Shenzhen Howell Advanced Technology Co., Ltd. is now a core brand under Anxin-China Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 01149.HK ). With over 10 years experience and development, beginning with front-end data collection, transmission to the back-end data storage and processing. a&s China Best Buys talks with Wang Bo, President of Howell to learn and gain an in-depth view of the company’s development plans for the future.
Shenzhen Howell Advanced Technology Co., Ltd. is now a core brand under Anxin-China Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 01149.HK ). With over 10 years experience and development, beginning with front-end data collection, transmission to the back-end data storage and processing. a&s China Best Buys talks with Wang Bo, President of Howell to learn and gain an in-depth view of the company's development plans for the future.
Howell has several production lines, with a large number of its own intellectual property rights and core intelligent products, including video capture card, high definition analog cameras, digital network high definition cameras, network digital video recorder, data storage, vehicle surveillance warning systems, intelligent traffic security monitoring systems and video transmission products. The company has many patents and technology is in the leading ranks of global security companies.
Acquisition Brings
Opportunities Although Howell has been acquired and is now part of Anxin-China, the company still retains its separate entity. In January 2012, the company were officially acquired and enlisted as one of the core brands of Anxin-China. The acquisition has without a doubt brought its opportunities and benefits for the company. “In today's society, capital means opportunities,” said Wang Bo, General Manager of Howell. “Through this acquisition, we aim to expand the scale of our business and develop new technology. “Furthermore, with Anxin's well established corporate image and branding, this can also benefit us as we can gain market recognition much quicker.”
In the increasingly competitive Chinese security market, obtaining resources and talent has become challenging. However, according to Wang, with Anxin-China's well established connections, this has brought countless opportunities in terms of talent, resources and business opportunities. This cooperation can leverage benefits for both sides while Anxin-China owns the foreign technology and Howell has the manufacturing capacity to coordinate.
Core Product Line and
Technology For different industry and end users, Howell customize a series of surveillance solutions known as Intelligent Surveillance System (ISS). The ISS includes both general surveillance solutions and specific surveillance system requirement such as financial sector, education, Safe City as well as customized solution for intelligent surveillance, such as vehicle surveillance warning system and mobile law enforcement solutions. Its enhanced intelligence surveillance solution brings great convenient to the user, satisfying users' different demands and simplifying installation and usage. “The ISS is applicable domestically and globally,” added Wang. “With continual updates in technology, the ISS will enhance users' experience.”
Apart from ISS, Howell also have emergency system solutions. “Intelligent surveillance, disaster alert and rescue coordination (ISD) is our newest solution and one of our leading products we are promoting” said Wang. ISD includes intelligent video analysis, emergency resource information management and emergency rescue platform. These solutions are targeted particularly at the mining industry and environmental surveillance.
The company has also acquired the intelligent video surveillance technology from Israeli company - MATE, who are technology leaders who specialize in intelligent analysis. Therefore, the appearance of new devices with intelligent functions can be expected in the near future. “Intelligent systems we believe is the future trend, therefore this is one of the main priorities for Howell,” said Wang.
Market Direction
Wang pointed out that being a market pioneer is not something Howell is aiming to do. To Wang's opinion, how to follow the right market trend is more important. The company has already well developed and accumulated ample experience of product design and manufacturing from China's market.
“We believe our experience in China provides us a concrete foundation when we go internationally,” said Wang. “But breaking into the international market is still not easy for us. Therefore, our strategy is creating more added-values to our partners, providing quality products with our core-technology - intelligent functions. Offering “me-too” products and low value are not the way for us. Besides, we can offer customized products and solutions cater to different customer's requirements.”
“Coopetition”
With intensified competition in the security industry and homogenous products maintaining a competitive edge and how to distinguish from other Chinese suppliers is vital. “Howell will continue to develop and we will follow our own path,” said Wang. “Depending on who the competitors are, if the competitors are small businesses then obviously our size is already an advantage. In terms of larger business competitors, we need to demonstrate our strengths and where their weaknesses are.”
However, in current market, it is not likely that one supplier can do everything on their own. It requires collaborations with other suppliers at certain stage. “With the acquisition, we have become more open and welcome competition or collaborations,” said Wang. “Today's market requires diversified products and we do believe that there is always a room for each other.”