NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With its acquisition of full service electronic firm Security Services, ADS Security (ADS) has added 1,000 accounts to its customer base. Terms of the deal were not released.
Established in 2001, Savannah, Ga.-based Security Services provides burglar and fire alarms, video surveillance, intercommunication systems and telephone entry systems to an 80% residential, 20% commercial customer base. For ADS, which is actively seeking integration companies to acquire throughout the Southeast, Security Services fit right into the firm’s customer-centric culture, according to ADS Vice President and Controller Patrick Ritter.
“Billy Rauers [owner of Security Services] has been a friendly and well respected competitor of ours for a long time in the Savannah market and we are fortunate to now be working side by side with him at ADS,” he tells SSI. “He has a good, seasoned customer base with low attrition. He’s a great business owner that really knows the local Savannah market.”
Rauers and the rest of the Security Services team will remain with ADS and will work out of the firm’s Savannah operations. Ritter says that ADS prefers to keep the acquired company’s work force, as they are already familiar with the clients and installed security systems.
“It makes for a much easier and seamless transition when the owner and the other employees join the ADS team,” he explains.
Although Ritter declined to say how much recurring monthly revenue (RMR) the deal brings in for ADS, he mentioned that new customers will benefit from ADS’ advanced suite of security services, including mobile management and home automation technologies. Additionally, Security Services customers will have access to ADS’ UL-listed, CSAA Five Diamond monitoring center, and the My ADS online customer portal with simple account management and bill pay.
In May, ADS increased its footprint in Tennessee with the purchase of CrimeWatch Security. With Security Services being the firm’s second acquisition in 2013, ADS has no plans of slowing down expanding its operations. In the coming months, it will open a new location in the Carolinas along with plans to close three more deals by the end of the year.
