In the Spotlight: ALIA Security

ALIA Security is the Belgian professional association for electronic security and represents installers, manufacturers and distributors of intrusion detection, fire detection, access control and camera surveillance. We speak with Patrick van Liempt who has been secretary general of ALIA since June last year.

ALIA Security

ALIA Security has about 500 members, which represent two thirds of the recognised security companies and about 80% of the total turnover in the market. The association was founded in 2006 as an umbrella structure based on years of close cooperation between AIA, ELOYA, NELECTRA and TECHLINK in the area of certification and the right to offer services of alarm centres and security companies as subcontractors. 

Secretary-General Patrick van Liempt says about the Belgian market: "The Belgian market is a regulated market. This means that every company that installs alarm systems and camera systems must have a licence to operate on the market. In addition, the INCERT quality mark was also introduced in 2002. This voluntary quality certificate for products, installers and monitoring stations, is supported by ALIA Security as well as by insurance companies and stake holders in the security business.” 

Important market

Europe is an important market for ALIA Security. Patrick van Liempt: "We need to follow what is happening in Europe and which decisions are taken at EU level. That is why membership of Euralarm is so important to us. It allows us to keep our finger on the pulse and contribute to developments. It also keeps us abreast of developments in neighbouring countries. We started with self-regulation a long time ago. As ALIA Security we aim to transfer knowledge about new technologies, legislation and standards to our members and raise awareness on a political level towards security and fire safety. Through our membership of Euralarm, we can learn from our foreign colleagues and exchange best practices and information with other countries."

Standards important

When asked about the importance of standardisation in this regard, Patrick van Liempt answers, "Standards are a good tool to regulate the market at national and international level. Each country has its own responsibility, of course, but there is a common set of values that underpin that regulation." 

Patrick van Liempt has been involved with Euralarm since his appointment in June last year. "The cooperation within Euralarm is special. A lot of information is and will be available; useful information that our members also need to be informed about. At the same time, we try to make an active contribution from our members, mainly small and medium sized installation companies. Within Euralarm the large companies are of course important, but the combination of multinationals and smaller companies from the national associations is so unique. Don’t forget that the security business is mainly a local business because of the importance of the service delivered to the customers. That’s why small and medium sized companies are so  important.”