SDM takes a closer look at Ring, how it all began, and what security dealers should know.

Collectively, the SDM 100 security dealers grew their RMR 4.2 percent, from $618 million to $643 million last year. Among the top 100 there were 88 dealers who individually improved their RMR rate in 2017 over 2016.

In an economy that is staying strong, with a projected commercial construction growth rate of 4 percent annually through 2019, there is much to be happy about.

2017 was a good year for the economy — and manufacturers, dealers and integrators definitely felt the positive impact of these trends.

Last year was good, but 2018 could be great, say security integrators and security dealers who participated in the 2018 SDM Industry Forecast Study and Panel, a report that SDM has published annually since 1982. The economy is roaring.

The ADT brand is synonymous with security — instantly recognizable by virtually every competitor and potential customer in the United States. Its 143-year history, combined with its massive size (an estimated $4.3 billion in gross revenues in 2017 and ranked No. 1 on the SDM 100 Report every year since its inception in 1991) puts this security dealer in the ranks of some of the largest companies in the country.

Visitor management used to consist of a paper logbook at the reception desk. While this is still the case for many, particularly smaller facilities, more and more end users are entering the digital age when it comes to their visitors.

What happens when old friends and their former wrestling coach decide to go into business together? If you are NextGen Security, the result is organic growth from $0 to $33 million in just four years; an “out-of-the-box” business model that treats each customer as unique and a culture that feels more like a family than just a place to work.

More customers are beginning to take advantage of cloud technologies. Meanwhile, more and more integrators are offering cloud services in one form or another. Integrators interviewed for this article reported mixed results with regard to what percentage of their customers used their cloud video services.