Protec Inc. - Experts & Thought Leaders

Integrated security manufacturer TDSi is pleased to announce its forthcoming appearance at ISC West (International Security Conference & Exposition), which takes place at the Venetian Expo, Las Vegas, the USA from 22nd-25th March 2022. TDSi will be joining its fellow VITAPROTECH Group sister company, perimeter intrusion detection systems manufacturer Protech USA, on Stand 8050 at the event to showcase its latest products, including the powerful, secure, and highly flexible GARDiS integrated access control software and hardware ecosystem, along with OSDP and SSCP Readers with TDSi partners Farpointe Data and STid. Entering the market  TDSi’s upcoming appearance at ISC West follows its introduction to the North American market at GSX Orlando TDSi’s upcoming appearance at ISC West follows its introduction to the North American market at GSX Orlando in September last year. TDSi’s Managing Director John Davies will be part of the team attending ISC West this year and commented, “We were very excited to be introduced to potential partners and customers in Orlando by our colleagues at Protech USA, it was a perfect opportunity for TDSi to make an entrance to the market." Manufacturing access control solutions "We are looking to capitalize on this in Las Vegas, to speak to other potential manufacturer partners, expert systems integrators, and installers, as well as customers looking for high performance and value from their access control purchases.”   Proud to develop and manufacture its comprehensive range of access control solutions in the UK, TDSi exports its products worldwide and works closely with other manufacturing and installation partners across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and China. Introducing GARDiS range in North America GARDiS range provides a fully integrated set of software and hardware solutions that are for any size organization The company is looking to expand its market reach and presence in North America as a key part of the VITAPROTECH Group offering. The flagship TDSi GARDiS range provides a fully integrated set of software and hardware solutions that are perfect for any size of an organization. This includes controllers and a broad range of readers, including contactless Bluetooth Low Energy and proximity readers, which are available in Mifare, DESfire, and Standard Proximity versions. Using a cloud-based software-centric approach, GARDiS features easy upgrades and bespoke configurations for virtually any application.   Access Control as a Service approach John added, “We had a highly positive response to our solutions at GSX Orlando, with GARDiS’ ability to deliver a powerful but highly cost-effective and thoroughly flexible Access Control as a Service approach being particularly of interest to visitors.” Established in 1982, TDSi has a long and impressive history of delivering technical excellence, with robust and cost-effective solutions that are designed and built to address real-world needs. John concluded, “We are thrilled to be engaging with the North American market and ISC West 2022 is the perfect opportunity to meet with our team, to learn more about our access control solutions portfolio, and to explore the opportunities to work together as we all look to move on from the challenges of the last few years. If you are attending ISC West come and visit Stand 8050, myself and the team will be delighted to see you.”   

ADT, the provider of security and automation solutions for homes and businesses in North America, today announced it has completed the purchase of substantially all the assets and business of Protec, Inc., one of the leading commercial security system integrators in the Pacific Northwest. The acquisition reinforces ADT’s commitment to continued growth within the commercial and national accounts security sectors. The transaction closed on July 31, 2017. Expanding ADT Support And Service Dan Bresingham, ADT’s Chief of Staff, said, “This acquisition strengthens ADT’s commercial and national accounts business, which continues to grow both organically and through strategic acquisitions. Protec not only bolsters our presence in the Northwest, but also allows us to add additional support and service to new and existing commercial and national account customers throughout the country.” “The commercial and national accounts security market remains highly fragmented, presenting a compelling growth opportunity for ADT. In addition to a strong account base, the addition of Protec’s exceptional management team brings tremendous value to ADT,” added Bresingham. “This acquisition strengthens ADT’s commercial and national accounts business, which continues to grow both organically and through strategic acquisitions" Post-acquisition Service The business will continue to operate under the Protec brand for the foreseeable future, and will retain operations in Portland, Oregon. Protec Founder and President Andy Schwartz will continue to lead the day-to-day operations of the business, joining a growing list of previous owner/operators that have stayed on board with ADT to provide high-touch personal service to their customers post-acquisition. “We are thrilled here at Protec to be part of the ADT family,” said Schwartz. “What really sets Protec apart is our experience and individual commitment to our customers. By joining forces with ADT, Protec’s highly-trained and tenured staff will be able to offer expert advice, custom-designed security solutions, and quality installation to an even larger footprint – all backed by the power and prestige of ADT.”

Perimeter security is the first line of defense against intruders entering a business or premises. Traditionally associated with low-tech options such as fencing, the field of perimeter security has expanded in recent years and now encompasses a range of high-tech options. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the latest trends in perimeter security technology?

ADT Inc.’s acquisition of Red Hawk Fire & Security, Boca Raton, Fla., is the latest move in ADT Commercial’s strategy to buy up security integrator firms around the country and grow their footprint. In addition to the Red Hawk acquisition, announced in mid-October, ADT has acquired more than a half-dozen security system integration firms in the last year or so.  Here’s a quick rundown of integrator companies acquired by ADT: Protec, a Pacific Northwest commercial integrator (Aug. 2017); MSE Security, the USA’s 27th largest commercial integrator (Sept 2017); Gaston Security, founded in 1994 as a video surveillance integration company and whose services have since expanded to include intrusion, access control, and perimeter protection (Oct. 2017); Aronson Security Group (ASG), which delivers risk and security program consultants and offers advanced integration services, consulting and design engineers and a National Program Management team (March 2018);  Acme Security Systems, among the largest privately held security systems integrators in the Bay Area, focusing on electronic security systems, access control, video networks and more (March 2018); Access Security Integration, a regional systems integrator specializing in design, delivery, installation and servicing of electronic security systems including enterprise-level access control, video and visitor management solutions, perimeter security and security operation command centers (Aug. 2018); In addition to their moves in the commercial integrator space, ADT has also sought to expand their presence in cybersecurity with the following two acquisitions: Datashield, specializing in Managed Detection and Response Services (Nov 2017); Secure Designs, Inc., specializing in design, implementation, monitoring, and managing network defense systems, including firewall services and intrusion prevention, to protect small business networks from a diverse and challenging set of global cyber threats (Aug. 2018). ADT has acquired more than a half-dozen security system integration firms in the last year or so For additional insights into ADT’s game plan and the strategy behind these acquisitions, we presented the following questions to Chris BenVau, ADT’s Senior Vice President of Enterprise Solutions. Q: ADT has been actively acquiring regional integrators this year – more than a half a dozen to date. Please describe the history of how ADT came to embrace a strategy of acquiring regional integrators as a route to growth? ADT's acquisition of Red Hawk is set to close in December, and brings premiere fire and life/safety solutions BenVau: Our acquisition strategy started at Protection 1 when we embarked on our journey to build out our commercial and national account business and add enhanced integration capabilities to our portfolio. The merger of Protection 1 and ADT brought that foundation to ADT which up to that point was primarily a residentially and SMB-focused company. After the merger, we set out to identify and acquire additional regional integrators that would continue to build on that foundation and deliver enhanced technical solutions, advanced technologies and an expanded service, install and support footprint. Through our acquisitions we now operate two Network Operations Centers and three Centers of Excellence. We are also unique in the industry with the number and variety of certifications, like Cisco and Meraki, our engineers hold which ultimately allows us to offer Managed Security as a Service. They have also enhanced our operational capabilities. Q: What criteria do you use to evaluate whether an integrator is a good “fit” for ADT? BenVau: First and foremost, we look at the culture of the companies. The companies that we target for acquisition must be metrics- and customer service-driven. Secondly, we look at the leadership teams. ADT view their acquisitions more like mergers and take a patient approach to integrating them into their business We have been fortunate in the fact the leadership of the companies we acquired remain with us today in key management and executive positions helping to drive continued growth within their organizations. We also evaluate their current customer base, unique solutions and their ability to complement and enhance our portfolio with the goal of becoming a leading full-service, enterprise commercial provider. Our acquisitions have bolstered our network capabilities, brought enterprise risk management services, and a broader solution set in high-end video and access control solutions. Our most recent acquisition – Red Hawk, set to close in December – brings us premiere fire and life/safety solutions. Q: What changes are typically needed after an integrator is acquired in order to adapt it to the ADT corporate model? BenVau: We view our acquisitions more like mergers and take a patient approach to integrating them into ADT while taking into account their culture. We want to ensure that we find the right positions for their people, embrace the right messaging and put the right processes in place. We acquire these companies because they are the best in their respective businesses and geographies and bring their knowledge and experience in markets or with solutions that we may not have had previous access to. ADT can support clients with their own in-house technicians which helps to ensure a consistent security program Q: How can regional integrators benefit from the ADT brand? Have your newly acquired integrators realised additional growth? BenVau: The companies we have acquired, generally, have exceeded expectations and surpassed initial goals. ADT brings expanded opportunities for these companies as well with our national footprint. Our National Account Sales Team has seen impressive growth over the years and are only limited by our ability to deliver. These integrators help to deliver on that. In the past, the regional players may have had to rely on sub-contractors to service their larger clients. With ADT, we can now support those clients with our own in-house technicians which helps to ensure a consistent security program across multiple locations.Our National Account Sales Team has seen impressive growth over the years and are only limited by our ability to deliver" Q: Are additional integrator acquisitions planned this year and into 2019? How much is enough and when will it end (or slow down significantly)? BenVau: We expect to close on our latest acquisition, Red Hawk, before the end of 2018. Red Hawk brings a national footprint focused on fire/life safety and security to ADT. While ADT already had a robust security offering, Red Hawk will contribute significantly to the fire side of the business. In addition, we will continue to evaluate the companies in the industry to determine if additional acquisitions make sense. Q: Do you expect greater consolidation of the integrator channel in the industry as a whole? Why is this a good time for consolidation? Is it a good M&A market for buyers like ADT? BenVau: We will continue to evaluate companies in the industry to determine if further acquisitions make sense. As for the industry, we can only speak for ourselves. Q: What other trend(s) do you see in the industry that will impact ADT (on the commercial side) in the next year or so, and how?Our focus is on investing in our field organization, in particular our service technicians, engineers and project management teams" BenVau: Networking is a big one. As we continue to drive integration of devices and services, from AI, “the cloud,” machine learning and even analytics, there will be more focus on the network they ride on. A deeper knowledge of network design, bandwidth impact, and system integration will be critical. As part of our acquisition strategy, we focused on talent to add to the team and have been able to add to our bench strength in this area. Q: Any other comments/insights you wish to share about ADT’s strategy, future, and role in the larger physical security marketplace? BenVau: Our focus is on investing in our field organization, in particular our service technicians, engineers and project management teams. The cornerstone of our success lies in our ability to deliver outstanding customer support and service. It starts with sales and the ability to deliver security and life safety technologies, but it ends with a delighted customer who partners with us to help secure the things that matter most to them. Our recent acquisitions have more than doubled our commercial field operations teams and are key to establishing the ADT Commercial brand as a leading full-service provider of enterprise solutions to the marketplace.