Security Screening in 2026 and Beyond: The Right Solution for the Right Environment
The geopolitical landscape demands greater security — but above all, smarter security. Learn moreThe security reality has shifted dramatically in recent years. Conflict, terrorism, and social instability are placing mounting pressure on both public and private organisations to strengthen their security posture. Arenas, cultural institutions, trade fairs and public venues must take protective security seriously — not merely as a legal obligation, but as a genuine responsibility.
Yet a critical question is rarely asked: Which solution is right for our organisation — and what does it truly cost over time?
The Security Screening Market Is Broader Than Ever
Baggage X-ray machines and walk through metal detectors (WTMD) are time-tested solutions with decades of development behind them. They are precise, well-regulated and remain the right choice for many environments — particularly in aviation, where passenger screening demands deep inspection and strict protocol compliance.
And the market is not standing still. Leading manufacturers are integrating AI into image interpretation and threat detection, faster conveyor systems are reducing throughput times, and automated screening of liquids and electronics continues to improve. X-ray technology is evolving and, in the right application, remains a highly capable solution.
But the security screening landscape has broadened. Alongside the traditional baggage X-ray and WTMD based model, a new generation of screening solutions has emerged — systems built on fundamentally different principles and designed for different operational environments and requirements.
When Flow, Experience, and Scalability Drive the Decision
For many organisations, the central challenge is not simply detecting threats — it is doing so without creating bottlenecks, long queues, or an experience in which visitors feel treated as suspects rather than guests. In sensitive environments, that experience also raises legitimate questions about personal privacy.
Cultural institutions, sports arenas, convention centres, trade fairs and large public events handle thousands of visitors within compressed timeframes. Throughput speed is becoming as critical as detection capability. A security checkpoint that halts the flow creates dense crowding at the entrance — which is itself a security risk, not a mitigation of one.
Visitors walk through without stopping, opening bags, removing belts, or taking out their phones. The system flags anomalies automatically.
Next-generation AI-driven screening solutions are designed precisely for these environments. Visitors walk through without stopping, opening bags, removing belts, or taking out their phones. The system flags anomalies automatically — the operator manages exceptions, not the routine flow. The result: fewer operators handling more visitors, at maintained or improved detection levels.
AI and Staffing Optimisation – A New Equation
Staffing requirements in security screening have traditionally been treated as a fixed variable: more checkpoints mean more personnel, full stop. Modern AI systems challenge that assumption — across all technology platforms.
It is not about replacing people. It is about deploying their skills where they matter most.
In X-ray environments, AI-assisted image analysis reduces operator cognitive load and improves accuracy. In walk-through screening, AI identifies patterns and prioritises alerts, dramatically reducing false alarms — and with them, the time operators spend responding to non-threats.
What modern solutions share is this: they free human capacity for the tasks that genuinely require human judgement — complex situations, visitor interaction and incident management. It is not about replacing people. It is about deploying their skills where they matter most.
High staff turnover is a reality in the security industry, and it carries a cost. Training, certification, and onboarding are recurring investments. Systems that reduce operational dependence on large headcounts therefore contribute directly to stabilising the OPEX picture over time.
ROI: Model the Full Five-Year Picture
The most common mistake in security investment decisions is comparing the purchase price of equipment — rather than the total cost of ownership (TCO) over time. CAPEX is visible and easy to budget. OPEX is often underestimated and accumulates quietly.
A thorough TCO analysis should include: initial investment, installation and integration, staffing costs (headcount, training, turnover), maintenance and service, operational downtime, and — frequently overlooked — the cost of lost throughput and a degraded visitor experience.
The single most significant variable in the cost picture is staffing. A solution requiring three to five operators per checkpoint, per shift, generates an OPEX trajectory that is difficult to contain — regardless of the underlying technology’s capability. This is not a statement about technology quality; it is a statement about the fit between the chosen system and the organisation’s staffing structure and budget.
TCO
€2.8M
Saved over 5 years. Replacing 4 WTMD lanes and 3 baggage X-ray systems with a single Apstec free-flow screening solution.
Throughput
people/hour
+56% more throughput
Staffing
operators vs.
15 operators
-73% fewer operators
Operating cost
%
for staff & service
Lower your operating expenses.
Leasing – When Capital Is Better Deployed Elsewhere
For many organisations, a substantial upfront CAPEX commitment is not the optimal model. Security equipment competes for the same capital as property investments, IT systems, and business development.
Leasing security solutions provides a predictable OPEX cost, eliminates depreciation complexity, and allows organisations to benefit from technology upgrades without being locked into a single hardware generation. It is a particularly well-suited model for organisations with seasonal visitor patterns – event companies, cultural institutions, and exhibition organisers that do not require full capacity year-round.
A pilot installation during a single event or season also provides an opportunity to validate ROI in the organisation’s own environment – before committing to a larger investment.
Designing for the Visitor – Security as Part of the Experience
A security checkpoint is often the very first point of contact a visitor has with an organisation. It sets the tone. Regardless of the technology deployed, the design of the checkpoint – how it is positioned, how operators communicate, and how flow is managed – is fundamental to the overall impression.
Next-generation screening solutions are built to be as unobtrusive as possible: good look and feel, smooth passage, minimal friction, no queues forming at the door. That is not a naïve aspiration – it is a strategic one. A visitor experience that begins well increases satisfaction, dwell time and ultimately revenue for the venue.
Security and experience need not be opposing forces. They can – and should – coexist seamlessly.
Conclusion: The Right Solution for the Right Environment – and the Right Cost Model Over Time
There is no universal solution in security screening. AI-enhanced X-ray systems with high-speed conveyors are, and will remain, the right choice in many environments. But for organisations where visitor flow, experience, and staffing optimisation are central parameters, it is worth examining what the market now offers beyond the traditional model.
Those who conduct a thorough TCO analysis — one that incorporates staffing costs, training, personnel turnover, and flow impact — often arrive at a very different conclusion than those who compare only the price tag on the equipment.
Geopolitical pressure is not easing. The demand for protective security is growing. But there are today strong options available to meet that demand with solutions that are more efficient, more scalable, and more cost-effective than anything the market offered a decade ago.
Niclas Gustafsson
Group CEO & Chief Commercial Officer
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