It's been nearly eight years since a terrorist's bomb ripped through the bottom floors of New York's World Trade Center complex, and forever changed the way Americans think about security at work and home. And there's no question that the 1999 Columbine High School tragedy sparked increased security concerns at schools and universities.
The commercial, industrial, institutional and residential security installation markets are booming. Electronic security, a fast-growing offshoot of the mainstream low-voltage wiring business, has become a $16 billion market. Security wiring is a logical extension of the core power wiring business for electrical contractors. Jim Lucy's article on page 12 offers five common sense tips for contractors to tap into the lucrative security market, using expertise garnered from other installations.
Meanwhile, the residential security installation market remains the smallest but fastest-growing market. The market grew more than 30% in both 1998 and 1999 - Analysts expected the home market to crack the $1 billion mark in 2000. See Mike Harrington's article on page 13 for the details.
Some electrical contractors are not only getting into the low-voltage arena, but are actually installing security wiring. E-J Electric Installation Co., Long Island City, N.Y., is responsible for wiring security systems in the World Trade Center, perhaps the most security-conscious high-rise building in the world. Amy Fischbach's article on that installation, "Towering security," begins on page 14.