Viking sells fire-alarm business to U.K.-based Kentec

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--Viking Corporation, a manufacturer of fire suppression products, on April 22 announced an agreement to sell the assets of its subsidiary, Viking Electronic Services--which makes fire alarm systems, remote annunciators, VESNet virtual panels, addressable smoke and heat sensors and other products--to VES LLC, a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Kentec Electronics, a U.K.-based manufacturer of fire control panels. Details of the transaction were not disclosed, but the sale is expected to close by the end of April. "As Viking Electronic Services developed and grew its line of eLAN engineered fire alarm systems, its success took it in a different business direction from that of Viking and Viking's core sprinkler and suppression businesses," said Tom Groos, chairman of Viking, in a prepared statement. "It was then decided to look for a progressive organization with the technical expertise to continue with what has been developed, expand further on the technology and take it to the next level. Kentec became that logical new owner." Kentec will add the Viking eLAN fire alarm systems, remote annunciators, VESNet virtual panels, addressable smoke and heat sensors and other products to its offerings. Viking will continue to service those products until the deal closes, and most VES employees will remain with Kentec's VES LLC following the sale. The U.S. headquarters of VES LLC will remain in King of Prussia, Penn. For more details on this story, see the June issue of Security Systems News.