(AFP Photo)
By Nasrin Ramses, Muhammad Ala al-Din and Muhammad Fowzi
Security systems and surveillance cameras have recently become essential items for mobile phone and currency exchange companies, in addition to gold and jewellery stores operating within Egypt, and many companies located within the Tahrir Mall have recently started buying a large numbers of surveillance systems.
Experts say that sales of such devices have gone up 60% in the last two years, with prices generally varying from anywhere between EGP 800 and EGP 5,000, sometimes going as high as EGP 20,000. A number of transportation and communication systems companies have also purchased large numbers of alarm systems and surveillance cameras during this time.
Fathi Khalil, sales representative with the surveillance camera and alarm systems company “GUARD”, stated that in the last two years company sales have increased 60%. Whereas before the January 25th revolution many considered such products as precautionary devices, since then many companies have come to view such surveillance systems as a necessity.
He stated that currency exchange companies, mobile phone distributors and local bank branches are among the largest purchases of new surveillance systems, with demand increasing significantly over the last year.
Samir Wagihi, the owner of the Touch Security, a security systems company, stated that sales for surveillance cameras have increased significantly since after the revolution, selling more than all other alarm and surveillance systems technologies.
He stated that most stores operating within Egypt have begun to consider ownership of such cameras a necessity, a result of increased rates of theft and armed robbery occurring throughout the country. He stated that most of his clients are owners of exchange companies, gold and jewellery stores and mobile phone distributors.
Prices for cameras sold by Touch Security varied between EGP 1000 and EGP 7000, with some selling for as much as EGP 10,000, he said. Prices for cameras are determined by their overall quality, such as whether they possess a precision lens or e-link system.
Wagihi added: “as the saying goes, what is bad for some is good for others, however recent increases in sales do not reflect a stable upward trend for the industry as a whole, as sales usually increase when protests are set to occur, or immediately before. On the other hand we sometimes experience periods lasting for months at a time where sales are extremely low.”
Sherriff Al-Ashmawi, a sales representative for the security systems and camera division within the company Aman, stated that demand for surveillance cameras has increased over the last two years, mostly among currency exchange companies, mobile phone distributors and gold and jewellery stores. He refused to give details regarding the total amount of company sales, saying only that sales were doing well when compared to previous periods.
Translated from Al Borsa
