Security System Services Industry Profile

Companies in the security systems services industry sell, install, and monitor commercial and residential electronic security alarm systems. Major companies include US-based ADT and Johnson Controls, along with G4S (headquartered in the UK), Secom (Japan), and Securitas (Sweden).

Global security services industry revenues total about $100 billion, according to Statista. Europe holds the largest share of the market at nearly 30%, followed by Asia (excluding Japan) and North America. Emerging markets with rising middle-class populations are expected to see the strongest growth.

The US security systems services industry includes about 7,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $20 billion.

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. The US industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies generate about 55% of industry revenue.

Advances in technology, especially wireless and home automation, are creating significant change in the security systems industry. While wireless technology has made security systems more affordable for more people, it has reduced the need for professional installation services ...