It seems we have a few private equity firms are moving into our industry? Both Pelco and the security part of Panasonic have been acquired.
Transom Capital Group who describe themselves as an operations-focused middle market private equity firm, acquired Pelco from Schneider Electric. Russ Roenick, Managing Partner at Transom, said, “As most security industry experts know, Pelco is one of the pioneers of the video surveillance space. The journey toward creating the next great breakthroughs in video security begins today. We have conviction that the work done over the past several years to transform the Company into a digitally-savvy security leader with innovative hardware, software, and service solutions is nearly complete.” And Jean-Marc Theolier, CEO at Pelco, said: “As we surveyed the landscape of potential partners, our primary goal was to commit with a company who appreciated Pelco’s legacy, as well as supported our current business strategy and growth plan. Transom strongly believes in our unique value proposition to be an end-to-end solutions provider, and has encouraged us to continue doing what we do best! We are excited to work with Transom, and to develop new and innovative solutions to best serve our business partners.”
In October Panasonic will set up a new company to operate its security systems business in Japan and overseas, and it has reached an agreement for co-investment with Polaris Capital Group. As part of Panasonic’s Connected Solutions Company, the security arm has a roughly 60-year history of developing security cameras and devices and more recently combining these with software such as facial recognition. What else did they say … rising global demand for security and safety … a field forecast for growth … will build on the strengths … strengthening its solutions capabilities with proactive alliances and M&As (mergers and acquisitions) … centered on the North American market. Its North American company (PSSNA), and the security camera factory in China (did you know that?) will become subsidiaries of the new firm. Cameras and software will stay under the Panasonic brand. Panasonic sales companies in other regions including Europe will sign sales agreements with the new firm.
Those movers and shakers, so let us start no less with Geoff Gritton. You may know has been in the industry for many years; since the late 1990s to be exact, with Thruvision, Veracity, Razberi and Indigo. He has joined Facewatch as their Sales Director.
Martin McGrath has just left Tyco Security Products after eight years and joined Milestone as a channel business manager for the UK and Ireland. Martin has also been in the industry for a long time since 1992. He was a security surveyor for Securicor Alarms, in the good old days of the security surveyor, do we still have them? Or are they now called security consultants?
Lynne Allen from Manchester has left Aiphone after four years to join TDSi as their distribution channel manager, Lynn has also years in the industry starting at Video Controls in 2001. Aiphone have not been slow in replacing her as Sarah Barnes has now joined based in the north, Sarah for the last three years she has been in business development for Quality Essential Distribution and VIS Systems. She worked for Norbain for 14 years.
Thinking Space have appointed a new international sales manager, Darren Allen. No relation to Lynn I assume. Darren has worked in the control room market for the past eight years and specifically working for other console manufacturers.
Taking of ‘up North’ Grantfen (set up in 2000, and an IP security integrator) tell me that Mark Barnett is sales director based at the company’s head office in Preston. Mark has almost 30 years of industry experience and has held sales director and other senior positions at Initial, Chubb, Niscayah, Stanley Security and more recently VSG. James Jenkinson has become design manager. James started life in the industry as an apprentice in 1997 and then became an engineer at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. He has gained technical support and design skills at Norbain, Vivotek and most recently as technical bid manager with VSG.
Next ST
I hope to see you guys and everyone from the region at our next Security TWENTY event in the Principal Hotel in Manchester on Tuesday, July 2. We have a great line up of speakers for the conference plus over 70 stands in the exhibition room. It’s free to come along and we promise to keep you fed and watered. It’s a great opportunity to network, learn about something new, meet old friends and I promise you it will not be a waste of your time. So it’s a deal then?! See you there.
