SIA New Member Profile: Kaadas

Nick English headshot

New Security Industry Association (SIA) member Kaadas is a smart lock enterprise and manufacturer with a fully integrated in-house supply chain. The company is headquartered in Shenzhen, China, with over 2,000 employees worldwide and a footprint spanning six continents and 65 countries.

SIA spoke with Nick English, CEO of Kaadas North America, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.

Tell us the story of your company.

Nick English: Kaadas is a certified high-tech company with 30+ years of dedication to the lock industry. Headquartered in “China’s Silicon Valley”, Shenzhen, the company has spent the last three decades developing high-end and smart electronics locks focusing on key pillars such as product research, development, manufacturing, sales and extraordinary after-sales service. As a testament to expansion, Kaadas announced its expansion into the North American market at the beginning of 2023, making our lines of traditional electronic locks, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Z-Wave-connected smart lock solutions available to the new market.

Kaadas is devoted to offering innovative and high-quality smart locks to customers that make life more convenient, secure and intelligent. By prioritizing innovation, quality, integrity, craftmanship and connectivity, Kaadas has developed a deep understanding of global customers’ needs and developed an impressive portfolio of solutions – mortise locks, rim locks, deadbolt and latch bolt locks – to service those needs across diverse regional application and standards within residential and commercial markets.

With over 200 research and development engineers engaged in electronics, mechanical, industry design, firmware and testing, as well as app and cloud development, Kaadas leverages advanced labs conducting strength tests, environment tests, electronic tests, finish test and life cycle tests to ensure solutions stand the test of time. Continuous investment on product research and development for the last 30 years has enabled Kaadas to become a leader within the global lock industry, as well as adjacent products and solutions.

What solutions/services does your business offer in the security industry? And what makes your offerings or your company unique?

NE: Kaadas has served the global smart lock industry for over 30 years and is consistently one of the top choices for customers among smart lock brands in China. The technology, craftsmanship, reliability, quality and innovation within Kaadas’ solutions has been proven globally. At the beginning of 2023, the global smart lock powerhouse announced an expansion into the North America market, with operations to take place out of a warehouse in southern California complete with a full product show room to be operational by the end of 2023. As part of this announcement, not only will Kaadas locks be available under the Kaadas brand, but the company is also offering opportunities to partner with those seeking to have Kaadas manufacture electronic or smart lock solutions under their own brand. With expanded operations now in North America, new-to-market smart lock solutions including Kaadas locks with thumbprint access and built-in video doorbells are available to end-users, customers and service and security providers.

A 30-year legacy is what makes Kaadas unique and sets the company apart from other lock manufacturers within the industry. Over three decades of experience have permitted Kaadas to push the envelope of technology offerings within electronic lock solutions to offer multiple options and styles at affordable price points that satisfy customer demand. Given the reach of the company, full control over its own manufacturing quality and cost gives Kaadas direct input into the course a product takes, as well as the features and benefits available within.    

Kaadas Smart Lock Solutions

What is something we might not know about your company – or something new you are doing in security?

NE: What you might not know about Kaadas is the company is one of the largest and most popular electronic lock providers you’ve never heard of – until now. The company has spent the last three decades developing high-end and smart electronics locks focusing on key pillars such as product research, development, manufacturing, sales and extraordinary after-sales service, and the hard work has paid off. Kaadas solutions are one of the highest-selling electronic door locks sold in China, and with the company’s recent expansion into North America, Kaadas is prepared to bring the same level of high-end, feature-packed solutions to a new market.

Established as a powerful original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner, several white-labeled, Kaadas-manufactured electronic locks spanning several brands are already being sold via Amazon for the past three years and feature an average review rating of roughly 4.75 stars out of 5.    

What do you think are the biggest opportunities in the security industry right now?

NE: The future holds a great deal of disruption within the locking hardware market. Through this disruption, there is also a great deal of opportunity. Globally, customers are getting more and more tech-savvy. With that comes the expectation, and demand, for new features and expanded capabilities. To keep pace with the demands of users, now is an excellent time to introduce new products, new technologies and new brands.

The opportunity is magnified for Kaadas as more and more companies within the security industry undergo branding consolidation activities to increase their offerings with a brand name customers recognize and trust. As both a provider of cutting-edge electronic lock solutions and established OEM partner, Kaadas is well positioned to take full advantage of the opportunities to come.

What are your predictions for the security industry in the short and long term?

NE: Presently, there are two competing forces at odds that those within the security industry will have to strike a balance between in order to remain successful and relevant. On the one hand, there’s pricing control and navigating the supply chain disruptions and shortages to help ensure that the price of products and solutions do not get out of hand or locked out of being included in security packages or installs. On the other hand, there is the desire for more features, benefits and technology to be integrated into new solutions. Those two forces run in opposite direction of each other. As you battle to keep the cost of product down and reasonable, every advanced feature or benefit works to drive the cost of the solution up.

Our prediction is that over the span of the next several years, as technology continues to develop and enable new features, companies will have to work harder to strike a balance between solutions that are feature-rich yet affordable in order to remain relevant within the industry.   

What does SIA offer that is most important to you/your company? And what do you most hope to get out of your membership with SIA?

NE: As SIA is the leading association for the security industry, the benefits of membership are numerous. In Kaadas’ work as an electronic lock manufacturer, security is inherently interwoven into the essence of what a lock is. Kaadas’ involvement in the SIA helps keep us connected to the many facets that make the security industry what it is today. Our ability to participate in critical industry events, like ISC West for example, enable us to connect face to face with the members of our industry, including dealers, distributors, technicians, reps and installers, to make sure we’re consistently delivering trusted solutions. The SIA keeps the pulse on the security industry. Through the SIA security market reports, Kaadas is able to make road map and solution decisions based on trusted data and information.

How does your organization engage with SIA? What are your plans for involvement in the next year (e.g., events, accessing member resources)?

NE: Although Kaadas just recently joined SIA, the company already has big plans for participation. Kaadas North America was at ISC West 2023 in Las Vegas this March to make a splash and help introduce a legacy portfolio of high-end electronic and smart locks to the ever-expanding security industry.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts and/or profiles are those of the authors or sources and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Security Industry Association.