Access control system sales will rise to $4.5 billion in 2019

IHS expects that global electronic access control systems, excluding those from China, will grow at a rate of 6 to 8 percent per year through 2019, reaching $4.5 billion in annual sales. In 2014, the electronic access control market rose by 6.3 percent and was valued at $3.1 billion. Geographically, the Americas, dominated by the US and Canada, is predicted to be the largest market in 2015, with about $1.35 billion in sales. It will be followed by EMEA, led by Western Europe, with around $1.25 billion in sales.

One of the key drivers for growth is the increasing adoption of smartphones and other mobile devices that act as authentication devices. While the technology is used in niche applications now, IHS forecasts mobile credentials to become a "mega trend" globally over the next few years. Initial installations will focus on the hospitality/resort segment to allow visitors quick access to hotel rooms and facilities, but expect that SMEs and larger enterprise clients will follow as they create processes for existing workers and facilities.

Lastly, the decrease in price for biometric access control, especially in iris and facial recognition, is expected to help to drive the market, especially for governments and large enterprise purchasers. IT departments continue managing and integrating electronic physical security components. As these departments become more comfortable with electronic security, access control systems will increase significantly.