SIA New Member Profile: CIAS Security
New Security Industry Association (SIA) member CIAS Security has been operating in the security market since 1974 in the field of research, development and manufacture of security equipment and perimeter protection systems. The company is headquartered in Milan, Italy, with sales, technical support and warehousing in Miami, Florida, and a sales office in Montreal, Canada.
SIA spoke with Raffaele De Astis, president of CIAS Security, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.
Tell us the story of your company.
Raffaele De Astis: CIAS was founded in 1974 by partners driven by passion and a strong spirit of innovation. From the very beginning, they envisioned a company dedicated to helping end users protect their first line of defense: the perimeter.
CIAS initially focused on developing and manufacturing microwave barrier technology for the outdoor security market. The company’s first customers included high-net-worth individuals seeking protection for their large private villas, industrial facilities and military organizations needing reliable perimeter defense solutions.IN 1988, the company was a leader in developing the first digital alarm sensors for intrusion detection based on what is called fuzzy logic analysis. CIAS is the only manufacturer in the business using this technology, which has an innate ability to virtually eliminate false alarms caused by environmental conditions or things like small animals.
We later began exporting business into the United States, and in 2004, the North Carolina Art Museum installed microwave barriers to protect the perimeter. Since then, CIAS products have been used to protect many other U.S. critical infrastructures, such as prisons, nuclear power plants, electric substations, airports, data centers and logistics sites.
In 2016, CIAS opened its U.S. headquarters in Miami, and the rest is history. CIAS now offers four product lines, including its digital volumetric microwave barriers, accelerometer-based fence-mounted intrusion detection sensors, linear barriers (unique to the market using microwave rather than infrared technology) and short-range radar systems. The company’s core values of evolving through challenges with a passionate, flexible, agile and strong approach in the development of technologies that protect people, property and assets. In our journey, we will take ultimate care of our employees, customers and ourselves and will provide the first line of defense with our products and technologies by not simply being “standard” but setting new standards.
What solutions/services does your business offer in the security industry? And what makes your offerings or your company unique?
RD: Four products make up the CIAS portfolio:
- Microwave barriers (a volumetric invisible fence with a receiver and transmitter) that detects intrusions when someone enters the volumetric zone; microwaves protect sites that do not have an existing fence line
- Fence-mounted intrusion detection sensors –These sensors placed on the fence have an ability to detect and differentiate when there is a cut, climb or lift of the fence and can slew a camera to within 3 feet of the intrusion by sending an alarm and having a video management system capture the event
- Linear barriers for long narrow corridors on the perimeter for protection, based on microwave (not infrared) technology to protect exteriors or that can be placed on rooftops and come in various heights (1 meter, 2 meter and 3 meter)
- Short-range target radar – A digital microwave with transmitter and receiver in one unit to protect entrances, gates, building facades, balconies and terraces
The unique feature of all CIAS technologies is that they use “fuzzy logic analysis” to analyze intrusions. Through analysis (and learning) of over 256 “behavior models” “fuzzy logic” sensors can rule out many intrusions that older technologies cannot. Examples include wind, rain, fog, small animals, headlight glare and birds.
What is something we might not know about your company – or something new you are doing in security?
RD: Fuzzy logic is our key differentiator that many people are unaware of (giving the least amount of false alarm rates in the market), and we are the only manufacturer in the world that has linear barriers based on microwave technology inside. We also offer a program called Try Before You Buy because we are so confident in our systems’ performance that qualified customers can try out or test run our systems before committing to purchase.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities in the security industry right now?
RD: While most companies will speak about the opportunities in leveraging artificial intelligence into their systems (which our fuzzy logic analysis has been doing for decades in its own right), we see the biggest opportunity lies in developing ways in which systems can even more easily integrate than they can today and finding ways to make the challenge of capital purchases less of a burden and exploring leasing opportunities for equipment, much like a service-level agreement or special service agreement.
What are your predictions for the security industry in the short and long term?
RD: Fortunately, we predict that our business will see steady growth in the coming years because (unfortunately) the need for security systems like ours that harden the perimeter is becoming greater and greater with the volume and rise of threats in today’s world. It is a bittersweet scenario, and it is our hope that our small piece of the “protection” solution will assist many companies throughout the world sleep better at night knowing they are protecting their people, property and assets with leading-edge systems and technology.
What do you enjoy most about being at your company – and in the security industry?
RD: Our company and our customers are family to us. We value every individual and enjoy working with people from so many countries and cultures. Being able to work hand in hand to assist businesses and people with the challenges they face in protecting their people and assets is a privilege that we take very seriously and we make every effort to work with our customers and their customers, every step of the way.
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?
RD: CIAS is looking forward to the many SIA events that are offered to open new doors for the company as well as connect and network with other industry professionals.
How does your organization engage with SIA? What are your plans for involvement in the next year?
RD: CIAS will participate in Perimeter PREVENT 2025 in Washington, D.C., and is currently looking at the lineup of other opportunities that align with our business goals. Of course, participating in the major exhibitions like ISC West is a given.
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.
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