The United States’ largest privately-held security firm said Monday it is opening an office in Vancouver as part of a larger expansion across Canada.
Los Angeles-based Andrews International, which employs 10,500 security personnel worldwide, will employ six to 10 people initially in its Vancouver office, with plans to ramp up as its B.C.-based business grows.
Toronto and Vancouver will be home to its largest offices in Canada, with additional offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Montreal.
The company said its Canadian expansion is the result of increasing demand for its services across the country by international clients, which include many Fortune 500 companies, as well as a growing need among Canadian businesses for a higher quality of security services.
Ron Fewer, senior director of Andrews’ Canadian operations, told BIV that a number of its U.S.- based clients have operations in Canada. “And for continuity they want Andrews to maintain that same level of service, and to service their business needs up in Canada."
He cited Nokia and Oracle as among those clients who have large footprints in both Canada and the U.S.
Andrews provides a range of security-related services including uniformed security, consulting and investigative services, personal protection, special event security, specialized training and disaster emergency response services. Its investigative services include risk-mitigation for companies contending with internal theft and fraud.
Fewer said that, depending on the industry, more than half of a company’s losses can be related to internal theft and fraud.
“It’s definitely a major issue and it is top of mind for any CEO and senior management team of an organization,” he said, adding that the retail industry is particularly affected by such losses. “A lot of people think that shoplifting is the biggest issue for retail businesses, but internal theft and fraud actually occurs more than external fraud.”
He also noted that “closed shops,” such as those operated by tech companies, have challenges with internal theft and fraud.
“If there are losses related to theft or fraud [in technology companies], most of the time you’re dealing with an internal issue,” said Fewer who is a security industry veteran with additional experience as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – where he was involved in federal and provincial law enforcement and organized crime investigation.
Andrews did not have any involvement in the massive security undertaking in B.C. during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
It received its security license for B.C., which falls under the province’s Security Services Act, three weeks ago.
The company is expanding both organically and through acquisitions in other jurisdictions including India, Latin America and new areas of the U.S. The company is owned by executive and management team members and has investment backing from mid-market financier, the Audax Group.