OPTIC Security Group has been launched through a merger of 6 entities with 200 staff, 1000 customers and combined revenues in excess of $NZD100 million to provide physical, IT and information security services across Australia and New Zealand. Further M&A expansion is planned.
The new company, which will operate across New Zealand and Australia, brings together physical security company Fortlock, which recently acquired IT experts Comsmart, Circuit Systems and SSL, along with Australia-based companies Securities and Security & Technology Services and Bemac.
“We are all living in a more connected world, where organisations are operating in an environment with increasing demand, more volatility and more complexity,” said Jason Cherrington, Optic Security CEO.
“Safeguarding people, information and technology has become much more complex and this rapidly changing risk profile is making the need to protect critical infrastructure against both physical and digital threats an absolute imperative,” Cherrington said. “The formation of the Optic Security Group will enable us to meet the needs of customers as converging security requirements grow and become more complex, be they physical or digital.”
“We had a particularly clear vision to create a trans-Tasman capability that has full geographic coverage across both markets and depth in technical and industry expertise to tackle these emerging challenges and deliver appropriate solutions to our customers – now achievable with a scale presence in both New Zealand and Australia.”
Cherrington said that the new company will immediately be able to provide additional services to the existing customers of the companies under the Optic Security umbrella. The company will also partner with other leading players in the market such as the Cyber Audit team in Australia which provides independent information security and cybersecurity assessments.
Cherrington told the NZ Herald he got the idea for the new business when he took on Auckland-based Fortlock 18 months ago. Fortlock offered physical security for clients like the Ministry of Justice, installing access systems and CCTV and, via outsourcing, security guards if needed.
But Cherrington told NZH he “had an eye on the US and UK markets, where companies like Fortlock were merging with IT services companies to mesh old-school security hardware with new tools to counter cyber-threats and he wanted to create a converged security company before one of the American or British players arrived”.
After Fortlock acquired Comsmart, Cherrington joined forces with Chris Gulfrie to create Optic Security Group.
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