Thoughts on why there is so much variation in security products utilized around the world. Particularly focused on differences between the U.S. and Europe with focus on Holland.

As Business Development VP at Sloan Security Fencing, it would like to share information about security products and methods that I have encountered in my travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa - as well as different parts of the U.S.   

As these products are discussed, keep in mind that my company can help you execute any security projects you have in mind. From design to installation, Sloan has worked on projects ranging from nuclear projects to international airports at locations both remote and urban accross North America. 

As I had been in the perimeter security construction business for a significant bit of time when I first came to Holland in 1999, I was just naturally drawn to the products used in this industry that include fencing, gates, barriers turnstiles, etc. and was amazed at how different it all looked from my experience in the U.S. Not satisfied to just observe differences, I was determined to understand why designs and methods were so different.  Coming from the U.S. I guess I assumed there would be little difference as I thought all of the possible designs and most effective methods were in use already in the U.S.

I was definitely mistaken or wrong, although I prefer mistaken. 

To begin with, it becomes obvious to anyone that carefully inspects their surroundings, there is almost nothing one can point at which you can honestly say that we use this exact same thing in the exact same way in the U.S. as you use it in Holland or in any other country that is found outside North America.  This statement extends to fencing and gates as much as it does to politics, light fixtures, city planning, transportation methods, and any of the thousands of other aspects of life that we encounter on a daily basis.  The vast differences between societies have been the result of hundreds of years of development where there has been little outside influence beyond the basic ideas that have made it accross international boundaries. With the crumb of the basic idea, such as metal mesh fence, the idea gets manipulated by the influences of architects, industry experts, end users, influential trends, engineers, manufacturers, inventors, marketing teams, and product installation professionals producing variations in the products until the original ideas are no longer readily apparent. 

For the design professional, it is an eye-opening experience to see all the variations that can appear after the process of perfection takes place in another culture for many years. Ideas that may be new and fresh in one culture may be in use in a very mature form after having been in use for 50 years or more in another culture.   These variations are certainly present when looking back and forth at the variations in perimeter security products on opposite sides of the Atlantic.  

For the security professional, there is a wealth of information and ideas one can glean when visiting another culture and seeing how they respond to their threats with solutions and practices. New solutions can be found that may be used against thieves in one country but may be a new and effective tool to be used against terrorists in another country. I intend to explain some of these aspects in this blog to perhaps share information that may be difficult to gain without spending an extensive amount of time in Europe.   

Looking at these differences and analyzing them is the point of this blog and I hope you enjoy the discussion. Your responses are welcome of course.

More on the more obvious differences in the next posting....