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Armor Security
diversifies, enters mid- to high- end market with buy of Able
Alarms
BY CHELSIE
WOODS
PHOENIX-After
seven years of concentrating on the mass-market segment of the
security industry, Jonathan Willis, proprietor of Armor Security,
expanded the company's reach by buying Able Alarms here in
January. The deal marks the company's first entrance into the
mid- to high-end residential and commercial
markets.
"I'm a
firm believer you've got to grow or you've got to go," said Willis,
president. "The acquisition of the Able name was an important
acquisition for us; we wanted to diversify."
Besides entering a new market, the acquisition gives Willis a
company with 26 years in business and a solid reputation. He
declined to release the purchase price for the company, but said the
deal included the company's name, building lease and assets,
including office furniture and equipment.
Able's niche, said Willis, is commercial systems, such as CCTV, fire
and access control. On the residential side, he said the company
targets the mid- to high-end residential segment, with an
average system price between $800 to $ 1,000.
The
acquisition now gives Armor two branches in the Phoenix area, doing
business under two different names and targeting different
markets.
Still, Willis intends to start mass marketing systems through Able
Alarms. It's going to use the mass marketing to pay for the
day-to-day expenses, then it's going to use the large
residential customer, along with commercial, to continue with a
steady growth pattern," he said.
Between Armor Security branches and subdealers who work for Willis,
an authorized master dealer of Protection One, the company now
averages 600 alarm installations a month.
Willis expects monthly installations will reach 1,000 by the summer.
This follows the opening of an Armor Security branch in Columbus,
Ohio, in March and the anticipated opening of additional branches in
Sacramento, Calif. and Ann Arbor, Mich. Bob Layman partnered with
Armor to open the Columbus branch, which employs eight people. He
estimated within three months the location will average 40 to 60
installations a month.
"I feel
Columbus has a lot of growth potential, "said Layman, general
manager. "The city has a very strong
economy."
Willis said the key to his company's success is expanding from
within the corporation and offering employees the opportunity to
partner with Armor to open a location in a new market.
"There's a lot of talented people out there. A lot of them will come
work for you for money ... but when they have an acquisition
opportunity, they're more dedicated to the role," he said.
Armor owns branches in five states, Ohio, Michigan, California,
Arizona and Illinois. Between branches and subdealers, the company
is in a total of 25 markets.
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