Honeywell Home and Building Technologies (HBT) discussed the latest trends and technologies in the fire and security industry with leading consultants at a recent symposium held in Muscat, Oman.

The Security and Fire Technology Symposium was held in line with government initiatives across the region to more strictly enforce regulations designed to protect people and property, said a statement from HBT.

A global business with more than 44,000 employees worldwide, HBT is a leader in the Internet of Things and creates products, software and technologies found in more than 150 million homes and 10 million buildings worldwide. It helps homeowners stay connected and in control of their comfort, security and energy use.

The symposium, the first of several roadshows to be held across the GCC states, discussed regional best practice and the latest industry trends and technologies with leading Omani consultants, end-users, partners and distributors in the fields of video surveillance, access control, smoke detection as well as evacuation systems and Physical Security Information Management (PSIM), amongst other topics.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the Middle East’s commercial security and fire safety market is projected to experience annual double-digit growth through to 2020, driven mainly by investments in the retail, residential, industrial, hospitality, and healthcare sectors.

Upcoming mega-projects and mega-events, such as the Mina Al Sultan Qaboos Waterfront redevelopment in Oman, the World Expo 2020 in the UAE and the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, are also contributing to increased scrutiny by governments on the strict implementation of security regulations and fire safety codes to counter potential threats to public safety.

"Honeywell has been present in the Gulf region for over 60 years, and has a strong reputation in the market for its innovative and advanced security and fire safety technology portfolio," remarked Mark Fenton, the general manager for Honeywell Security and Fire, Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Africa (Merta).

"Through these symposiums, we are conducting close consultations with our partners and customers to understand their needs, and to discuss the very latest developments in terms of best practice, regional rules and regulations, as well as the latest security and life safety technology currently available on the market," he added.

Honeywell will now travel to Kuwait City, Dubai (UAE), Doha (Qatar), and Riyadh and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) with its security and fire technology roadshow over the next six months, and discuss key issues with its partners, distributors and a number of long-term customers.-TradeArabia News Service