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Hikvision opens local office

Hikvision was launched in China in 2001 with 28 employees. Today the company employs over 12 000 people around the world, including 4200 R&D engineers. It sports 20 regional subsidiaries and over 200 technology partners. And now it has a new regional office in South Africa.

The Johannesburg-based office’s opening ceremony was attended by Hikvision’s local partners and Hi-Tech Security Solutions. The MD of Hikvision Africa, James Dong, highlighted Hikvision’s global growth over the years and explained that the company considered its partners to be a critical part of its success. Furthermore, having shown significant growth in South Africa and Africa, it was time for a local office that would enable Hikvision to serve the local market more effectively.

Hikvision Africa staff recognise partners at launch of South African office.

Evan Liu, country sales director for Hikvision SA followed Dong, thanking the company’s partners in the region for their support for the brand. He said the local office was launched to provide local partners with better support and backup from Hikvision, as well as to create a venue for training and technical certifications.

Hikvision’s local distributors were then provided an opportunity to address the attendees at the launch. The distributors are: ADI Global Distribution, PinnSec, Regal Security and Sensor Security. All mentioned the good relationship they had built with the Hikvision staff, as well as the significant growth they have experienced over the past three to four years since the brand was launched in South Africa. One distribution sales director said it was easy to sell Hikvision as it was a brand people asked for instead of being one you have to sell.

They also mentioned that Hikvision was initially seen as yet another cheaper brand of surveillance equipment, but this view was quickly overcome as it became clear that while the company kept its prices down, it was intently focused on the quality of its products. This approach saw the brand gain immediate acceptance in the market, a position that has strengthened over time with Hikvision today claiming a 17% share of the surveillance market globally.

Better, faster support

Hi-Tech Security Solutions spoke to James Dong to find out why the time was right to open the local office and what the expectations are for the company in the region. He said the reason for the local office is that it will assist Hikvision in delivering better support to its partners and customers, as well as better control over stock holding.

The office has a demonstration area where visitors can see the latest products from the company in action, as well as a seminar room where training can take place for up to 40 people at a time. The new branch will initiate certified training courses for its products, issuing certifications once the attendees have completed the course and passed the exams.

Dong says he is looking forward to expanding the staff complement with more local people. And expansion is on the cards as Hikvision looks to the future where the South African office will be the headquarters for its growth into Africa. Plans are already in place to open another office in Africa in 2016.

Hikvision has a steep growth target for the coming year and the South African team looks forward to contributing to that goal. Dong said that with the partners they have on board, the future in the African region certainly looks bright.

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