HIAWATHA, Iowa – Systems integrator CEC, based here, is settling into a new branch office in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, establishing its third location in Wisconsin.
CEC CEO Matt Dlouhy tells SSI the company’s expanding footprint in the Badger State was necessary in order to serve an increasing customer base following two years of significant growth. The additional office will also allow CEC – a.k.a., Communications Engineering Co. – to provide better service to the area, as well as support clientele with multiple locations.
The new office is in Waukesha, located about 20 miles west of Milwaukee. Privately owned CEC, with eight offices in the Midwest, first entered the Wisconsin market in 2010 after acquiring Green Bay-based A&A Fire and Security, which then had about $5 million in annual revenue.
“A&A also had a small office in Madison and we rolled our entire portfolio up there to augment it. It really kind of exploded. We are now doing around $12 million out of Wisconsin,” Dlouhy said.
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CEC offers solution design, integration and technical services for A/V, fire and security, health-care communications, IT and two-way communications. With about 260 employees, the integrator serves end customers in a range of vertical markets, including business and manufacturing, education, government, health care, hospitality, public safety and houses of worship. It also offers fire alarm test and inspection, as well monitoring services.
Dlouhy points to today’s “vast and varied” security threats as a key driver of growth across vertical markets. Business intelligence is also an important factor that end customers are striving to reap more of, he said.
“As technology continues to evolve and integrate with other technologies, companies are looking for ways to better protect their assets as well as gain efficiencies,” he said. “There are a lot of efficiencies to be gained in current technology. People are looking to upgrade and pick up the new technologies that gain them some type of an advantage.”
