Bosch has exhibited at Secutech Vietnam several times because it is the only exhibition related to security, safety and fire safety in Vietnam.”
Ms Nguyen Thi Phuong Trang, Marketing Communications Manager, Bosch Vietnam, Vietnam

Comments from visitors:
“I am here to find new business partners, suppliers and distributors as well as to learn about smart home products such as surveillance cameras. The products displayed are diversified and of high quality. There are a lot of developments in technologies such as cameras integrated with artificial intelligence technologies. I will join the show again next year.”
Mr Phạm Ngọc Thái, Kỹ thuật Thiên Hạt Ltd, Co., Vietnam

“The scale of the fair is big this year. There are a diverse range of products and innovative technologies. I am mainly looking for information on fire alarm notifications and security camera products. I also visited this exhibition to keep updated on new products and solutions which can serve the projects that I am involved in. I will certainly join the show again next year.”
Mr Phạm Kim Kon, SSG Co., Vietnam

“I am here to look for fire safety and rescue products such as valve systems. There is a wide variety of products, and I have received consultations from exhibitors with plenty of information. The exhibition helps us a lot to look for new business partners and suppliers as well as to catch up with the industry's development. The level of technology has advanced compared to previous years, with a wide variety of models.”
Mr Vu Van Long, Director, APT Valve, Vietnam