Those numbers have been returned to 2006 levels in line with anticipated market volumes. In real terms, this means that the Daresbury-based CCTV specialist’s EMEA operations has shed 11 people by way of compulsory redundancy.
Despite market growth being below expectations, researcher IMS has reported that Dedicated Micros has improved its market share by 18%, including significant progress in the Enterprise sector.
The redundancies take effect this month, and are concentrated primarily in the sales, customer service and technical support areas based in the North of England. Those individuals affected have already been informed of the decision in a series of internal briefings conducted by members of the senior management team.
Revised growth expectations
Dedicated Micros’ chairman Nigel Petrie had this to say on the matter when the news was fed to info4security: “As a business, we constantly review our overheads. The economic climate is inevitably causing us to revise growth expectations, as is the case with many other security brands. A particular reticence in the UK security sector’s supply chain is an added contributing factor.”
Petrie is “confident” that these pre-emptive “efficiency measures” will ensure that the company is “in the best possible position” to cope with the potentially tough economic times ahead. “To put this into context,” added Petrie, “even with the announced reduction – which represents less than 2% of Dedicated Micros’ total workforce – employee levels are still historically high, and comparable to 2006 numbers.”
Customer service and support: business as usual
Petrie was quick to point out that levels of customer support and the degree of service offered to clients will not change.
“We believe that, with our evolving DV-IP product platform – which requires a different hybrid route to market model – the high level of service and support we provide to customers will not be impacted by this move. We also feel that Dedicated Micros is in a strong position compared to our rivals to weather the storm, as over the past two years we have embarked on the most ambitious product development programme ever undertaken by the business.
“From a CCTV solutions point of view, that development has included a range of innovations encompassing new user interfaces and enterprise solutions that are now beginning to come on stream.”
Looking ahead, Petrie explained that the Dedicated Micros’ Board plans to maintain high levels of investment in R&D and “all-important marketing activities” as the company views these as very much the cornerstones of future business success.
Plethora of end user solutions
Part of the AD Group of companies, Dedicated Micros is a leading manufacturer of CCTV solutions for security applications – from megapixel IP cameras through to high performance high definition recording, transmission and decoding systems.
Globally, the company’s equipment now records more than seven million images every second of every day, and is installed in some of the most prestigious and security conscious locations.
The technological developments pioneered by Dedicated Micros have formed many of the building blocks for the success of today’s CCTV industry (the company’s founder, Mike Newton, having been credited with the invention of the first commercially-available CCTV video multiplexer).
Shared technology base
Newton is the principal shareholder of AD Group, having founded DM back in 1982. It was in 2001 that the operation became an integral part of the AD Group.
Since that time all AD companies have been able to take advantage of a shared technology base, offering the potential for flexible CCTV solutions on the ground, in the air and on the move. Members of the AD Group include AD Aerospace, AD Aviation, AD Network Video, ChipWrights, Dennard, D-Tec, ISD, RemGuard, TSS and TES.
