I recently traveled to ASSA ABLOY’s U.S. headquarters in New Haven, Conn. The “grand tour” experience included a walk through the company’s Innovation Showroom, an impressive showcase of products set up to demonstrate a vast array of options ranging from exit devices designed to be both visible and audible in a fire; to vending machine solutions using intelligent keys; multiple wireless options; PoE devices; residential locks; bullet-, hurricane- and tornado-proof doors; and energy efficient solutions. I also conducted an exclusive interview with Martin Huddart, president, Access and Egress Hardware Group, ASSA ABLOY Americas. Ispoke with Huddart about some of the most talked about trends in access control, as well as some new developments “in the works” for the company.
SDM: What do you see as the most important trends over the past decade in the access control/lock market and how has ASSA ABLOY evolved to meet them?