Paul Webb

Global surveillance solutions business Synectics is celebrating 30 years of innovation – with its high-end technology solutions protecting people, assets, and processes in more countries than ever before. Synectics Customer-driven Innovation Synectics offers the design, integration, control, and management of advanced surveillance technology and networked security systems, for environments where security is operationally critical. With headquarters in Sheffield and a purpose-built Operations Centre in North Lincolnshire in the UK, Synectics serves customers across a diverse range of sectors, including Oil & Gas, Gaming, Transport & Infrastructure, and High Security & Public Space. Launched in 1987 as a surveillance technology research and development house, Synectics was founded on an ethos of customer-driven innovation. The products developed in the early years established its position as a trusted surveillance technology provider within the Public Space sector – coinciding with the UK’s burgeoning, government funding-led public space CCTV initiative. Global Outlook The business now operates throughout Europe, in the US, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Paul Webb, Chief Executive of Synectics plc, reflects on how the company’s current global success owes a lot to those early days and the focus adopted: “From the outset, we took a leading role in key industry developments around analog control and switching technology and, with the introduction of digital recording, became an early adopter and influencer within the market – showcasing the capabilities and benefits it offered. “Our approach has always been to listen to our customers and let their needs drive product development. The feedback received – from customers wanting to monitor, manage and store their video data more effectively and efficiently – drove the development of the original Synergy software platform. It is a principle that continues to be at the heart of our technology development, 30 years later.” "Our approach has always been to listen to our customers and let their needs drive product development" Growing Reputation The company’s global expansion truly began in the early 2000s, by which point Synectics had a growing reputation for developing solutions for large-scale projects with a defined critical or legislative need for security. It was this reputation and expertise the business knew would appeal to a broader sector portfolio – one with global opportunities.  Paul continued: “We’d already started to build a strong profile in high security and particularly in the public space market, based on our collaboration with customers to tailor solutions to meet their specific requirements.  It was apparent that there were compatible industries where our experience and technology complimented the surveillance needs of these customers. These sectors, notably transport – a natural evolution of our public space heritage – oil and gas, and gaming all have similar challenges and requirements. “Expanding into these sectors, supported by strategic acquisitions, has opened up geographic opportunities for us which we have further strengthened by establishing field offices in the US, Dubai, Singapore, Macau, and Germany.” Future Plans Thirty years after Synectics opened its doors, the company’s surveillance solutions protect over 3 billion passenger journeys every year and are entrusted by the world’s biggest casinos to provide constant coverage and help prevent fraud. They can be found safeguarding land-based and offshore oil and gas projects in the North Sea, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Australasia and North Africa. Within the public space sector that the company was founded on, Synectics’ solutions also monitor over 100 town and city centers worldwide. Paul Webb concluded: “Over the last thirty years we’ve helped pioneer widely-used technology, and with Synergy 3 command and control platform as the backbone, we continue to deliver integrated solutions crucial to modern security and surveillance management throughout the world. “But what we are most proud of is the fact that these innovations, driven by the businesses we serve, evolve to meet their needs. It’s this relationship with our customers that has underpinned everything else, from our global expansion to the sectors we operate in. We look forward to where these relationships will take us in the future.”

The office has opened in response to increased demand for its integrated surveillance solutions in the region Synectics has invested in a new Asia Pacific office to support gaming sector growth. Located in Macau, the office is the latest addition to Synectics’ global network of sales, support and operations centers, and has opened in response to increased demand for its integrated surveillance solutions in the region. Synectics Provided Integrated Surveillance Solutions In The Region Earlier this year, Synectics announced it had secured a multi-million dollar expansion project for a high profile Asia Pacific gaming property. Synectics’ global gaming sector business is already well established in the region having provided integrated surveillance solutions to MGM Macau, Solaire Resort and Casino in the Phillipines, and a major Singapore based client. John Katnic, Vice President of Global Gaming at Synectics, said: “With a growing customer base in the region it is vitally important that we have the right infrastructure in place to offer dedicated technical support where and when it is needed. The new Macau office fulfills that need and reflects our commitment to the gaming sector in this region.” The dedicated gaming support facility in Macau opens just one year after Synectics invested in its Asia Pacific regional headquarters. The Singapore hub - which includes a training facility, engineering lab, and an extensive equipment inventory – provides local support for customers and partners across all of Synectics’ key markets, including gaming, oil and gas, critical infrastructure, and public space. Supports Over 100 Gaming Properties Paul Webb, Chief Executive of Synectics, said: “Synectics now supports over 100 gaming properties around the world. Our extensive U.S. heritage in the sector has enabled us to demonstrate two key attributes to the Asia Pacific market – quality and reliability. From that base we’ve built a reputation that is going from strength to strength; our solutions are now being used by some of the region’s premier gaming properties. “The new Macau office will play a crucial role in our continued growth strategy by boosting our ability to offer technical support at a local level. Together with our emphasis on product innovation – with solutions such as our Synergy 3 command and control platform and our HD IP cameras proving popular with the gaming sector – the investment demonstrates our commitment to existing customers and to the Asia Pacific market as a whole.”

The purpose-built facility includes a state-of-the-art manufacturing space and dedicated Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) area Synectics has invested in a new 54,000 sq ft operational center of excellence to provide industry-leading support for its global customer base. The development represents a key milestone in the company’s worldwide growth strategy – further enhancing Synectics’ ability to meet increasing demand for its high value integrated surveillance solutions throughout the UK and Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. Commenting on the investment, Paul Webb, Managing Director, Synectic Systems, said: “With increasing demand for Synectics’ solutions around the globe, it is important that we strengthen our foundations to ensure that, as the business grows, we continue to deliver exceptional service and support. “Our new Operations Center is an impressive facility that represents a significant investment in our people, premises, systems and processes.” The purpose-built facility in North Lincolnshire, UK, includes a state-of-the-art manufacturing space and dedicated Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) area, designed to develop operation-ready systems for a wide range of large-scale projects. This expanded FAT space has been created to further enhance the customer experience, demonstrating Synectics’ ongoing commitment to delivering the highest quality systems and support. Synectics has also invested in new facilities at its Sheffield headquarters – creating an Innovation Center, an interactive space where customers can see Synectics’ latest solutions in action Synectics has also invested in new facilities at its Sheffield headquarters – creating an Innovation Center, an interactive space where customers can see Synectics’ latest solutions in action, including its recently-launched Synergy 3 evolved command and control platform. Paul continued: “The Operations Center is complemented by the new Innovation Center in Sheffield, which gives customers an inspiring environment in which they can experience the benefits of our market-leading solutions first-hand. “Investment of this level is crucial for achieving our ambition of leading the international market for high value, integrated security solutions.”