Axis Communications
Swedish network camera maker, owned by Canon since 2015, whose cameras can run on-device analytics such as AXIS Object Analytics and third-party safety applications.
- Category
- Video platform
- Founded
- 1984
- Headquarters
- Lund, Sweden
- Deployment
- Own cameras
- Funding
- Subsidiary of Canon (acquired 2015)
- Focus
- security, manufacturing, warehousing, critical infrastructure, retail, transport
- Website
- www.axis.com
What it does
Axis Communications makes network cameras, access control systems, intercoms, network audio devices and radar for the physical security market. It is a camera and device maker, so it does not sell a dedicated workplace safety analytics product in the way specialist vendors do. Its relevance to safety buyers is twofold. First, many safety analytics vendors read video from Axis cameras. Second, Axis cameras can run analytics on the device itself.
The main built-in application is AXIS Object Analytics, which Axis says can detect, classify, track and count people, vehicles and vehicle types. Its scenarios include object in area, line crossing, time in area, crossline counting, occupancy in area and tailgating. Axis also lists hard hat detection, marked as a beta feature. Axis says the application comes preinstalled on compatible cameras at no extra cost.
Who it is for
Axis serves security integrators and end users across most sectors. For EHS teams, Axis matters mainly when a site is choosing or upgrading cameras, or wants simple rules such as restricted area alerts or occupancy limits without a separate analytics subscription. More advanced safety use cases, such as vehicle and pedestrian near-miss analysis or ergonomic scoring, usually come from third-party software.
How it is deployed
Axis cameras run the company's own system-on-chip processors, called ARTPEC, and an operating system called AXIS OS. Since 2009 the Axis Camera Application Platform (ACAP) has let Axis and third parties install applications directly on Axis devices. Analytics results can feed AXIS Camera Station, Axis's own video management system, or other major video management systems. Safety analytics vendors that work from existing CCTV commonly list Axis among supported brands; Inviol is one example.
Notable public customers and coverage
Axis was founded in Lund in 1984 by Martin Gren, Mikael Karlsson and Keith Bloodworth. Canon offered to buy the company in February 2015 for about 23.6 billion Swedish kronor (roughly $2.83 billion), and Axis shares were delisted from Nasdaq Stockholm in 2018. Axis reported revenue of about 20.8 billion kronor for 2025 and had around 5,270 employees at the end of 2025.
Things to ask in an evaluation
- Which of your safety use cases can AXIS Object Analytics handle on the camera, and which need third-party software?
- Which camera models and firmware versions support the analytics you need, including hard hat detection?
- How are on-camera events passed to your video management system or EHS software?
- If you add a third-party safety vendor later, do they run as an ACAP app on the camera or on a separate server?
- How will you manage firmware updates and cybersecurity across a mixed camera fleet?
- What privacy masking options are available on the camera for areas used by workers?
This profile is editorial and not an endorsement. Safety Tech Review has no commercial relationship with Axis Communications unless stated here. Last reviewed 2026-10-02. Spot an error? Tell us.