Security and facility services company Allied Universal today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire U.S. Security Associates (USSA) from Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division (GSMBD), further building on its position as a leading player in the security services industry. This transaction includes the acquisition of Andrews International, the global arm of USSA.

Based in Roswell, Georgia, USSA has operations in the United States and internationally, with revenues in excess of $1.5 billion and more than 50,000 employees. This acquisition is expected to increase Allied Universal’s national presence and customer service capabilities and will also enhance Allied Universal’s presence in Canada, as well as expand its footprint to Central America and the United Kingdom. USSA also provides Allied Universal with a sizable consulting and investigative division and event staffing business, StaffPro. The combined organization will provide unparalleled and comprehensive security solutions to its customer base around the globe.

“I am excited to welcome the USSA team to the Allied Universal family,” says Steve Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Allied Universal. “USSA has evolved into one of the leaders in the security industry over the years and provides a unique suite of security solutions to a wide array of clients across industry verticals. This transaction aligns with our long-term growth strategy of acquiring scalable businesses with significant potential when combined with the Allied Universal platform. I look forward to collaborating with the USSA team to maximize the value that together we will bring to our customers and in identifying new ideas in the security space,” says Jones. 

Jones tells Security that the acquisition will improve service and support for end users: "Clients for both entities will realize some positive benefits of the merger in terms of improved service, support and enhanced technological offerings," he says. "In short, together we will be able to offer a broader set of services and solutions."

In addition, he says that the union will: 

•    Increase span and depth across markets, enabling Allied Universal to better serve clients nationwide and to have more local resources to support clients and employees.
•    Offer deeper expertise across all vertical markets.
•    Provide an improved ability to attract the highest-quality, best-trained security officers in the industry.

Richard Wyckoff, President and Chief Executive Officer of USSA, praised his team and embraces the partnership. “This merger with Allied Universal is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the men and women of USSA. We have focused on world-class customer service by providing innovative manpower and technological solutions to our clients. The industry has taken notice. I am very proud of what our team has accomplished and very excited that integrating our business with another industry leader will mean more growth opportunities and career advancement potential for our associates,” says Wyckoff. 

“This transaction further bolsters Allied Universal’s position as a leading provider of security officer services. We have been proud to support the Allied Universal team as they have grown the business organically and through strategic and transformative acquisitions such as this one,” says Chandler Joel Reedy, Managing Director of Warburg Pincus, a principal shareholder of Allied Universal. “We are excited to combine USSA with Allied Universal, which has a large and diverse portfolio of customers both in the U.S and internationally. Allied Universal will be exceptionally well positioned to continue to deliver unmatched service to its thousands of clients.”

Wendel North America CEO David Darmon says: “As one of the two principal shareholders of Allied Universal, Wendel is supporting the company’s continued growth as the industry continues to evolve. This is consistent with our original investment thesis and we think will further enhance the company’s leadership position.”

The transaction is expected to close by late third quarter of 2018, subject to customary regulatory approvals.

Financial advisors to Allied Universal for the transaction included Barclays, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Moelis, Morgan Stanley and Societe Generale. Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP provided legal counsel to Allied Universal. Financial advisors to U.S. Security Associates included Goldman Sachs and KeyBank. Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP provided legal counsel to U.S. Security Associates. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.