IT security product firm plans facelift | Bangkok Post: tech

HARDWARE

- Force, a local distributor of information security products, plans to spend 50 million baht on a new office and upgrading employee skills ahead of the launch of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.

The company plans to expand to Myanmar next year but is considering downsizing its office in Vietnam due to poor performance.

Nakrop Niamnamtham, the managing director of nForce Security Systems AP, said the office expansion and skills training are needed to prepare for enhanced competition.

He said the Philippines and Vietnam are more competitive than Thailand in this field due to their lower labour costs and English language skills.

"We have to strengthen our competitiveness to maintain local customers while expanding overseas," said Mr Nakrop.

- Force is entering the high-growth product categories of identity management, back-up and storage, and digital forensic tools.

Mr Nakrop said he expects to see high investment demand in security systems for cloud computing technology, virtualisation data centres and mobile devices.

- Force plans to set up its training security service as a business unit to create a new revenue stream.

The company expects 300 million baht in revenue this year, up by 20% from last year.

In 2010, its revenue was 260 million baht.

Mr Nakrop said nForce expects a 10% market share in the overall enterprise security sector worth 3 billion baht, which would rank it second.

"We plan to become No.1 with a 14% market share soon," he said.

The local enterprise security market grows by 18-20% annually.

- Force also plans to set up a digital signage factory this year after postponing it the past two years due to political tension and floods.

The factory would be a joint venture with 3Ever, a South Korean digital signage manufacturer.