An Alarm Express employee attends the opening of the new Corpus Christi, Texas branch.
By Ashley Willis
DALLAS — Expanding its footprint in the Southwest, wholesale security products distributor Alarm Express has opened two new offices in Corpus Christi, Texas and Fort Worth, Texas.
The expansion is a result of the company acquiring its competitor Alarmline Distribution last year, Alarm Express President Jynae Floyd tells SSI.
"It was a great opportunity for us to help a friendly competitor who was ready to get out of the industry," she says. "It made sense for us to purchase a distributor that already had stores set up and ready to go. It was a win-win for both parties."
The addition of the two offices allows Alarm Express to offer a speedier turnaround to its 2,000 dealers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Offering access control, CCTV, central vacuum, fire protection, home theater, intercom, intrusion alarm, and structured cabling and wiring products, the 19-year-old company offers products from 800 vendors.
Among the most sought after technologies by its dealers are CCTV, intrusion detection and wireless security products, Floyd says. The trend is not a big surprise as more homeowners are seeking to integrate their security systems with home automation products.
"The advancements in technology that allows users to integrate every system in a building together — such as HVAC or CCTV systems — have really pushed intrusion detection market," she says. "Right now, we're starting to take a look at different home automation product lines to see what fits best for our company."
Additionally, Floyd notes that as commercial building construction has come to a halt, many Alarm Express dealers have focused their efforts on commercial building renovation. But even as dealers have adjusted their business plans to the ever-changing economic climate, Floyd says many dealers are struggling to compete with larger businesses.
"Our customers are having difficulty with getting advanced technology in their hands quick enough to stay competitive," she says. "There are also challenges with dealers being educated in new products and finding new ways to capture recurring monthly revenue [RMR]."
To help dealers expand their portfolios with new RMR services, Alarm Express offers half-day training courses once a month at all its locations. Integrators can also earn continuing education units (CEUs) by attending the courses. Among the training offered are NAPCO fire certification and other courses related to integrating systems.
"Our slogan is 'Smarts, not just parts,'" Floyd says. "While we search for products that build an opportunity for RMR for our customers, we do in-house tech support and one-on-one training for our dealers when necessary. Our hands-on knowledge is what sets us apart from our competition."
Ashley Willis is associate editor for SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION. She can be reached at (310) 533-2419.