Electrical Services Acquisitions in 2021

Fire & Life Safety America, Inc. (a subsidiary of Summit Fire & Security LLC) completed the acquisition of American Backflow & Fire Services, LLC in Orlando, Florida effective December 31, 2021. The acquisition brings American Backflow's local fire and life-safety capabilities into FLSA's Orlando location to expand service capacity across the city and the state of Florida.

NearU Services, a Charlotte-based home services platform, acquired Robertson Electric Company, a 50-year electrical, HVAC and plumbing contractor based in Charlottesville, Virginia. The deal is an add-on to NearU's national expansion strategy and supports the sellers' succession plan while keeping Robertson Electric's local management and brand in place.

Fidelity Building Services Group, backed by Onex Partners, has acquired South Florida Controls, a Miami-based building automation and controls systems integrator. The add-on acquisition (effective December 6, 2021) expands Fidelity BSG's building automation, energy management and controls capabilities and bolsters its presence in the South Florida market.

Cook & Boardman Group LLC, a Littlejohn & Co.-backed specialty distributor and security integrator, has acquired San Antonio-based 3Sixty Integrated. The add-on expands Cook & Boardman's nationwide security integration capabilities; 3Sixty's CEO Will Duke will continue to lead the business and it will operate under the 3Sixty name.

Cross-Fire & Security Co., a life-safety platform backed by AE Industrial Partners, acquired NISCO, Inc. (Northeast Integrated Systems and Northeast Fire Systems), a provider of fire alarm and life safety solutions in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The transaction is an add-on to Cross-Fire’s platform to expand capabilities and scale in the Northeastern United States; financial terms were not disclosed.

The Cook & Boardman Group (a Littlejohn & Co. portfolio company) has acquired Fountain Valley, California-based BlueViolet Networks. The deal expands Cook & Boardman's security integration footprint with its first facility in California to support access control, enterprise communications and intelligent surveillance services; terms were not disclosed.

TSG Group (through its UK operations) has acquired DRB UK Maintenance Limited, a Glasgow-based specialist in EV charger installation, electrical and signage installation, maintenance, and hazardous area testing. The acquisition adds c.40 engineers and technicians to TSG's UK capabilities and strengthens its sustainable electrical and EV charging services across the United Kingdom.

Graybar has acquired Metro Electric Supply and Metro Lighting, a family-owned regional electrical and lighting distributor headquartered in St. Louis that operates 14 locations across the St. Louis region. The business will continue to operate under the Metro Electric Supply and Metro Lighting brands with the same employees and leadership; the seller was owner Bill Frisella/the Frisella family.

Vancouver-based private equity firm CAI Capital Partners has partnered with Midwestern Electric, a specialty electrical infrastructure services provider headquartered in East Chicago, Indiana. Management (including Ryan Rentschler, Ryan Lepper and Lenore Obajtek) retained meaningful equity and will continue to lead the business as CAI provides capital (with debt financing from CIBC) to support platform growth and expansion of MWE's municipal and commercial electrical services.

Horse Power Brands has acquired Heroes Holiday Lighting, Omaha and Lincoln's premier holiday lighting installer, and will rebrand the business as Blingle! The acquisition expands Horse Power Brands' portfolio of home service franchisors and supports a planned nationwide franchising launch and broader outdoor lighting service offerings.

Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. (CTSI), a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners, has acquired The Protection Bureau, a security and life-safety systems integrator headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania. The add-on expands CTSI's Mid-Atlantic footprint and central station monitoring capabilities while accelerating the platform's growth in fire, security, nurse call, and audiovisual integration services.

Integrated Fire & Security Solutions (IFSS), together with Diversified Systems' existing management, acquired Diversified Systems, Inc., a Knightdale, North Carolina-based security systems integrator; the transaction closed on September 30, 2021. The deal was structured by Newlook Capital, which previously made a significant investment in IFSS, and aims to expand IFSS's geographic footprint and service offering in the Carolinas and Virginia.

Bestport Private Equity, alongside debt provider ThinCats, has provided £19 million of debt and equity financing to Energy Saving Lighting (ESL) to support continued growth. The funding will support expansion of ESL’s LED consultancy, supply and installation services across healthcare, education, local authority and commercial markets; David Hall will join the board as Chairman.

Generational Equity advised the sale of Mountain West Security, LLC to Fire Protection Service Corporation (dba Mountain Alarm Fire & Security), a transaction that closed on September 21, 2021. Mountain West Security, headquartered in Orem, Utah, provides commercial and residential fire and security installation and 24-hour monitoring; Mountain Alarm, headquartered in Ogden, Utah, is a family-owned fire and security operator with multiple offices across the Mountain West pursuing growth through acquisitions.

Quality Uptime Services (QUS), a Bethel, Connecticut–based critical power service provider, has acquired Weissco Power of Califon, New Jersey. The deal expands QUS's nationwide footprint and service capabilities in UPS and battery preventive maintenance and emergency power services.

Generational Equity advised Houston-based DA Mid South, a low-voltage security and electronics integrator, on its sale to a private investor (a husband-and-wife team). The transaction closed on September 9, 2021 and included the buyers also acquiring an audio-visual company in the same deal.

Corbett Technology Solutions (CTSI), a Wind Point Partners portfolio company, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire AFA Protective Systems, a long-established fire and security systems design, installation, and monitoring firm. The transaction is an add-on to the CTSI platform to expand its life-safety, security, nurse call, and low-voltage integration capabilities and geographic reach across the U.S. East Coast.

Janus International Group, Inc. acquired Access Control Technologies, LLC (ACT), a provider of self-storage access control and low-voltage installation and integration services. The acquisition brings ACT's installation and field-service capabilities into Janus/Nokē to support growth of the Nokē Smart Entry system and expand Janus' access control services to self-storage and commercial customers.

Access Control Systems (ACS), a portfolio company of Brixey & Meyer Capital (BMC), has acquired Access Security Parking Integrated Solutions (ASPIS), a Atlanta-headquartered installer of parking access and revenue control systems. The acquisition expands ACS's systems-integration capabilities and local presence in the Atlanta market as part of its strategy to be a one-stop systems integrator across the Southeast.

ATS Automation, Inc. has acquired WayPoint Systems, Inc., a Roswell, Georgia–based provider of building technology and facility engineering services. The deal expands ATS’s footprint in the Southeast, enhances its building controls and energy-management capabilities, and strengthens support for national account clients under the new name ATS Waypoint, Inc.

Comfort Systems USA, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Amteck, LLC family of companies, a Lexington, Kentucky‑based electrical contracting firm. Amteck is expected to contribute approximately $175–$200 million of annualized revenue and will expand Comfort Systems’ electrical capabilities and presence in the Southeastern United States.

RESA Power, a portfolio company of Blue Sea Capital, has acquired Crews Electrical Testing, Inc., a NETA-accredited electrical testing provider based in Jacksonville, Florida. The deal expands RESA Power's electrical testing and transformer service capabilities and strengthens its presence across Florida and the Southeast.

Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. (CTSI), a portfolio company of Wind Point Partners, has acquired Collaborative Technology Solutions, LLC (CTS), a provider of audiovisual, security and other engineered low-voltage solutions. The add-on expands CTSI's footprint into the North Carolina Research Triangle and Charlotte markets and enhances its capabilities in AV, security, and structured cabling services.

TSG Group has acquired MB El-Services ApS (MBES), an electrical works company based in Karlslunde, Denmark. The acquisition expands TSG’s electrical capabilities and local workforce in Denmark to support growing demand for EV charging station installations and energy-distribution infrastructure services.

G&N Gefahrenmelde- und Nachrichtentechnik GmbH, a portfolio company of AURELIUS Growth Investments, has acquired Braune GmbH, a regional provider of fire alarm, security and IT/telecommunications building services based in Oederan, Germany. The acquisition is an add-on to expand G&N's footprint in the Leipzig/Dresden metropolitan area and complements recent roll-up activity by the AURELIUS Growth Investments platform.

Pye-Barker Fire & Safety has acquired Total LifeSafety Corporation, a Jensen Beach, Florida-based fire alarm and life-safety company founded by Bryan Polhemus in 2012. Polhemus will remain to manage his team as the new branch will work with Pye-Barker’s nearby Fort Pierce operation to expand fire protection coverage across Florida’s east coast.

YFM Equity Partners has provided equity to back a management buyout of RGE Services, a Chigwell-based fire and electrical compliance business led by managing director Scott Craig. The founder Roger Greene remains a shareholder and will continue in a strategic support role as the business looks to scale its public-sector-focused compliance services across London and the South East.

Summit Fire Protection Co., a subsidiary of SFP Holding, has acquired Protection Systems, Inc., a Fargo, North Dakota-based low-voltage contractor that provides fire alarm, CCTV, nurse call and access control services. The deal brings Protection Systems' team and capabilities into Summit's existing operations in Fargo and St. Cloud to expand local coverage and enhance fire alarm and security offerings.

Turn Key Installation, LLC of Grandville, Michigan has acquired J&J Electrical Services, Inc., a Muskegon-based electrical contracting company founded by Scott Janiga. The acquisition expands Turn Key's project-management capabilities by adding in-house electrical trade expertise and broadens its residential, commercial and industrial service reach across West Michigan.

G&N Gefahrenmelde- und Nachrichtentechnik GmbH, a portfolio company of AURELIUS Growth Investments, has acquired TELROTH GmbH, a regional provider of fire alarm, security and IT/telecommunications services based in Hilden. The deal is an add-on as part of AURELIUS Growth Investments' buy-and-build strategy to expand G&N's geographic footprint and service capabilities in the Cologne/Düsseldorf metropolitan area.

G&N Gefahrenmelde- und Nachrichtentechnik GmbH, a portfolio company of AURELIUS Wachstumskapital (AURELIUS Growth Investments), has acquired SSP Schwachstrom-Partner GmbH. SSP — a regional provider of fire alarm systems, security technology and IT/telecommunications services with over 80 employees based in Hamburg and Berlin — will expand G&N's footprint in Hamburg and Berlin and strengthen recurring maintenance and service capabilities.

Corbett Technology Solutions, Inc. (CTSI) acquired the Integrated Security Solutions division of Electrical Controls & Maintenance, Inc. (EC&M), a Mechanicsville, Virginia-based commercial electrical contractor. The acquisition expands CTSI's security systems integration, managed services and UL 2050-certified capabilities—enabling installations in SCIFs—and gives existing EC&M customers access to CTSI's broader integration, audiovisual and critical communications offerings.

Eaton has signed an agreement to acquire Tripp Lite, a Chicago-based supplier of power quality products and connectivity solutions, for $1.65 billion. The purchase expands Eaton's edge computing and single-phase UPS product portfolio and is expected to close mid-2021.