Securitas AB takes over ESC & SSA Guarding Company Limited with plans to continue same great service

On October 1, 2010 Securitas AB announced the acquisition, through Securitas Security Services (Thailand), of the Pattaya based ESC & SSA Guarding Company Limited. This is a very significant foreign investment into the security and safety industry in the Kingdom and proves that the values and expertise inherent in Thai business are attractive to international companies.

Steve Graham, who has built the ESC Group into a leading multi-functional business, will stay on as the Managing Director of ESC & SSA Guarding under Securitas.

Since being founded in 1935, Securitas AB has experienced very rapid growth throughout the world. The company is now the largest security manpower company in the world with some 270,000 security staff employed in nearly 50 countries. Securitas is the clear market leader in the US and Europe and is a publicly listed company on the Stockholm stock exchange with annual turnover of some 9 billion USD.

In 2008, Securitas determined that in order to better serve its global clients (such as Honeywell, Verizon, GM, HP, Microsoft and many others) the company needed a strong presence in Asia. This focus has led to rapid expansion and Securitas Asia now has some 5,000 guards and businesses in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia, with plans to open in other Asian countries within the next 12 months. Here in Thailand, Securitas Thailand, based in Bangkok, commenced operations in May 2009 and has quickly grown to a strength of over 400 guards.

“The attractions of ESC & SSA Guarding Company for Securitas were many,” said David Viccars, the managing director of Securitas Thailand.

“The attractions of ESC & SSA Guarding Company for Securitas were many,” said David Viccars, the managing director of Securitas Thailand. “To start with, the company has a strong regional presence throughout the Kingdom with operations in Samui, Hua Hin, Maptaput, Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai and the head office in Pattaya. In addition, the reputation of ESC is very strong and the client base, especially in the hospitality sector, impressive. When looking at the company in more detail we saw a very capable leadership team and a company that shared many of the same values and beliefs as we do. All in all it looks a good fit.”

Viccars went on to say, “I am delighted that all the leadership, indeed all the people working with ESC & SSA Guarding Company are staying with business under the Securitas ownership as well as, as far as we can tell, all the clients. This in itself speaks volumes for the good name of both ESC & SSA Guarding and Securitas.”

Securitas is now the largest security manpower company in the world with some 270,000 security staff employed in nearly 50 countries.

When asked about the plans for the future of ESC & SSA Guarding within Securitas, Viccars had this to say: “We have no plans at all to make any changes to any of the management or staffing of ESC & SSA Guarding. Security manpower is a people business and we recognize that the people who have built ESC are key to its continued success. What we will do, however, is to introduce our training and skills based philosophy as well as look to standardize the terms and conditions of all employees so that staff, and in turn clients, benefit from having the strength of a major international security company behind them. We will also introduce the Securitas brand into ESC & SSA Guarding but only in a controlled fashion. The key is stability and continuity in all things.”

Steve Graham, who has built the ESC Group into a leading multi-functional business, will stay on as the Managing Director of ESC & SSA Guarding under Securitas. Graham commented that, “It is great that an international company like Securitas has recognized the skills and expertise within our company and I am delighted that the team we have built since our foundation in 2001 will all be staying together with Securitas. I can see nothing but positives in this. Being a part of Securitas will allow our staff to develop and our clients to benefit from the international expertise of such a world renowned brand as Securitas. It will also allow us to expand and grow ESC security equipment (alarms, CCTV, fire) and consultancy alongside Securitas.” ESC is still owned and operated by Steve; only the guarding side of the business was acquired by Securitas.

AFG deals with the media and looks at supplying Rolls-Royce

Dr. Iain Corness

The very dynamic Auto Focus Group (AFG) learned how to handle the media during a crisis and was offered the opportunity to make five million dollars in five years, at their recent meeting.

Dr. Valerie McKenzie.

The group was first addressed by Dr. Valerie McKenzie, the MD of Thana Burin Asia Pacific, the boutique Public Relations Consultancy. With Dr. Valerie having been in the media for many years, she was able to give the AFG members a very good insight as to how to handle the media in a crisis situation, and what the media will want to find out. She also counseled that even if their companies have not yet had a crisis - it will happen.

She summed up a very interesting discourse by advising that the CEO in crisis situations should be available, should give information, should not speculate, should manage the social media and correct any misinformation.

Kari Williams.

Her final advice was to suggest that businesses should build a relationship with the media to help prevent problems with mis-reporting.

The second session was presented by the effervescent Kari Williams, the Business Development manager for Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for Rolls-Royce. Unfortunately, no Rolls-Royces were awaiting in the car park of the d2 baraquda as Ms Kari works in the aerospace development section.

She began her talk by offering the opportunity for any company to “make five million dollars in five years.” This naturally got everyone’s attention.

It was made apparent that Rolls-Royce, who supply gas-turbine engines for the aviation industry, only manufacture 15 percent of the 2,200 parts for the engines themselves, leaving 85 percent to be out-sourced.

She advised that any company looking at supplying part of that 85 percent shortfall had to be able to produce parts to Rolls-Royce legendary quality and to show an excellence in manufacturing capability.

Following the AFG meeting, many of the members walked up the road to the British Chamber of Commerce networking evening at Shenanigans.

Nationwide floods cause Bt7.7 billion damages

Floods in Thailand’s northeastern and central provinces have caused nearly eight billion baht in damages and would eat into the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 0.08 percent, according to the Center for Economic and Business Forecast of the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).

Center director Thanawat Polvichai said the damage assessment came following the interior ministry’s earlier report that 42 districts in 17 provinces have been hit by floods from October 10 to 19. Nearly 22,000 families - 21,761 households or at least 54,000 people - have been affected, while an estimated 32,428 rai of crops have been destroyed.

From the center assessments of the agricultural sector, there are 89,834 farmers in 11 flood-hit provinces including Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Singburi and Rayong, with about 760,000 rai of rice fields (304,000 acres). In nine provinces, the fisheries industry has been also damaged.

Dr Thanawat said the agricultural sector lost about Bt2.6 billion, counting one-third - 33.8 percent - of the overall value of the country’s agricultural sector.

Floods caused Bt 600 million damages in other production and industrial sectors, and Bt 1.2 billion in the tourism and service industry sectors.

Damages to infrastructure and public utilities cost around Bt 2 billion, while another billion baht was lost in private property, said the center director.

Dr Thanawat said the total damage cost of the widespread floods was around Bt7.7 billion and will affect the country’s economy at 0.08 percent.

Thawatchai Arunyik, deputy governor for domestic marketing of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on Thursday said damages to tourism businesses in Nakhon Ratchasima, hardest hit by floods, was around Bt 70 million. Thawatchai said that resorts and hotels have been damaged by the floods and tourists cancelled their reserved rooms. Further assessment will be conducted again once the waters recede.

It will take at least one month to restore confidence and revive the tourism industry in Nakhon Ratchasima, said the TAT deputy governor.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation on Thursday reported 15 deaths from October 10 through 20 as flooding now has hit 21 provinces in the Northeast, North and Central Plains region.

The deaths were reported in eight provinces, with highest number of casualties being four each reported in Lop Buri and Buri Ram provinces followed by three in Nakhon Ratchasima.

One person was missing in Nakhon Ratchasima. (MCOT)