Scott Fraser, SALTO’s new APAC president, tells asmag.com why he's optimistic about the region.
Scott Fraser, SALTO’s new APAC president, tells asmag.com why he's optimistic about the region.
In his new capacity, Fraser will lead key business units in APAC, where
SALTO Systems’ business has grown significantly over the years.
“SALTO Systems was founded in Spain in 2000, and we initially started working with a few partners in the APAC region around 2006. Today we have business units established in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Australia, as well as employees in many countries throughout the region that report to those business units,” Fraser said. “Geographically, this provides a good footprint for the business and allows us to work with customers and stakeholders in virtually all locations.”
With more than 14 years of experience with SALTO, Fraser was MD of SALTO Systems Oceania before he assumed his new position as head of APAC, which he said shares many similarities with Oceania.
“SALTO started the Oceania business in 2007, and it was really a greenfield site; certainly SALTO had no real presence and electronic locking was in its infancy. So, we had a lot of challenges, and it’s been interesting to see the market evolving since this time,” Fraser said. “So, for the wider APAC region, it’s much like Oceania when we started, a lot of challenges, but also huge opportunities.”
Optimism for APAC market
Fraser views APAC with great optimism. The market is known for a user base that actively pursue technological advances. As far as electronic access control solutions go, APAC even takes a dominant position in the globe.
“According to
Coherent Market Insights, Asia Pacific held a dominant position in the global electronic access control systems market in 2020, accounting for more than a 30 percent share in terms of value. So, clearly the APAC market and the opportunities within it are huge,” Fraser said.
Charting growth path
As SALTO Systems’ president of APAC, Fraser now aims to grow business and make further inroads into the region. He named several approaches to achieving this, including leveraging the resources of SALTO’s recently acquired Gantner and developing new marketing campaigns to raise brand awareness.
“With the recent acquisition of Gantner, a global leader in locker systems, we are keen to improve our presence and grow market share in Asia and leverage the synergies that exist between both businesses,” Fraser said. “We are also taking a more strategic approach to the APAC marketing program to ensure we capitalize on the synergies that exist between our business units and explore all options with regards to specific brand and lead-generation initiatives across a number of channels, both online and offline, to ensure we maximize our reach.”
More importantly, SALTO will apply in Asia its ingredients for success, which have to do with not only comprehensive solutions but also quality service and support.
“We are looking at where we are being successful and ensuring we replicate and expand on this where we can, reviewing our geographic coverage and working to ensure we provide our customers with the best possible service and support, typically from local teams and with the backup of SALTO Systems HQ if required,” Fraser said. “No matter the assistance you need, from initial system introduction, to specification, quotations, technical support during installation and commissioning, or ongoing support following deployment, our team is keen to help and ensure we build strong and successful long-term relationships.”
What makes SALTO win out in Asia
According to Fraser, SALTO has various advantages that can help them win out in Asia. The company excels in a wide array of verticals from smart homes to large enterprises. SALTO also has comprehensive solutions to meet the needs in these verticals.
“APAC is a very diverse region in terms of the current products being used, standards and quality requirements, and we understand it’s not possible to take a one-size-fits-all approach,” Fraser said. “SALTO has been the pioneer in electronic locking solutions since we started. This is demonstrated by our relentless innovation, from the SALTO Virtual Network (SVN) and Data on Card, to wireless online locking, cloud solutions and mobile credentials, just to name a few.”
He added: “When you start looking at the options, the cost-benefit proposition of electronic locking systems far outweighs traditional hardwired systems. Especially when you consider we offer solutions for virtually any door or access point type, our products meet the highest standards and are equipped with all the latest technology. So, it’s not hard to see why SALTO should be included in the conversation. Now, with the recent acquisition of the Gantner business, this value proposition is even further enhanced.”
Commitment to APAC
In the end, SALTO Systems eyes the APAC market with great optimism and enthusiasm. Now head of SALTO’s APAC operations, Fraser is tasked with the mission to expand and make further inroads into the market. The ultimate goal is to provide the best electronic access control solutions possible to users in the region.
“The creation of my new role is a clear indication of the importance the region represents to the SALTO Systems business, and we are super excited to have the opportunity to bring the benefits our solutions provide to more customers throughout the region,” Fraser said.