Enter, Ness Corporation

01 Mar 2010

by: Staff

One of Australia’s oldest and most respected electronic security manufacturers has announced a name change. As managing director, Naz Circosta tells SE&N’s John Adams, Ness Security Products will now be known as Ness Corporation, reflecting the diversified nature of the business.

JA: Why has the company’s structure been changed? When did it come into effect?

NC: Ness Security Products has been a respected name in the Security Industry for almost four decades but the name is no longer reflective of the company’s current business, its offerings or future direction. A name change has been long overdue but mindful that our core values haven’t changed we decided to substitute “Security Products” with “Corporation”. Ness Corporation broadens the scope of our already strong brand.

JA: Ness Security Products has changed its name to Ness Corporation. What does this mean for the company structurally – have there been changes to the structure of Ness management? Are you still involved in the business and what is your role? Whatever about other senior managers at the company? Does the team remain the same?

NC: Yes, I’m still the managing director and the core team of senior managers who head the major departments remain in their current roles. Management’s combined experience spans almost 200 man years and this trebles if we add middle managers into the mix.

JA: The change from a company to a corporation reduces personal risk on the stakeholders in the business and this would allow a corporation to be more aggressive in terms of prosecuting expansion plans. Will we see additional growth from Ness Corporation?

NC: To remove any doubt, while the name change implies a statutory change the company remains a Proprietary Limited entity whose shares are tightly held by myself and management. 

JA: Are there new stakeholders from the point of view of capital who are looking towards growth in the business?

NC: No, however, the company’s focus has changed to take advantage of the many and various opportunities that have presented themselves as a result of a general broadening of our horizons. Ness Corporation is actively pursuing a strategy of organic growth, augmented by growth through synergistic acquisition. The back of our new business cards lists a collage of fields that the company is now involved in, highlighted by the simple message that Ness Corporation delivers “Innovative Electronic Solutions”.  

JA: Could you outline the size and shape of Ness Corporation – the number of staff, the number of branches, the number of divisions, the major product lines distributed, discounting those product lines manufactured or sourced by Ness?

JA: Ness Corporation currently employs over 150 Australians in its head office and wholly owned branches in each capital city. I expect this to grow appreciably over the next three years. The company has approximately 10 divisions and 15 major products groups. Our product lines are too numerous to detail but Security Products includes Wireless, Monitored Systems, CCTV, Integrated Systems, Access Control, Automation, Structured Cabling, Central Vacs and Intercoms, Signal Conditioners and Isolators, Distributed AV, Medi Alarms and Electronic Manufacturing. 

JA: In 2008 Ness acquired APCS and became Australia’s largest maker of electronics for process and control and more recently, Ness took on distribution of Russound AV products in Australia. What do these acquisitions mean for Ness Corporation?

NC: I need to clarify that APCS is primarily a designer and manufacturer of signal conditioners, isolators and measurement modules encompassing temperature, power and fluid measurement. The business dovetails well into Ness Corporation and benefits from Ness’ ISO9001 accredited infrastructure. The most significant and obvious synergies were in the areas of engineering, distribution and manufacturing, however, we are also taking advantage of opportunities for cross marketing, particularly in the field of automation.

Taking on the distribution of Russound products was a “no brainer” for Ness Corporation. Our M1 cross platform controller has already established itself as the industry standard for automation systems with high levels interfaces to almost anything of significance from lighting to HVAC and AV control. Adding a powerful AV distribution product line with a worldwide reputation was a natural progression and takes us closer to our goal of being a total solution provider.

JA: What is the likely effect of Ness’ repositioning itself as Ness Corporation from a product point of view? Historically the business was primarily alarms before branching out to cover CCTV and Access Control. Will these core product lines remain in the Ness stable?

NC: Absolutely. We have never forgotten our roots and in fact we have just begun the launch of some exciting new alarm panel products that will provide genuine and serious value. The first of these products is our ground breaking Navigator touch-screen, which will be packaged as standard with all of our D series panels.

What is the break-through? This product smashes the price / performance barrier. Our Navigator touch screen series are priced within 10 per cent of the LCD keypad panels they replace, setting a new benchmark in the panel market as did the now legendary 5000 series almost 25 years ago. 

JA: Ness Corporation is known for manufacturing high quality alarm panels and sensors in its own facilities in Australia – is that going to change or will design and manufacture continue as before?

NC: Our reputation for Australian design and manufacture has been hard earned and we are not about to change that part of our identity. Ness persevered through recessions and an onslaught of imports. When the world was crying “outsource or die” Ness doggedly refused to succumb to the pressure and the warnings by establishing its own world class manufacturing plant.

To onlookers this was no doubt seen as a perilous move with dire consequences but fifteen years later, the Nesstronics manufacturing division of Ness Corporation has attracted a string of high quality, valued and very loyal customers who rely upon our expertise to manufacture products for them as diverse as medical, mining, automotive and communication.

Ness even manufactures “Intrinsically Safe” products to a certified standard. To achieve this, our quality system must continue to meet stringent audits to prove that we are capable of tracking individual components by product and customer. The benefit to our traditional Security customers is product quality that is unmatched by our competitors.

This is a huge call but we back it with an open and standing invitation for any of our customers to conduct an audit of our quality system and our facility. After all, we undergo routine six monthly and triennial audits in order to maintain our ISO9001 Accreditation, anyway.

JA: Are there any major new product releases planned for 2010? What can we expect from Ness Corporation on the technology front?

NC: Yes. While I cannot go into detail on each and every release we have kicked off the New Year with powerful offerings from Russound and our own home grown Navigator touch screen panels. There is more to come in almost every market segment of our business as the year progresses.

JA: Where do you see growth for Ness Corp over the next 12 months? Will it be across the board or in specific areas?

NC: I expect stronger growth from our relatively new acquisitions and distributorships but our new product releases will provide a boost to the more traditional areas of our business. Contract Manufacturing may also surprise with potentially very strong growth.

JA: Which is Ness Corp’s biggest, most dynamic and fastest growing division/s?

NC: A good but unfair question, as the biggest division may not necessarily be the fastest growing or most dynamic. Suffice to say that several divisions have had a turn at one or more aspects of the crown. CCTV held the title for fastest growing for a time but temporarily relinquished it to Integrated Systems, which includes Automation, Access Control and AV distribution. However, I won’t discount the potential of our new Navigator product to help our Panels and Peripherals division recapture the title of the biggest division or indeed, Nesstronics Contract Manufacture to take the title for the fastest growing.

It’s still relatively early days for APCS but the division is a solid performer. All it needs is a star product to shine and this is on the drawing boards. Then of course, there’s iCentral and Valet with premium offerings in Central Vacs and music / video Intercoms. With these divisions headed by Larry (Yes that Larry or should I say THE Larry) … well, we all know who he’d be backing, even if only for the individual title of “Most Dynamic”!

Does this sound like internal competition? I say, there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly rivalry. In any case, Ness Corporation is the overall winner and our customers are the beneficiaries.

JA: Ness is one of the oldest and most respected names in Australia’s electronic security industry and it has a loyal pool of customers. What would you like to say to Ness Corporation clients?

NC: That’s easy. Firstly, I’d like to convey my sincere gratitude to our customers their loyalty, particularly through the difficult times. Secondly, I’d like to communicate to them my vision of consolidating Ness Corporation into their total solutions provider. Ness Corporation’s success is inexorably tied to that of our customers and my desire is to collaborate closely with them so that we may grow our businesses together.

“Ness Corporation’s success is inexorably tied to that of our customers and my desire is to collaborate closely with them so that we may grow our businesses together”

 

Naz Circosta