In the February 2015 issue of Hi-Tech Security Solutions we noted that Pinnacle Africa appointed Tim Timmins as the new general manager of the company’s Life Safety and Security Division, PinnSec. Hi-Tech Security Solutions spoke to Timmins about his plans for the company.
With a 20-year history in South Africa, working in the integration, distribution and consulting business, Timmins is glad to be back in the distribution game and has big plans for PinnSec. While the company benefits from its association with the Pinnacle Holdings Group, the largest IT distributor on the continent with revenues exceeding R7 billion, PinnSec is defining its own identity going forward.
To start the year off, PinnSec moved into new premises in Midrand with one of its sister companies, Datanet. The move has not dampened the company’s business focus and Timmins says business has been strong. One project the company is supplying in Libya is worth R13,5 million, which bodes well for PinnSec’s goal of expanding its business north of the border.
The new premises will soon include a repair centre able to service all the security equipment the company sells. PinnSec will also strengthen its existing technical support to further assist integrators in their implementations, along with additional sales capabilities.
Timmins says the company will retain its current portfolio of products, with one new addition. The company currently stocks the following brands: Bosch, Milestone, Axis, Paxton, Samsung, Hikvision, Cooper Fire, Virdi, Morpho, Longse, CNB, and Inergen.
Another benefit of being connected to Pinnacle Africa is that PinnSec has sister companies that can supply the full spectrum of IT systems and skills required for any security rollout. Whether it’s network switches, cabling, racks or servers that clients are after, it’s all available within the group.
In addition, while PinnSec has 16 employees on board in Midrand and another 12 in its Cape Town office, thanks to the Pinnacle Africa footprint, it will soon also have people in offices throughout the country and is already active in Namibia and Botswana. Over time, this African presence will expand.
Bringing CEM on board
The new product Timmins is bringing into the PinnSec portfolio is Tyco’s CEM range. CEM is an enterprise-class access control and security management platform that has been integrated into many of the leading global security brands. This is one of the reasons Timmins wanted CEM – PinnSec’s best-selling product ranges, such as Bosch and Milestone are already integrated into the system and it makes sense to offer customers solutions that work together seamlessly.
Ernest Mallet, Tyco Security’s regional sales manager, says Tyco is always on the lookout for suppliers who are prepared to invest in its products and have the ability to effectively serve its customers. With the rich IT background of the Pinnacle Group, PinnSec is in the perfect position to support CEM, as the access control system was developed from an IT foundation. For example, the whole system is Power over Ethernet (PoE and PoE+) ready, meaning users don’t need to run power cables or attach power supplies to the maglocks on the CEM door controls.
PinnSec has already sent nine employees to Tyco’s local office for training on the CEM range and the security distributor is geared to offer clients any assistance on CEM they require.
For more information, contact Tim Timmins, PinnSec, +27 (0)11 990 6000, timt@pinnsec.co.za, www.pinnsec.co.za
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