Who is buying security and access control businesses? The public companies and PE platforms, with sources

Part of the Security & access control guide: buying, selling, valuation and who is buying.

Security and access control businesses are being bought by three kinds of buyer: public companies, private-equity-backed integrators, and fire-and-security platforms. This article is for an owner who wants to know who might call, and for a buyer who wants to know who they are up against. Every buyer below has a public source. Where a price was not disclosed, we say so. This is an explainer, not advice on any company or fund.

Who are the main buyers of security and access control businesses?

The main buyers are a few large public companies and a group of PE-backed integrators that buy local firms one after another. Here is the list, with the owner and what each one buys.

Our hub on buying or selling a security business covers the sector as a whole: what buyers pay for, deal sizes and how a sale works.

Which public companies buy security businesses?

Public buyers do fewer deals, but bigger ones. They often buy a product line or a whole division from another large company.

Securitas is the clearest example. It completed the purchase of Stanley Security from Stanley Black & Decker on 22 July 2022, per its own release. Security Sales & Integration reported the price at $3.2 billion in cash. The combined business now runs as Securitas Technology.

Allegion makes locks and access products. On 5 July 2022 it completed the purchase of Stanley Access Technologies for $900 million in cash, according to its release filed with the SEC. The target makes, installs and services automatic doors, and had about $340 million of 2021 net sales. Allegion's CEO said it added "installation and maintenance services" to the business.

Motorola Solutions buys technology more than installers. In July 2021 it agreed to buy Openpath, a cloud-based mobile access control company, and did not disclose the price, per its press release. The aim was to pair video with access control at every door.

These buyers rarely buy a small local dealer. But they set the trend. When product makers buy installers and service teams, it shows how much they value the recurring service side.

Which private equity platforms are buying?

Most of the deals in this sector are add-ons bought by PE-backed integrators. Each one buys local firms to fill gaps on its map.

Everon is the former commercial arm of ADT. GTCR bought it, and the deal closed on 2 October 2023. Security Systems News reported that the sale netted ADT about $1.5 billion. In its launch release, Everon said it would invest "in growth through strategic M&A". In 2026 it bought Scarsdale Security Systems in New York.

Pavion has been backed by Wind Point Partners since June 2020. Its January 2024 release called Integrated Security and Communications, of New Jersey, its 20th acquisition since then. That is about five deals a year.

Convergint is a large systems integrator. In December 2021, Leonard Green & Partners and Harvest Partners bought equity from a fund managed by Ares, which stayed as a partner, according to a Business Wire release. The stake sizes were not given.

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety started in fire but buys security companies too. Its year-end release says it "acquired 57 fire alarm, fire sprinkler, suppression and security companies in 2025". In 2026 it bought Union AlarmTronic in New Jersey, a company founded in 1989.

Others. Knox Lane, a private equity firm, took a majority stake in SAGE Integration of Kent, Ohio, in 2026. Security 101 bought Silverstrand Technologies in San Diego. Guardian Security bought the electronic security arm of Keyhole Security in Washington. None of these reports gave a price.

If you are new to the model, read what a platform acquisition is.

What do these buyers look for in a security company?

They look for recurring revenue, licensed technicians, and a place on their map. The buyers say this in their own words.

1. Recurring monthly revenue. Monitoring, service agreements, hosted access control and cloud video fees renew each month. Allegion bought "installation and maintenance services", not just a factory.
2. Fit. Pavion's head of M&A put it plainly: Pavion "buys great companies that have a strategic industry vertical, technology portfolio, or geographic fit".
3. People who stay. Lead technicians hold the customer relationships. In the Silverstrand deal, the founder stayed on as general manager.
4. Commercial customers. Most platforms above serve offices, schools, hospitals and government sites. Commercial contracts tend to be larger and longer.
5. More than one trade. A company that does access control, video and fire alarm is easier to fold into a platform like Pye-Barker or Everon.

Owners also sell because growth needs money. The founder of Integrated Security and Communications said the company "required significant financial, systems, and process related investments to continue our growth". That is a common reason to join a platform.

What size companies do these platforms buy?

Most add-ons are small, owner-run firms with one or a few branches. The pace shows it. Pye-Barker bought 57 companies in one year, and Pavion did 20 deals in under four years. Nobody buys that many large companies.

Prices for single add-ons are almost never disclosed. We will not guess them.

Our own asking-price data has only 11 security listings so far. That is under our minimum of 15, so we do not publish a security multiple yet. What we can cite is the IBBA and M&A Source Market Pulse report for Q4 2025, which covers all industries by deal size:

A security company with a large base of monitored accounts may sell above or below these averages. The share of recurring revenue and the cancellation rate move the number most.

What does this mean for an owner thinking of selling?

There are many buyers for a security company with steady contracts. Three points follow.

First, you will probably get a call. An offer you did not ask for is a starting point, not a valuation. The buyer knows the sector's numbers; you may not.

Second, the things buyers say they want are the things that move your price. Show recurring revenue apart from project revenue. List every monitoring and service contract with its fee and term. Show that your technicians and licences stay after you leave.

Third, structure matters as much as the headline. Platform deals often include rollover equity, an earn-out, or a period where you stay on. Each has tax and legal effects, so talk to a lawyer and a CPA before you sign a letter of intent. If you want a second opinion on an offer, or want several buyers instead of one, book a free call with an advisor.

What does this mean for a first-time buyer competing with them?

You will not beat a platform on price for the companies it wants. So look where it is not.

• Smaller than their floor. A dealer with a few technicians and a few hundred monitored accounts is often too small for a platform. It can be a good size for a buyer using an SBA loan.
• Residential and small business. Most platforms above chase large commercial accounts. Local residential and small-business books get less attention.
• Outside their map. Platforms name their regions. A county with no platform branch is less contested.
• Build, then sell. Many buyers grow a company to the size a platform wants, then sell to one. The buyers above are, in effect, the exit market.

Most buyers finance a deal like this with an SBA loan, a seller note and investor money combined. If you want deal flow screened against your buy box, see how we help buyers.

Where does Acquisitions.com fit?

I have advised buyers and sellers of small and mid-sized businesses since 2016. Our AI scans 15+ business-for-sale marketplaces every day, and we also see off-market deals through advisors and brokers. We work on established, profitable businesses, typically $500K to $50M in revenue. Acquisitions.com is an advisory firm. We do not lend or fund deals ourselves.