UK-based security and technology provider Panoptes announced its foray into the Indian market with a metal detector for security domain as well as MRI scans in healthcare with an expected turnover of Rs 100 crore in the next couple of years.

Addressing media persons, Panoptes Director Rashy Todd said the idea behind the launch in India was the huge need for security wherever one goes, be it hotels, shopping malls, airports or the metro stations.

‘Security is an important part of our lives and will continue to be so for many years to come. Keeping this in mind, I did a lot of research and entered into an agreement with Metrasens Ltd in England whose product - FG1 security pole - is many years in advance than what we have today,’ he said.

FG1 pole metal detector will be marketed in the country as Panoptes Secure in the security domain and as Panoptes Metrasens under the name Ferroguard in the healthcare regime. In security domain, only one unit will be required but in the case of MRI scans in healthcare, two units would be required to ensure high sensitivity as many accidents happen in MRI rooms of hospitals which go unreported.

The FG1 pole is priced at Rs 6.5 lakh (inclusive of duties) for security and the medical unit Ferroguard is priced at Rs 13 lakh (inclusive of duties), the other Director of the company Mikey Todd said.

Looking at a target of selling 200 units in the first year, Panoptes expected an exponential growth in the next year, he added.

Panoptes Secure India Pvt Ltd was formed four and a half months ago. ‘The demand for this product will be large. We have opened our first office in the country in Delhi NCR and we would need offices for maintenance and services in other cities as well.

Our future plans involve opening offices in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore,’ Mr Mikey Todd said.

The FG1 pole metal detector uses passive sensing technology to provide full body scanning that can pick on hidden mobile phones, knives, firearms and other weapons. Its biggest advantage is that it is mobile and lightweight so that it can be set up anywhere within a minute.

Prototypes were there earlier but the actual technology of the FG1 was developed by Metrasens five years ago in the UK.

UNI