Target Markets
Magal Security Systems dominates the defense and security markets for perimeter solutions in Israel. This includes installations on all borders representing a total installed base of more than 600km.
Beyond borders, its systems are installed in military facilities including army, air force and navy bases. In Israel, they also connect civil townships in areas of higher threat of terrorism to army headquarters
Correctional facilities including prisons have always been a major application where the Magal Group is considered to be a strong player. Hundreds of prisons worldwide in countries such as the U.S.A., Canada, Mexico, Australia and many more use security systems from the Magal Group.
Magal Group security systems are installed along the perimeters of dozens of airports worldwide acting as the primary tier of security deterring, delaying and detecting the entrance of intruders.
Magals DTR 2000 Taut Wire fence (Photo by the Magal Group)
Such heightened security is increasing worldwide due to the continuing threat on airport safety and security since the tragedy of 9/11. Along with this outstanding defense and security record, Magal has utilized its broad experience to offer the urban security market a modern concept of city surveillance combining enhanced command and control capability into the overall solution.
The Customers
The Magal Group offers unique know-how and experience in offering its customers a complete security solution. This can include threat analysis, selection of physical and electronic security hardware and software, installation and integration services, and training and maintenance. This experience and capability allows the company to offer full turn-key solutions to complex security problems.
Being a manufacturer of a very wide range of outdoor perimeter security products enables the Magal Group to offer the distinct advantage of providing solutions tailored to the specific security environmental any given site. Well designed outdoor security systems often require a combination of several technologies into a single fully integrated solution.
The Magal Group makes a significant investment into research and development on an ongoing basis. It is this commitment that has resulted in the wide array of leading edge products that the Magal offers today. In the Magal Group R&D and manufacturing are divided among three facilities in Israel, Canada and the U.S.A. Together with sales in these locations as well as from local sales and support offices in Mexico, U.K., Germany and China, the Magal Group is well positioned for international reach around the globe.
Cutting-edge Technology
The niche market of Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems (PIDS) demands high technology solutions for this first layer of defense at any facility. The need for this type of security equipment can be driven by a regulating body or more simply by corporate or personal concern over asset or life protection. As a result, deterrence, delay and early detection factors are now emphasized increasingly in the demands of end users and through the market via consultants, architects and engineers.
The early years of modern security systems witnessed revolution in sensors when simpler devices gave way to those incorporating integrated microelectronic technology. That injection of technology allowed development of products that could begin meeting real world performance needs for probability of detection, vulnerability to defeat and false/ nuisance alarm rates, the three defining measures of security sensors. Unfortunately as nature would have it, no single sensor technology solution offers a panacea to all needs. This is the reason why the Magal Group is equipped today to provide a wide array of state-of-the-art technologies with rooting in diverse realms of basic physical phenomena.
Magals decorative innocent looking fence, Innofence (Photo by the Magal Group)
The core challenge that technology faces in perimeter security sensing is best described as dealing with the wide range of environmental conditions that can be found around the globe, while detecting stealthy human motion and ignoring other nuisance events. To visualize the challenge one has only to imagine the task of detecting a person moving in a stealthy fashion, perhaps crawling, through an open perimeter in the midst of a heavy rain with poor visibility over uneven terrain, and this while of course not alarming due to the rainfall or wind. Yet in today’s world there are good sensors that can perform these tasks quite well. Even better is that they are improving and becoming more affordable.
4 Categories of PIDS
Perimeter intrusion detection sensors including the Magal Group’s portfolio of products can be divided into four classes. The first category is defined as physical barriers, where physical contact in some way with the sensor is required to set off an alarm. The barriers in this case are usually erected without having any associated structure in place in advance. These combined physical structure and sensor systems can have virtually no environmental limitations and are able to provide reliable leading edge performance for many years.
The second category is barrier mounted sensors having an associated structure on which to install the sensor. Contact with the structure itself (wall or fence) in a certain manner will activate the system. The third class is volumetric sensors. They are sometimes realized as “beam break” sensors where detection is closely defined by occluding a point to point narrow beam in a plane of detection. These sensors typically secure a defined volume or area in which a target’s motion, presence or absence may be detected. The last type is the virtual sensor, based on software relying on capabilities of video analysis.
There have been dramatic improvements in this cutting-edge high technology class of sensor in recent years as processing power and detection algorithms have improved.
Major Sensor Technologies
Physical Barriers
Taut Wire -- Taut wire sensors are based on a mechanical principle of deflecting one or more wires in an array of horizontal wires. The deflected wire either pulls a specially balanced mechanical, piezo electric switch, or solid state strain gauge into an alarm state. Taut wire fences offer a physical barrier that is a reliable all weather sensor with a very low false/ nuisance alarm rate and an extremely high probability of detection. Accordingly this type of sensor is often considered the primary sensor for mission critical applications. Magal offers all three type of sensors, DTR 2000 based on mechanical switches, Yael based on piezo electric sensors and DTR 5000 operating with strain-gauge sensors.
There are complementary products such as the Magal Inno Fence, a decorative innocent looking sensor/ fence combination found in VIP residencies, governmental buildings, and distinguished estates. The related MagBar product is a unique intrusion grid to protect attempts of intrusion through waterways, air ducts, etc.
Barrier Mounted Sensors
Vibration -- Vibration sensors typically involve a mechanical element that senses vibration in a physical barrier such as a metal fence. In some cases this is a gravity held mechanical contact that is dislodged by vibration in the supporting structure. Barricade 500 is the Magal Group product in this category.
Acoustic -- This type of sensor is most often based on either a coaxial copper-based cable or a fiber optic cable. Various properties of the coax or fiber that can vary with localized acoustic disturbance are exploited to form the sensor. The Magal Group offers several products of this type including IntelliFlex and IntelliFiber products.
Infrared -- Infrared not requiring physical contact, the Magal Group’s IRP product is a line-of-sight stack or array of active infrared beams forming a plane of detection. Outdoor versions of Passive Infrared (PIR) sensors look for heat radiation signatures from targets. These sensors are typically shorter range, perhaps 30 to 50 meters and can often be found paired with a short range monostatic microwave sensor as a more effective dual technology platform.
Magals vibration sensor Barricade 500 mounted on fences (Photo by the Magal Group)
Volumetric and Area Coverage Sensors
Radio Frequency (RF) -- RF fields can be used to define a volume in which the presence or more specifically, the motion of a target can be determined. The most prevalent form of this sensor type is the buried leaky coaxial cable sensor. It is made from standard coaxial cables, but with an incomplete outer shield. Energy coupling between a pair of them, a transmitter and a receiver, forms a volume in which target motion can be detected. This yields an effective covert sensor system that has found application particularly where visible physical security barriers are not desired. The Magal Group’s Perimitrax product and its predecessor Sentrax have been flagship products in this niche for more than the past two decades. Based on cutting-edge developments in microelectronics and advanced signal processing the Magal Group has introduced Omnitrax. This new generation of buried cable sensor is based on “ranging” technology, which can provide the user with precise location of a target.
Microwave -- Although a form of radio frequency sensor, this class can be looked at separately due to the higher frequencies of operation. Typically operating in the X-Band or K-Band (10.5 or 24 GHz), but now also in the millimeter wave band (35 to 70 GHz), there are two main types of products, monostatic and bistatic. The Magal Group manufactures an array of such microwave based sensors.
Electrostatic Field -- Low frequency signals, as low as the audio range of 10 Kilo-Hertz can be used to create an electrostatic field around an array of a small number of parallel, horizontal wires. The Magal Group’s newly launched XField product is not a physical barrier, but it’s 4 to 8 or more wires form a volumetric detection field that is well contained, narrow and tall, approaching 5 or more meters in height.
Seismic -- The Magal Group’s PipeGuard product is targeting surface area coverage or sub-surface volumetric sensor applications using geophones to measure perturbations or pressure waves in the earth.
Virtual Sensors
Outdoor Video Motion Detection (VMD) -- More than a decade ago Magal Group companies were the pioneers introducing this technology to the market. Recent advances in computing power and the advent of powerful Digital Signal Processors (DSP) have brought the concept of “machine vision” close enough to reality that outdoor video motion detectors are now quite effective. Outdoor VMD has been a particularly difficult problem for engineers to address. Complexities of brightness, shadows and weather effects have made this a perplexing problem when compared to the more benign indoor application. A distinct advantage of VMD is that as well as a sensor it is also an effective assessment device for a human operator. The most recent advances in this field can be classified as “Intelligent Video Analytics”(IVA). Functions such as “object left behind” or “missing object” are just a few of the wide array of video based tools available to the security designer with this sensor. The leading edge of product development is now taking the Magal to cross-platform tracking solutions, where an array of cameras with the use of a Geographical Information System (GIS) can facilitate tracking of intruders from camera to camera as a target moves about. The Magal Group’s advanced video DreamBox product contains a very wide suite of integrated video and security features as well as a leading edge suite of IVA functions.
Command and Control System -- Above all of these sensor products, it is vital to have a reliable and user-friendly Command and Control System. The Magal Group offers several progressive levels of Security Management applications starting from the simplest control and display application to wide area comprehensive C4I solutions.
The Magal Group’s Fortis system has embedded GIS and GPS engines to facilitate coordination of resources to effectively respond to threats providing a complete and integrated security view from detection to response force. Graphical map displays can now show the precise location of threats and real-time position of response forces. Such Command and Control Systems with the new ranging sensors now often show assigned zones and place a marker at the exact alarm location. Thus the command facility is kept informed of all security related activity on the perimeter rendering them able to direct the most efficient and effective response. Response forces with vehicle-based or even hand held display devices can quickly assess situations and be directed to deliver the appropriate response action. Moreover, the control center can efficiently observe the movement of response forces utilizing the GPS engine. Fortis also enables the control center to send real-time information such as video images or maps with instructions directly to the vehicle-based or hand held display to assist the response action.
Best-of-breed Products
When referring to security and defense, beyond technology, experience has extreme significance in the overall equation. One should not be dazzled by the rapid pace in which products are developed in todays market and should pay attention to experience in “real life.” The experience of the Magal Group in this industry is unequalled and draws on years of success and true testing in demanding 24/7 operation in virtually every climate around the globe. Magal’s goal is not necessarily to be the first to introduce a product, but when Magal does the company has verified that it truly operates as a best-of-breed product engineered and tested to meet the company’s customer’s needs.
Interview
The Magal Group of companies has a 40% share in the worldwide market for perimeter intrusion detection systems today, with over ten thousand kilometers of its systems installed worldwide. The companys broad line of products include physical fences, fence mounted sensors, volumetric sensors, CCTV including digital recording and Intelligent Video Analysis, and sophisticated Command and Control Management Systems. Magal offers a "one stop shop" for all requirements in the Outdoor Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) market. Izhar Dekel, CEO of the Magal Group, discusses the companys recent activities and future plans for acquisitions in the interview with Sunny Kim, Editor of SecurityWorld INTL.
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Izhar Dekel, CEO, The Magal Group
(Photo by the Magal Group) |
“Magal today in many ways is a
‘One Stop Shop’"
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Magal Security Systems leads the world’s outdoor perimeter industry, recording a 40% global market share for perimeter intrusion detection products. What do you think is the driving force that made the company what it is today?
Magal was incepted to provide a solution for a specific problem on the Israeli borders. Since then, after learning of additional needs the market is seeking, after all the perimeter market does consist of borders only, we have put extreme effort in developing a wide range of products to offer various technologies for different solutions. In addition we also acquired companies with products and technologies complementing those Magal had and benefiting us with access to new markets we were less active in before. It is vital to point out that in many cases, when looking at complex and large projects, there is a need for more than one technology and product to offer a higher level of security. Magal today in many ways is a ‘one stop shop.’ We offer per project a range of solutions for the customer to decide based on its criteria what there needs are.
Magal Security Systems has acquired some security companies, including Stellar Security Products in 1993 and Senstar in 1997. Please let us know the results, and any future plans for acquisitions.
For obvious reasons I will not go into the precise plans. However, part of the Magal strategy, maintaining our leading position, is clearly to acquire companies that can offer products complementing our portfolio. In addition we are looking at other technologies that can open new markets to our group.
Magal Security Systems has been involved in a number of security projects on borders, airports, etc. Please briefly introduce a recent project or one of the most successful projects.
We, as principle, try not to expose details on projects we execute. There are things that silence is best for them, especially when talking about the security market. Nevertheless it was published that after the recent war in Lebanon (in summer 2006), Magal was awarded with the reconstruction of the perimeter barrier along the northern border of Israel. We did this in minimum time, understanding the complexity of working on a border that is constantly under threat of intrusion attempts.
Could you please update us on some of the recent industry activities and developments that you think would have a significant impact on the security industry?
The increase in terrorism has become a major factor in the competition to introduce new products. Accordingly the efforts are on the rise to introduce new products to solve many problems the terrorism threat has put on our door step. Magal has learned that one cannot neglect the experience factor in this equation. Therefore, part of our efforts in not necessarily to introduce new products, but to improve technologies in existing products that have already been flagships over the years. Products such as our taut wire fences and our buried cable are an excellent example. Both products exist for decades, however, we are improving the capabilities of them and others, to face new challenges the markets presents.
Could you tell us some of the competitive edges that differentiated Magal’s services and products form its rivals?
I believe that Magal’s capability to offer a wide range of products, together with our openness to listen to our customer problems and our years of experience, give us the edge over our rivals that mainly push a single product or single technology, because that is all they have. This is like throwing sand in their eyes and not giving the knowledge and resources to decide for themselves.
For more information, please send your e-mails to swm@infothe.com.
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