Integration News
Pelco refocusing approach to market

Sharad Shekhar came to Pelco about a year ago as the result of a senior leadership search. His previous leadership roles included major business transformation in the automotive sector — manufacturing, sales, marketing, strategic direction — and he is bringing those skills to bear at Pelco.

The thrust of this new approach is Pelco’s focus on five major markets: Gaming, city surveillance, oil and gas, and air and sea ports. Shekhar says Pelco’s market approach has been too broad in the past, addressing more than 20 verticals. By narrowing that focus, the expectation is that the company will be able to significantly improve its forward momentum and time to market.

“We’ve made some pretty significant journeys in the last year,” says Shekhar, speaking during the ASIS International exhibition in Orlando, Fla. “Those have been, from both a product and market perspective, how fast we bring our products to market and how reliably we do that. That means living up to our commitments to the market. It’s been a very hard transformation, but I think it’s one that we are proud of now.”

The five markets will not be to the exclusion of all else, says Shekhar. The company will continue to make its products available to customers from all markets, but its major efforts, including future product development and channel and partner relationships will be geared towards growth opportunities. Of the five identified, Shekhar sees plenty of potential in all of them. He expects, however, oil and gas will grow the fastest and smart cities will represent the biggest overall gains.

The list was developed in part through consultation with integrators and other partners. “When we gave them the list, they weren’t surprised, they were actually happy about it,” says Shekhar. “Now they know what to expect from Pelco. It’s a more focused message.”

The company is also looking to ramp up its relationship its parent company Schneider Electric. Schneider currently accounts for about eight per cent of Pelco’s sales. Shekhar plans to double that in the next 18 months.

As for the broader transformation, Shekhar feels Pelco is about at the halfway mark — at least in the short term. “That process will never be over,” he says.