Archive: April 2002
John Walsh signs as new SAI spokesman
April 1, 2002Andrea Gura
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Va.-One of the Fox Network's most prominent celebrities has become Security Associates International's new spokesperson in a deal that will likely include direct on-air promotion of the Security Associates name to a vast television and print consumer audience.
John Walsh, host of Fox's popular America's Most Wanted and company officials appeared together at SAI's annual dealer conference held in early March to announce the deal. SAI management and officials from Consumer...
SAI, King in dispute over $1.75 million
April 1, 2002SSN Staff
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-A $1.75 million note receivable issued by Security Associates International during merger talks between that company, King-Monital and SecurityVillage last spring is the subject of a dispute between King, now Criticom, and Security Associates.
The note was in connection with Security Associates' purchase of assets of Security Village in conjunction with the three-way merger, which would have combined two of the three largest wholesale monitoring companies and a technology...
Monitronics sees a second capital funding round in 2002
April 1, 2002Andrea Gura
DALLAS-Monitronics International Inc. in March announced that it had recapitalized the company with an additional $90 million from thirteen banks and five different investment entities. This marks the second time in a year the company has received an infusion of capital to grow its dealer program and expand the amount of
funding available for account acquisitions, company officials said.
The latest installment increases the monitoring company's capital base to $500 million, funds that will likely...
Digital poised to take over the CCTV market
April 1, 2002SSN Staff
Lower cost, a greater selection and a series of transitional products have spurred the interest, say some.
Whether the transition comes as quickly as a couple of years, or is stretched out over a longer period, manufacturers concur the move to digital systems for recording and storing CCTV data is under way.
Several factors, including lower cost, increased capability, greater selection and a series of transitional products that bridge the gap between analog VCRs and digital recorders, have spurred...
Siedle, AcSys deliver face recognition
April 1, 2002Chelsie Woods
BROOMALL, Pa.-AcSys Biometrics Corp. and access control manufacturer Siedle North America recently partnered to incorporate AcSys' Face Recognition System with hardware from Siedle.
Integrators and installers are expected to be able to purchase the product line created as a result of the alliance beginning in April. The line uses Holographic/ Quantum Neural Technology and is referred to as HNeT.
"We were looking for the best solution out there," said Al-exander Matos, executive vice president at...
Telular and Sonitrol announce distribution agreement
April 1, 2002SSN Staff
VERNON HILLS, Ill.-Telular Corp. and Sonitrol Corp. have agreed to distribute Telular's Classic series of UL-listed back-up products through Sonitrol's franchise network of more than 150 dealer locations. The celluar back-up products, called Telguard Classic, are expected to increase sales for Sonitrol due to affordable pricing and ease of installation, according to a recent press release.
The products communicate wire-lessly over existing cellular networks. The Telular products connect to Sonitrol's...
Mallon & Associates to establish $100 million fund
April 1, 2002Chelsie Woods
NEW YORK-Investment banking firm Mallon & Associates is in the process of setting up a $100 million private equity fund that would invest in the security market, perhaps making it the first fund of its kind for this market.
The money would come from a number of private equity funds, with a private equity firm hired to disperse funds. Mallon & Associates is orchestrating the deal and would identify companies to invest in, handle the due diligence, structure the deal, oversee it and design the exit...
Lantronix, Motorola invest in Xanboo home automation system
April 1, 2002Andrea Gura
NEW YORK-Xanboo Inc., a developer of home automation technology, in late February announced that it had received investments from two companies that will allow Xanboo to build its in-home management system.
Lantronix Inc., a hardware and software provider for remote infrastructure management and network-enabling technologies, led a round of investing in the home automation company that raised $20 million in Series B Preferred Stock. Motorola Ventures, Motorola Inc.'s investment arm, and Virata Corp....
SAFE and SAFE Financial move to new headquarters
April 1, 2002SSN Staff
SAN RAMON, Calif.-SAFE and SAFE Financial have moved into a new 35,000 square-foot building here which is more than three times larger than the company's previous facility located here.
Paul Sargenti, chief executive officer of both SAFE and SAFE Financial, said that the new facility will allow the company to serve its current customers more efficiently with updated data processing and telecommunications technologies.
The decision to expand was also driven by an aggressive growth forecast and strategy...
Newspoll Results
April 1, 2002SSN Staff
We sent a newspoll to our Security Systems News Newswire subscribers asking them what they think about Tyco's plan to purchase DSC. Here's the question we asked, how people responded and comments some of you made.
Question: What type of an impact do you think Tyco's planned purchase of security product manufacturer DSC will have on the security industry if approved by federal regulators?
51% - Very Significant
39% - Significant
7% - No impact
3% - No opinion
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"Frankly, I'm very concerned...