Security System Services

The security systems services industry in the US includes about 5,000 companies with combined annual revenue of more than $10 billion. Major companies include ADT Security Services, Protection One, and Broadview Security (formerly Brink's Home Security). The industry is concentrated: the 20 largest companies generate more than half of industry revenue.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven partly by home sales, new home construction, and new commercial and office construction. The profitability of monitoring companies depends on the volume of customers, as most costs are fixed. Large companies have advantages of scale in operating monitoring centers and in national advertising and brand recognition. Small companies often compete by selling customer contracts to the large monitoring companies, or reselling the monitoring companies’ services, which they buy wholesale.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Major products are the manufacture, sales, installation and monitoring of electrical security systems. The industry consists of commercial and residential segments, each of which uses different types of equipment and monitoring. Most companies operate in only one segment. The commercial segment accounts for about 60 percent of industry revenue. The main components of a security system are door, window and motion sensors, control keypads, alarms, and communications modules.

Commercial systems are installed by a large number of electrical contractors and security specialists. Commercial security systems are often integrated with fire alarm, access control, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems, and may be monitored by the customer on the premises or by ...