This time last month when I was writing my column, everyone could travel for pleasure and work, go to the theatre and gym and access health services without fear of spreading or catching what is becoming an apocalyptic virus. The world has literally changed overnight and the impact on us on all be that socially, commercially and from a mental health perspective, is yet fully to be seen.
So, as many of us are self-isolating or working alone from home, I wanted to reflect on four months ago, when my team and I were lucky enough to spend a lot of time travelling Europe with Smart Ready and certified partner Hug Technology. This gave me the opportunity to talk to a whole spectrum of door and window profile, hardware and manufacturing businesses, reaching a pinnacle during a phenomenal Batimat and Polyclose in Belgium in January, where we attended in support of AluK.
It’s always good to immerse yourself in different markets to find out what’s new, what’s different, what we can learn, and what we can offer to other markets. When it comes to smart technology and hardware for doors and windows, there are significant differences in the detail, but the over-riding theme is the same: even the biggest brands are still grappling to bring together the necessary know-how with the right technology partners and product designers to deliver a truly innovative smart product, that considers battery life, reliable connectivity; security features; nice product design; apps; licencing models, data harvesting and monitoring.
In terms of market maturity, Europe is ahead of the UK in that European businesses all accept that smart windows and doors will very soon become the norm. Unlike the UK, window monitoring sensors have been on offer since the 1990s. Whilst I was at Polyclose in Belgium, and as I looked around the show, it soon became very clear that makers of window and door monitoring sensors are still trying to get around the issue of wireless signal penetration through aluminium windows and doors, which has seen the addition of aerials on the outside on the profile, something I doubt will ever catch on.
It’s a European market that is ripe in acceptance and ready to run, but one which is now turning its attention to UK partners who can offer a blend of industry and tech know-how to provide simple and effective solutions. This was evident in the amount of interest and positive reactions we experienced first-hand at Polyclose where we carried out almost 1,500 unique demonstrations during the show.
The Hug advanced monitoring and alarm system packed into one small sensor particularly wowed visitors. It was the first time people had seen such a simple sensor with so many additional features, including, for example, the never seen before feature Live Space for being able to leave windows open and still set the alarm and know in real time when windows are moved – a particularly important feature in some of the warmer climate countries on the continent. Most of the other smart sensors on display at the show have been developed as generic systems, while the sensors that Smart Ready partner, Hug Technology, has created, specifically focus on just windows and doors – making Hug sensors the only sensors on the market with a solution for every single type of window and door type. There’s sound logic in this approach. For example, you can’t have a solution for doors and not one for casements, tilt and turn or vertical sliders right? It will be a bit nuts to think consumers only want to know when their doors are open.
Admittedly, smart monitoring in the UK is far earlier in its market awareness, understanding and adoption cycle. But in many ways, this can be a positive. Hardware companies, fabricators and installers don’t need to go through the pain our European counterparts have gone through in finding the right technology partner. They don’t need to undergo trial and error finding out what works reliably and what consumers actually. The team at Smart Ready and Hug have made it possible for UK fabricators and hardware companies to make safe and simple choices.
Bottom line. We need to see through the problem and not be blinded by the problem, it’s where clarity exists. Now more than ever and not just in commercial terms.
Until next month, stay safe and positive.
