N.H. firm seeks 'the way life should be'

BIDDEFORD, Maine - Looking to further increase its business across New England to address a high demand for fire systems, East Coast Security Solutions has opened a new office here in January. The new location is the second for the full-service security provider - with the other office located in Salem, N.H. With the location up and running, the company, which currently employs 17, services Maine, New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. Mark Dufour said the decision to open a location in Maine stemmed upon an increased demand for fire installations. “There seems to be a growing need for fire protection in the area,” Dufour said. “Southern Maine is bustling right now.” The increased interest in fire installs, said Dufour, comes largely from The Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island in 2003, an event that killed 100 people. “Since Sept. 11 and the Rhode Island fire, life safety has been brought into the forefront,” Dufour said. “Fire marshals and inspectors around New England are much more aggressive in their inspection process, checking to see that all commercial buildings are code compliant.” Dufour said updates in fire codes in the New England area, including Maine, have also made business opportunities in the fire systems market readily available. Launched in 1990, the company began by installing security alarms as well as some fire and small camera systems. Today, 75 percent of its business is high-end commercial, fire systems and access control projects, according to Bonnie Flynn, vice president of operations at the company. She said the company’s success is due to its strong reputation in its current service areas. “I think our continued growth is directly related to our reputation, which is based upon integrity and professionalism,” she said. “Our customers have learned that we don’t oversell them, instead we try to design a system that meets their needs.” Plans are for the company to expand into more markets. “We would like to continue our growth into the Maine area,” Flynn said.