Electronic Security Association Launches Research Center
The initiative will provide custom macroeconomic tracking and a monthly industry performance index for security integrators.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- Jun 02, 2026
A new economic intelligence hub will soon provide specialized data and market forecasting tailored specifically to the electronic life safety and security ecosystem.
The Electronic Security Association announced the launch of the ESA Industry Research Center. Run in partnership with macroeconomic forecasting firm Beacon Economics, the research center is designed to provide security integrators and dealers with data to guide business decisions.
Christopher Thornberg, chief economist for the association and founding partner of Beacon Economics, will lead the center. The core initiative of the program is the ESA Industry Performance Index, a composite score ranging from 0 to 100 that will measure the overall health, capacity and trajectory of the electronic security sector.
Rather than relying on general economic indicators, the index will track security-specific data across four key metrics:
- Business Activity and Market Growth: Monitoring project backlogs, revenue trends, mergers and acquisitions and sales velocity.
- Workforce Capacity and Pressure: Tracking hiring timelines, vacancy rates, wage pressures and the skills gap involving artificial intelligence and technical field roles.
- Revenue and Business Model Health: Evaluating profit margins, contract quality and transitions toward recurring revenue models.
- Technology and AI Adoption: Assessing cybersecurity readiness, connected systems integration and the pace of modernization.
The Industry Performance Index is scheduled for official release in July.