Video surveillance pioneer acquired

Two companies, focused on leading-edge video solutions for industrial and automation applications, join forces to expand the market

Industrial Video and Control (IVC), a leading supplier of cameras and video systems for industrial, military, and commercial applications, announced the acquisition of Longwatch. IVC, based in Newton (MA US), is known for its industrial camera systems that incorporate ruggedized cameras and state-of the-art video management software.

Operator Console Recorder
headline in Read-out (2009)

Longwatch’s Video Surveillance system, first introduced in 2005 to water treatment and power plants, is able to transmit video over existing instrumentation networks at speeds as low as 9600 baud. Longwatch has since established itself as the leader in integrating video with industrial SCADA applications. Its Video Historian automatically links video with various user databases (including data historians). Its most recent innovation is the Longwatch Console Recorder, which records industrial control console displays and enables easy playback for troubleshooting, operator training and regulatory compliance.

Synergies
“The acquisition of Longwatch is a great opportunity for IVC,” said Norman Fast, CEO of Industrial Video and Control. “It establishes us as the clear leader in industrial video applications. Longwatch’s leading edge software in SCADA video and remote monitoring will be a major addition to our product line and will bring extraordinary value to manufacturers and commercial users,” he added.

Stephen Rubin, CEO of Longwatch, stated, “IVC makes cameras and enclosures specifically for rugged applications as demanded in process and manufacturing industries. Together, IVC and Longwatch can now deliver leading-edge solutions that deliver value that standard camera integrators cannot touch. The know-how and service capability of IVC combined with their cameras and our software brings a totally integrated, reliable solution to customers.”

Moving Forward
IVC will maintain the Longwatch brand and operate the company as a division of IVC. According to Norman Fast, the plan is to make both companies’ product lines interactive while building on the Longwatch brand, leveraging its reputation for innovation in remote monitoring and process control. IVC’s Relay Server, which interfaces with a multitude of cameras, will interface with Longwatch’s Video Control Center – the software that drives the Longwatch Viewer, ActiveX controls for video integration, as well as the Video Historian. Longwatch’s Video Engine, which provides “at the edge” recording of events and video, will also provide video streams to the IVC Relay Server.

IVC also plans to add support of its extensive camera offering to the Longwatch environment. IVC manufactures and sells pan-tilt zoom, fixed, auto-zoom, and manual zoom cameras that incorporate the latest in imaging technology. Their industrial cameras are suitable for the harshest weather and environmental conditions; some models have been certified for use in Class I Division 1, Class I Division 2, and ATEX (inherently dangerous) environments.

See also our blog The Next HMI revolution (November 2009)