History of Digitize: From Telegraph in 1977 to Fully Modern Fire Alarm Monitoring

Founded in 1977, Digitize is the leading designer and manufacturer of proprietary fire and security alarm monitoring systems. Let's walk through the many technological evolutions in our long history in this industry:

The Digitization of Telegraph Signals was a Breakthrough

Punch Tape Receiver

Our founder, Abraham Brecher, created a breakthrough technology that allowed alarm signals from fire alarm street boxes, previously decoded using a Punch Tape Receiver, to be digitally decoded instead.

Municipal Governments Lined Up to Install Digitize Equipment

The city of Philadelphia was the first municipality to recognize this design innovation and awarded Digitize a contract to apply this vision. Baltimore, Newark, Chicago, Sacramento, Boston and Providence soon followed. Digitize enjoyed spectacular growth throughout the late 1970’s and 80’s—and gained national press attention in 1983 when INC. Magazine named Digitize as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States.

Digitize Acquired Complementary Technology Companies

As acquisition fever swept the nation in the 1980’s, Digitize made a few select purchases of its own: the Eagle Signal Radio line and the Douglas Randall Radio Box line were purchased from Gulf and Western and Walter Kidde Company, respectively.

By 1986, global demand for Digitize products spurred the inception of Digitize International to serve as our systems integrator for large-scale projects and our primary vehicle for the development and launch of major innovations, including the new Digitize International Mesh Data Communication Network.

The System 3505 has Evolved Many Times to Monitor a Changing World

The System 3505 Prism LX is our eighth-generation flagship alarm monitoring system. Its 1989 predecessor, the System 3000, was a product that allowed Digitize to significantly increase its customer base.

Digitize builds value into each incarnation of our core monitoring system through customer-focused enhancements. Recent years have seen the Remote Annunciator, the Test Mode Option, the Text-2-Cell Option, Q-Mux, Muxpad II, AlarmLan, VersAlarm, and Wireless Ethernet Mesh Sentry.

Our adaptation to evolving technologies, as well as our ability to interface with a wide variety of other manufacturers’ equipment, has allowed Digitize to maintain leadership of a highly competitive niche market.

Expanding Sales to Education, Government, Military, Industrial, and More

Today, Digitize’s target markets have expanded from municipalities to include universities, military, government, industrial, transportation, high-rise buildings, water treatment facilities and sanitation stations.

Some of our most noteworthy customers include Harvard, MIT, and Cornell, the City of Boston, several NASA Facilities, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Bath, Norfolk and Bremerton Naval Ship Yards, Idaho and Oak Ridge National Labs, the New York City Subway, JFK Airport and PATH system.

We are very proud to be associated with this caliber of clients.

Strong Distributor Relationships Help Us Deliver Both Products & Great Service Worldwide

Exceptional distributors have played a key role in our growth - and in reaching the high-profile clientele we serve.

Together, the Digitize Design and Development Team continue to revolutionize the fire alarm monitoring industry

What Do You Need Us to Build For You?

Now you know a bit about our history. We've routinely invented new technologies throughout the decades. Each time, it's because there was a real-world need from a client like you.

So, what is it that you need Digitize engineers to create for you? Give us a call at 1-800-523-7232 or email us at info@digitize-inc.com