Singapore headquartered Certis, has been operating in the UAE for over a decade and has offices in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The company employs more than 1,800 staff and Certis is considered one of the top ten companies in the security services sector in the UAE. “We estimate that there will be increased demand for commercial security, particularly manned security detail, over the next four to five years, throughout the UAE. We have been growing our security services division steadily and recently expanded our operation into Abu Dhabi,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.

“However, to become a major player in the UAE security services market, we needed a substantial presence, to compete for major contracts that require substantial manpower which on occasions can come with short term mobilisation. Acquiring Certis now affords us that presence and flexibility, as well as a competent and experienced security workforce. “We have also inherited a very impressive portfolio of blue-chip customers, which gives us the opportunity to present our unique smartwatch security system, as well a broader range of sustainable and innovative of FM solutions,” he added. 

Turning to the practicalities of the acquisition, the Certis trademark will be rebranded as Farnek with personnel from Certis’ offices already relocated to Farnek’s head office in Dubai and office in Abu Dhabi. Certis employees will stay in their current housing complex, before moving into Farnek’s $41 million, state-of-the-art, staff accommodation centre in Dubai Investments Park. The facility, which has been fast tracked and already has the shell construction completed, will be ready for employees to move in by October, and will provide the smartest and the most energy, water and waste-efficient facility of its kind in the region.

Farnek has invested well over one million dollars into research and development to advance, amongst other tech-driven initiatives, its multifunctional smartwatch technology. The Android watch is programmed, coded and developed in-house and provides attendance and incident reporting as well as call facilities. All watches are connected to Farnek’s state-of-the-art command centre, to pinpoint the exact location of guards and provide them with real-time updates. Recent market figures from research outfit, Frost & Sullivan, have estimated that the Middle East commercial security market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5% to $5.6 billion by 2022.

The research indicated that demand for IP-based video surveillance systems, access control and intrusion detectors would continue to drive the market, which is supported by increased government spending on infrastructure projects and the introduction of new and more stringent regulations, creating additional market opportunities.

“Offering a well-trained and tech savvy workforce is essential, new age surveillance is all about automation, intelligence, and resource efficiency. We are currently focusing on command and control room solutions, body cameras and Mobile DVRs, time & attendance solutions with Cloud management and video door phone systems,” added Oberlin.