Securitas Purchases 2 More U.S. Firms

Securitas, the world’s largest security services company, bought two U.S. rivals for $202 million in cash, as the Swedish company continues its acquisition spree to sustain growth. Securitas, which earlier this year bought Westlake Village-based Pinkerton’s Inc. of the U.S., acquired Oakland-based American Protective Services Inc., and Boston-based First Security Corp. “The acquisitions of these two well-established, high-qualitative regional market leaders is in line with our ambition to reach regional leadership in the American security markets,” said Thomas Berglund, chief executive at Securitas. The Stockholm-based company, which last year bought European companies with $800 million in sales, aims to expand U.S. sales by 50% in the year ahead. It hopes to grab a market share of as much as 20% in U.S. regional markets. Securitas would become the largest security company in the U.S. West and the Northeast, gaining a market share of 14% and 19%, respectively.