Hearing Security Solutions

Hearing Security Solutions

Audio is a vital component in the security industry. For years, companies have focused on video, trying to perfect image capture, data storage and analytics. While many security manufacturers based their products and value proposition in visual monitoring, one man did not. Louis Weiss saw a need to create a high quality microphone that was far better than the typical audio equipment that was housed inside cameras.

Driven by his passion for audio and electronics, Louis Weiss founded Louroe Electronics in his garage in Van Nuys, Calif. in 1979. The company incorporated in 1981, and later Weiss hired his first employees and engineer. By the late 2000s, the Louroe team occupied a 17,000 square foot building and exported audio solutions to 34 countries. When Weiss passed away in 2009, his nephew, Richard Brent, was asked to lead the company.

“I always admired my uncle’s work with Louroe Electronics and the great people and products he got to interact with each day,” said Richard Brent, CEO of Louroe Electronics. “I was honored to be given the opportunity to continue his legacy and lead Louroe as it entered this new stage of growth.”

Brent added a wealth of knowledge in advocacy to the Louroe team. Prior to joining the security company in 2009, Brent worked for Caterpillar’s Solar Turbine Inc. for 24 years. Much of his notable achievements occurred when he was director of government affairs and based in Washington, D.C. Brent influenced the adoption of several components to energy policies like The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. He also chaired multiple committees including the World Alliance for Decentralized Energy.

Weiss’ nephew instilled a passion for collaborating with government officials and organizations in Louroe. Under Brent’s leadership, Louroe has participated in a number of domestic and international security initiatives that have resulted in an explosive growth in sales. In 2012, the United States Commerce Department invited Louroe to represent the United States on a trade mission to Mexico. Because of the partnerships that were formed from that trip, Louroe’s sales increased by 1,200 percent in the Mexican market. A year later, Louroe was awarded the 2013 Export Achievement Award at the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce’s 87th Annual World Trade Week. In 2014, Louroe Electronics, along with 17 exportready companies, joined Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker on her firstever trade mission.

“We couldn’t have accomplished the increase in our business without the value of the International Trade Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce. This is a prime example of our government’s commitment to putting our tax dollars to work for the public,” Brent said.

Throughout 2014, Brent represented Louroe on more trade missions to Mexico, Panama and Colombia, and participated in the U.S.-Mexico CEO Dialogue—a coalition of Mexican and American business leaders who meet to discuss how to enhance economic growth for the two countries. By the end of 2014, Louroe was exporting more than 100 products to 50 countries.

Brent has not only used his expertise in government affairs to benefit Louroe Electronics, but also to advance the security industry. He is committed to having Louroe actively participate in meetings that will shape policy, standards and regulations for security. For this reason, Louroe continually partners with thought leaders and organizations like the Security Industry Association. In fact, Brent was tasked with chairing the planning committee and conference for SIA’s 2014 Government Summit.

Louroe has hit some impressive milestones when it comes to trade, but what makes Brent truly proud is the fact that Louroe is an American manufacturer.

“We are deeply gratified to be able to keep the manufacturing process inside U.S. borders,” said Brent. “We love being able to provide jobs for residents in our community and we’re happy to do our part to advance the Los Angeles economy.”

Since its inception, all of Louroe’s products have been made at its headquarters. Each solution is tested by a staff member to guarantee the technology is functioning properly.

Another defining attribute of Louroe is its audio technology.

The company’s signature product is its Verifact line of pre-amplified microphones, complementing base stations and communication accessories that provide audio output to interface with other security devices. The microphones are known for their sensitivity, omnidirectional capability, easy installation and compatibility with recorders, cameras and IP video systems. Louroe’s solutions have earned multiple awards. Most notably, their IF-PX power extractor won “Best Commercial and Monitoring Solutions” at ISC West 2013.

Louroe’s audio devices are frequently integrated with video surveillance and access control systems to provide additional evidence, alarm verification, crime deterrence, and real-time response. Many end users in the retail industry are also using the microphones to monitor business operations. For example, a store manager can listen live to an employee’s interactions with a customer, which in turn helps him to know how to improve their customer service, enhance their employee relations and increase their loss prevention efforts. The audio systems are also commonly used in the commercial, education, transportation and law enforcement industries, just to name a few.

Since the audio surveillance market is a lesser known vertical within the security industry, Louroe is not only dedicated to selling their product, but also to educating their peers on the value of audio.

“We want to lead the way in minimizing the false perceptions of audio as a ‘Big Brother’ device or a mechanism to invade privacy,” Brent said. “Instead, we want to shed light on the issue by disseminating truths about how audio increases security, deters incidents and provides insights that improve business operations.

“Audio is too valuable a preventative tool for security professionals not to use it,” he said.

This article originally appeared in the May 2015 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities