Top 10 Security Stories From May 2019: Monitronics to File Chapter 11, Tariff Impact & More
May’s most popular security news, features and events, featuring Monitronics’ bankruptcy plans, a fire-safety product warning, acquisitions and more.
While this month’s top security stories feature a variety of topics, there is a remarkable similarity between May 2019 and May 2018 specifically worth noting — both feature a notable company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Last year, it was Arecont Vision. This year, it is Ascent Capital Group’s wholly owned subsidiary Monitronics Int’l.
Arecont would end up being purchased by Costar Technologies, and has since been on a roll, expanding its product lineup and partnering with rep firms across the country.
Monitronics has had an interesting path to its Chapter 11 filing. In the Fall of 2016, the company announced it would be rebranding itself as MONI. The brand was marketed to consumers and supported by direct-to-consumer sales and customer support, allowing MONI to sell custom solutions into the home, as well as nurture the company’s dealer network by showing consumers the strength behind the individual dealer brands, according to then MONI Senior Vice President of Operations Bruce Mungiguerra.
Less than two years later, MONI announced it would rebrand again, this time as Brinks Home Security, after entering an exclusive trademark licensing agreement with The Brink’s Co.
Will Monitronics be able to right the ship as Arecont did last year? We’ll have to wait and see. Stay tuned to SSI for insights about the bankruptcy filing from industry experts.
In home automation news, the industry received a major shakeup at the beginning of May when two of the biggest names in home automation and integration, Control4 and SnapAV, announced they would be merging to form one big home-technology company. The merger would allow SnapAV to be a true one-stop shop for home-technology pros.
You can learn more about these stories and everything else that was popular in May by viewing the slideshow.
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About the Author
Steve Karantzoulidis, Web/Senior Editor
Steven A. Karantzoulidis is the Web Editor for Security Sales & Integration. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a degree in Communication and has a background in Film, A/V and Social Media.
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