business news / acquisitions The Acquisitions Calendar for January – February 2019 The beginning of a year is often an intense period for acquisitions in the physical security market. 2019 is no exception. In this issue we present a chronological breakdown of some of the main acquisitions this year up until the end of March 2019. January Assa Abloy signed an agreement to acquire Keyper Systems, a supplier of electronic and mechanical key management systems in the US with a strong presence in the automotive segment. “The acquisition of Keyper Systems enhances our global product offering in this area and will provide synergy opportunities in North America and other markets,” says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of Assa Abloy. Keyper Systems was established in 1993 Assa Abloy President & CEO, and has approximately 25 employees. The Nico Delvaux head office is located in Harrisburg, North Carolina. Sales for 2019 are expected to reach about USD 22 million with a good EBIT margin. Motorola Solutions, Inc. acquired VaaS International Holdings, Inc. (VaaS), a data and image analytics company based in Livermore, California and Fort Worth, Texas. Motorola Solutions paid a purchase price of $445 million in a combination of cash and equity. VaaS International is a video analysis-as-a -service company, providing data and image analytics for vehicle location. The company’s image capture and analysis platform – which includes fixed and mobile license plate reader cameras driven by machine learning and artificial intelligence – provides vehicle location data to public safety and commercial customers. Its subsidiaries include Vigilant Solutions for law enforcement users and Digital Recognition Network (DRN) for commercial customers. The company’s 2019 revenues are expected to be approximately $100 million. Verint Systems Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire Foresee, a cloud voice of the customer (VoC) vendor. The Verint-Foresee combination aims to create a comprehensive omnichannel cloud VoC portfolio and an analytics-rich offering that will allow organisations to better measure and understand customer experiences and prioritise the improvements that will have the greatest business impact. Securitas Transport Aviation Services USA has acquired Global Elite Group, a security services provider to the aviation industry in the US. The purchase price is approximately MUSD 22 (MSEK 200), contingent upon reaching certain targets. Global Elite Group is based in Garden City, New York, and specialises in providing high level security services to various airlines, airports and airport related customers. The customer base consists of more than 60 commercial airlines and numerous general aviation clients. The growth pattern in the company has been solid over the years with total sales expected to be MUSD 32 for 2018. The number of employees is approximately 1,050. Securitas runs a twofold strategy in the US aviation market, addressing both the federal government with passenger and baggage screening for the Transportation Security Administration, as well as security services for the commercial market such as airlines, airports and airport related customers (e.g. cargo). The estimated market volume for the latter, i.e. the commercial market related to 450 airports, is between BUSD 1.3-1.8. Convergint Technologies acquired MTS Security in Dublin, Ireland. MTS is Ireland’s largest independently owned security systems company, supplying a single-source solution to clients in the U.K. and Europe. MTS Security brings Convergint 87 experienced colleagues, all of whom will be joining the Convergint organisation. With a focus on complex enterprise solutions, MTS has built strong relationships with many global customers throughout Europe, including those in the technology, retail, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets. February Rugged, reliable, and field-proven, Aeryon’s Skyranger UAS are rucksack portable and can be deployed in minutes by a single operator. Flir Systems acquired Aeryon Labs, a developer of high-performance unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for the global military, public safety, and critical infrastructure markets for $200 million. Aeryon’s vertical takeoff and landing quad-copter airframes integrate multiple sensors, including Flir thermal technology, to provide users with immediate high-resolution intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability. Based in Waterloo, Canada, and with offices in Denver and Salt Lake City, Aeryon Labs was founded in 2007 and is a leading designer and manufacturer of mission-focused Group 1 UAS solutions built around aircraft under 20 pounds. Aeryon’s family of UAS are deployed by 20 militaries in over 30 countries around the world, including the United States Department of Defense. Aeryon develops UAS solutions that includes hardware, embedded software, ground control stations, sensors, software for flight operations, as well as supporting services for its global customers. “The acquisition of Aeryon Labs reinforces our long-term strategy to move beyond providing sensors to the development of complete solutions that save lives and livelihoods,” said Jim Cannon, President and CEO of Flir Systems. “This acquisition, coupled with our acquisition of Prox Dynamics in 2016, greatly increases our unmanned systems solutions capabilities, expanding beyond nano-UAS into Group 1 UAS solutions for military. We intend to continue to invest and build this area of our business and broaden our capabilities as we view unmanned and autonomous solutions to be a significant opportunity for organic growth in the coming years.” Continuing on page 22 → Security News Every Day – www. securityworldmarket.com 20 • d etektor internati onal