Milestone Systems, the open platform company in IP video management software (VMS), has opened a new UK office complete with large demonstration area and training room in Derby in the Midlands. It has also doubled its UK team to six in the last few months and expects to boost this number again before the end of 2011.

Milestone Systems' UK and Ireland Country Manager, Glenn Fletcher, explains the new UK appointments: "Peter Currie joined as regional sales manager covering the south of England including London while Andy Start was recruited as regional sales manager for the central belt of the UK taking in the Midlands, East Anglia, right across to Oxford. Additionally Edward Cutts recently joined as dedicated UK post-sales support manager."
Existing employees now have dedicated remits: Stephen Jones becomes Regional Sales Manager in the North. Glenn Fletcher focuses on general management to help drive the UK region's Milestone growth while Mark Eggett becomes Milestone UK's first dedicated UK pre-sales and systems design specialist to support some of those larger installations which demand a great deal of network design and integration work.

Glenn Fletcher says: "Fulfilling the increased progression of systems convergence from analogue to network IP, Milestone XProtect Video Management Software (VMS) integrates effectively with all sorts of systems including Building Management Systems, Access Control, People Counting, Fire Alarms, Video Analytics and more. With more people on board, we are now able to handle more complex integration support work in the UK - under-pinning our drive into larger camera-count installations."

Milestone Systems UK is offering more certification training to both its Milestone Partners (Distributors and Systems Installers), Milestone Solution Partners (MSPs) and Manufacturing Alliance Partners (MAPs) using its new training facilities in Derby.

Milestone's recruitment drive has come in the wake of an unprecedented year of growth for the global VMS market leader. The firm grew 56% worldwide in 2010 and consolidates its open platform leadership position with the release this year of its highest end XProtect Corporate 4.0 for unlimited numbers of cameras, users and sites, and the launch of its newest entry-level, 8- and 16-camera solution called XProtect Essential NVR. Powered by the HP Z200 Workstation, the NVR solution delivers Milestone XProtect Essential video management software pre-installed, with a three-year warranty. It is designed for the small business market wanting to try IP video, providing fast setup and ease-of-use, proven reliability, and best-of-breed surveillance from established market leaders. Milestone already has clear dominance in the mid-market for VMS with XProtect Enterprise.