• New West Midlands partnership will allow security product to go from local to global
• Investment demonstrates commitment to British engineering and manufacturing
• Potential business growth to benefit local community

West Midlands-based security company – Zicam Industries Group Ltd – is a brand that has a 25 year pedigree of delivering high-tech security solutions. So when they heard about neighbouring business – Image4Security – who had designed, engineered, manufactured and brought to market its own innovative security product, Zicam decided to approach them with an investment opportunity that would benefit both businesses with a complete rebrand as Engineered by Zicam.

Dave Salisbury, Managing Director at Zicam, said: “We believe in having a strong local network in order to support the economy, provide employment and see growth in the area; that’s the position we came from when we looked to acquiring a percentage of Image4Security. And because what they’ve developed is a great product.”

The new product is ‘Guardsman’ – a security barrier designed after Product Developer and Director, Patrick Batham, watched a video showing a thief stealing a motorbike from a garage. “As a bike owner myself, it was shocking to see how quickly and easily he was able to roll the machine out and get away. A bike can be stolen in as little as 12 seconds and that statistic along with the video inspired me to design a product that would prevent theft happening” said Patrick.

Joined by son-in-law and Operations Director, Dave McGinnity in 2019, the pair set about designing a barrier that would prevent the theft of, not just motorbikes from garages or outdoor buildings, but also cars and machinery, even vehicles up to the size of a tractor. After 12 months of prototyping and testing they had a highly marketable product.

Guardsman is a telescopic barrier designed for use on garages that have either a roller door or an up-and-over door. Designed for optimum height, the barrier is also easy to use, with operation taking just seconds; its telescopic design also means it’s easy to store, requiring minimal floor space. Since launching in 2020, the product has become a success with bikers across the region with around 500 units manufactured and installed so far.

Dave Salisbury explained why the partnership was so important for his company: “We’re both in the industry of protecting people and their property so there was a natural correlation between our businesses, but more than that, we believe in the product. It’s been designed, engineered and manufactured in Britain by Patrick and Dave and I’m very passionate about supporting that. With investment from Zicam we can grow the business between us and take the product to a worldwide market.”

Following the success of Guardsman, the company – which will undergo a rebrand to Engineered by Zicam – also launched a barrier specifically designed for garden sheds. The initial two products were quickly followed by ground anchors and security chains and, most recently, the entirely unique Garage Defender that protects against break-ins. The investment will contribute to the development of larger versions of the barrier for industrial units and larger buildings.

Dave McGinnity, said: “The partnership with Zicam has made the potential to expand our customer base on a global scale an achievable goal. It will give us more time to focus on growth to benefit both our businesses and our local community.”