Security technology manufacturer Centurion Systems has brought previously outsourced manufacturing back from Asia to South Africa, expanded its local factory operations to double night shifts, upgraded its production lines and increased its exports to 72 countries, as global demand for security-focused gate automation products continues to rise.

Centurion Systems marketing manager Mark O’Brien told Engineering News on January 14 that the company had repatriated production that was previously handled by partners in China and the Philippines in order to regain control over manufacturing processes and support local employment.

“At Centurion, we are proudly South African, from the inception of an idea all the way through to marketing the product. This year marks the fortieth anniversary of us being in South Africa. We are a global brand now and we trade in 72 countries around the world,” he said.

Centurion Systems, which designs and manufactures gate automation and entrance control products, operates from its manufacturing facility in Johannesburg and primarily supplies the residential market, with additional products for commercial and industrial access control. The company’s product range includes gate motors, access control systems, boom gates, access remotes and more.

O’Brien said the company’s growth had required a significant expansion of local manufacturing capacity. He said the factory, which had been developed through continuous investment over time, now operated double night shifts to keep up with demand, something that had not been required previously.

“We decided we want to control everything here, but also create more job opportunities so we can control the processes. We brought everything back and the factory and the production staff turned that around within a year,” he said.

The company said manufacturing automation had been introduced alongside workforce development, with the aim of improving production consistency and efficiency rather than reducing headcount.

According to O’Brien, automation had focused on repetitive tasks, allowing employees to be retrained for more skilled roles within the factory environment.

“With all the advancements, all the technology is fantastic, but without the team in the factory behind it, getting behind them, it means nothing,” he said.

Centurion Systems said all its products were developed in South Africa, from early-stage research and development (R&D) through to prototyping, testing and manufacturing. Products were trialled and beta tested locally before being released to market.

“We take it from an inception idea, through R&D, through marketing, feedback from the market . . . all the way through. We develop and prototype, we manufacture and trial and often beta test all our products,” he said.

Product design has been influenced by South Africa’s security environment, with the company incorporating safety and monitoring features intended to reduce unauthorised access. These include sensors that monitor movement at both the motor and the gate, as well as mechanical and electronic solutions designed to prevent forced entry.

“South Africa is definitely a unique market, and one of the things we trade on is safety. Unfortunately, we live in a country with a lot of violence and crime,” O’Brien said.

Centurion Systems was acquired by international automation group FAAC, which has supported the company’s international expansion and access to new markets, in 2016.

O’Brien said growth had been strongest in Africa, South America and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation region, with export volumes increasing steadily.

“We have done very well over the last ten years and we have expanded our markets,” he said.

Centurion Systems’ current production is focused primarily on residential gate automation, although it also supplies commercial and industrial entrance control products.

Manufacturing in South Africa now serves both the domestic market and international customers, with ongoing investment in factory systems and processes to support further growth.