Allied Universal acquires Apollo International

SANTA ANA, Calif. and CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa.—Allied Universal, a national facility services company and security force with over 140,000 employees, has acquired Apollo International, a security company with corporate headquarters in Walpole, Mass., and a global office in New York.

Allied Universal CEO Steve Jones told Security Systems News that Apollo has been a strategic partner for quite some time.

“Apollo is a company that I, as the CEO of Universal at the time, had a personal relationship with the owners dating back years and years,” said Jones. “When we were a much smaller company [at Universal], we had a strategic partnership whereby they would service accounts in areas that we weren't and vice-versa, so we were excited when the opportunity came up to have a discussion with them about acquiring their entity and putting it into Allied Universal.”

Jones said that the deal makes sense on many levels, particularly in respect to expanding Allied Universal's footprint in the Northeast.

“From a strategic perspective, it is a super nice fit in the Northeast, and it strengthens our platform in both New York and Boston,” he said. “It also provides us some opportunities to enhance our national account platform with some blue-chip national accounts that they service.”

With a presence in 30 U.S. states and select global markets, Apollo International provides uniformed security officers, concierge/desk attendant services, investigations, special operations, competitive intelligence, risk management consulting, vulnerability assessments and other security/asset protection programs in many of the same vertical industries that Allied Universal serves. With annual revenues of $88 million and 3,400 employees, the privately owned entity has been in business since 1990.

Apollo International was recognized this year as the second largest Vietnam veteran-owned Massachusetts company, based on employee count. Apollo International chairman and founder Dennis Crowley and CEO Dick Ryer served together in Vietnam in 1966 and had committed to a future venture together, a commitment that led to Apollo International 26 years ago.

The acquisition of Apollo International comes on the heels of the merger of Universal Services of America and AlliedBarton Security Services to form the new Allied Universal and combine best practices, experience and expertise to benefit clients and employees.

Jones said that the Apollo deal is “the first of a handful of acquisitions that will follow, specifically companies that fit nicely into a strategic niche for us or we have a strategic relationship with,” he explained. “The long-term goal is to build the world-class leader in security services and if we find a company that can strengthen us in a vertical market or niche or strengthen us with people, processes or programs, we are going to take a good hard look at it.”