The Electronic Security Association (ESA), the nation's largest trade organization representing the electronic life safety and security industry, announced the launch of the ESA Industry Research Center, giving the security industry a new lens into performance, growth and what's ahead. 

The ESA Industry Research Center is designed to give security integrators and dealers a deeper, more informed foundation for the decisions that drive their businesses forward. 

Backed by the nationally recognized macroeconomic forecasting firm Beacon Economics and led by ESA Chief Economist Christopher Thornberg, PhD, a founding partner of Beacon Economics and one of the nation's foremost economic forecasters, the Center will deliver meaningful economic and industry insight to help integrators and dealers make smarter business decisions.

Introducing the ESA Industry Performance Index

At the core of the Research Center is the ESA Industry Performance Index (IPI): a composite 0-100 score reflecting the health, capacity, and forward trajectory of the electronic security and life safety sector. Rather than broad economic proxies, the IPI is built entirely around the specific forces that drive performance in this industry. 

The IPI measures industry health across four dimensions. The first, Business Activity and Market Growth, tracks current demand and future trajectory, capturing revenue trends, project backlogs, segment growth, M&A activity and sales velocity. Workforce Capacity and Pressure examines whether the industry can meet that demand, monitoring hiring timelines, vacancy rates, wage pressures, and the growing skills gap between traditional field roles and today's AI-enabled technical positions. Revenue and Business Model Health looks beyond topline growth to assess the durability of earnings, analyzing profit margins, the ongoing shift toward recurring revenue and contract quality. Rounding out the Index, Technology and AI Adoption tracks the industry's pace of modernization, from the transition to proactive monitoring and connected systems integration to customer-facing technology and cybersecurity readiness.

The IPI is slated to officially launch in July 2026.

“The ESA Industry Research Center represents a pivotal moment for our industry,” said Kevin Stone, ESA Chairman and COO of Doyle Security Systems. “For the first time, integrators and dealers will have access to the kind of rigorous, purpose-built economic intelligence that supports smarter decisions, stronger businesses, and a more resilient industry overall. This is exactly the type of forward-looking investment ESA exists to make on behalf of its members and the industry.” 

Strategic Partnership With Beacon Economics

Beacon Economics brings nationally recognized forecasting expertise and rigorous quantitative methodology to the ESA Industry Research Center. Working alongside the Beacon Economics team, Dr. Thornberg will provide ongoing economic insights, analysis, and guidance in direct support of the IPI and the broader research initiatives behind the center.

“ESA has always been committed to equipping the industry with the knowledge and resources it needs to grow,” Dr. Thornberg said. “The ESA Industry Research Center takes that commitment further, adding a new layer of economic intelligence that gives integrators and dealers a sharper, more data-driven view of where the industry stands and where it is headed.”

Together, ESA and Beacon Economics are establishing a new benchmark for trusted industry intelligence, designed to give professionals at every level of the electronic security and life safety ecosystem a clearer, more confident view of the trends, pressures, and opportunities shaping the future of the industry.