Demand for integrated mass notification systems to drive market growth

    June 16, 2015
    Americas industrial market to see the fastest growth over the next five years

    Source SecurityInfoWatch.com

    (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons/Leif Skoogfors)
    Increasing integration of notification modalities is expected to drive market growth for MNS solutions, according to a new report from IHS.
    Increasing integration of notification modalities is expected to drive market growth for MNS solutions, according to a new report from IHS.

    Although mass notification systems (MNS) have historically been segmented between indoor, wide-area and distributed recipient notification hardware and software, a new report from IHS has found that some end users have begun installing integrated MNS solutions that leverage a combination of these notification modalities to better meet their needs.

    As a result, the research firm said that integration of MNS solutions will be a key growth driver in the Americas market over the next five years. The fastest growth is expected to take place in the Americas industrial market, which is predicted to increase by more than seven percent over the next five years to more than $320 million.

    Jared Bickenbach, analyst for security and building technologies at IHS, said that other factors driving the uptake of integrated MNS solutions include:

    • A major factor contributing to the uptake of integrated MNS solutions is the introduction of IP notification appliances. The use of IP notification appliances such as speakers, sounders, strobes, and digital signage has enabled MNS vendors to connect these appliances to building management systems and life safety control panels which can also send messages via indoor, wide-area, and distributed recipient notification systems. This allows end users to send notifications across multiple notification devices to ensure notifications are received.
    • Enterprise MNS solutions are also driving investment into integrated MNS solutions. IHS found that large industrial end users have a need to integrate their notification systems across multiple facilities and regions. This enables the corporate office to monitor and notify employees throughout an organization of an emergency and allows local offices to notify the corporate office in the event of an emergency.
    • The ability of an organization to use their MNS solution for purposes other than emergency communications was found to be a major factor when deciding to install an integrated MNS solution. IHS found that organizations are installing integrated solutions for business processes, business continuity and information technology uses.

    Because of these market drivers, IHS expects systems integrators and physical security information management (PSIM) vendors to take a more prominent role in the MNS market. Additionally, increased demand for integrated MNS solutions is also expected to drive more open protocols within the MNS software market. As end users demand seamless integration with existing notification appliances, IHS expects MNS vendors to adopt more open software protocols to enable multiple systems from different manufacturers to work together. 

    The need to notify personnel in the event of an emergency is expected to remain a key driver of growth in the MNS market; however, as integrated solutions gain more traction in the MNS market, IHS expects systems integration companies to have a larger role in the market. This is expected to result in more cooperation between MNS suppliers as end users drive demand for seamless integration of notification solutions.