Disruption in the Contract Hardware space

We are the technology provider at the edge of the door

I’m Byron Whetstone the CEO of American Direct and recently there’s been some fairly extensive conversation and speculation about disruption in the contract hardware space.

We have told you previously that we believe American Direct is a real disrupter in the channel and the channel disruption is really what is occurring the disruption underway includes the channel but it also includes the manufacturers of the products we sell because the argument is totally focused around who owns the door. Manufactures build products that they want us to sell and they want us to discuss specifications but our clients want to talk about things like what’s the performance of the technology, what’s going to happen at the edge of the door, what’s going to happen with the electronics. How about the surveillance, what about the credential. Many of those conversations don’t have a lot to say about a manufacturer’s specifications.

Today I think systems integrators or systems integrations in a plural way have a lot to discuss about what is going to happen with a contract hardware relationship and again the conflict, the discussion, is who owns the door. Who’s going to provide the products that provide the solution, the technology solution, at the edge of the door? I just want to make sure that you understand from from American Direct standpoint the new reality in our business is that we are the technology provider at the edge of the door.

The technology provider not only with electronic locking products, surveillance and credentials but also with technology design for the feature set that is most important for the way the building operates the way the building functions. Today we’re the only company in the space that has an access control platform that has a systems commercial integration business that is extensive with a national footprint and we’re also one of the top legacy contract hardware distributors in the U.S.

When you talk about those three in concert and you talk about the speculation of disruptions, the disruption is completely and totally real.  American Direct is going to be the driver in this hybrid distribution channel and I hope you will look to us for total security solutions thank you