SJA Senior Editor Alistair Hookway speaks exclusively with Stefan Syren, President and CEO of Gunnebo Group, following the agreement to divest Gunnebo Entrance Control to ASSA ABLOY.
Over the past decade, we have transformed Gunnebo from an industrial conglomerate into a more focused technology business, integrating digital innovation to deliver smarter and more connected security solutions.
Today, the business has evolved to a stage where each of our two divisions has its own clear direction, investment priorities and growth opportunities.
This divestment is the next step in our journey, enabling the Group to concentrate exclusively on Safe Storage.
Entrance Control will continue its growth as part of ASSA ABLOY where automated, secure and intelligent entrance solutions are a core strategic focus.
The decision enables both organizations to pursue their respective strategies with dedicated global focus, continued investment and greater opportunities for innovation and growth.
The divestment allows Gunnebo Group to concentrate its resources on Safe Storage, with the US remaining an important part of this focus.
Hamilton by Gunnebo, located in Milford, Ohio designs and manufactures safes, vaults, vault doors, safe deposit solutions and customized secure storage systems.
Our Hamilton facility is a key part of our market presence, providing US-based manufacturing capabilities and supporting customers with safe storage solutions tailored to meet bespoke requirements.
With established expertise across sectors including financial services, retail, pharmaceutical, government & law enforcement and other high-security environments, we are well positioned to continue supporting US customers through local capability backed by Gunnebo’s global experience.
Gunnebo Entrance Control brings a successful business with innovative products, strong engineering expertise, established customer relationships and a talented global team.
Together with ASSA ABLOY’s scale and leadership in access solutions, these aligned strengths create new opportunities to accelerate innovation, broaden customer offering and build on the expertise that both organizations already bring to the market.
As Howard Lang, President of Gunnebo Entrance Control said: “We are excited about the opportunities this combination creates for our employees, customers and partners.
“Bringing together these two organizations with complementary strengths will accelerate innovation, further improve our customer offering, drive future growth and reinforce our position as a leading provider of entrance control solutions.
“Becoming part of ASSA ABLOY marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter.”
Customers can expect business to continue as normal.
Our focus is on ensuring a seamless experience for projects, service, support and day-to-day operations.
Customers will continue to receive the high levels of quality, expertise and responsiveness they expect from Gunnebo Entrance Control.
Customers are increasingly looking for security technologies that are integrated, easier to manage and give them a clearer view across their estate.
Our development priorities reflect this shift, with continued emphasis on digital capabilities, software integration and solutions that work together seamlessly.
We have already launched several customer solutions like the Hamilton Drive-Up solution and the AmpliSec connected lock, which are both connected to Gunnebo iQ software, a platform where our customers can steer their products, security access as well as customer offerings.
These features each support greater control, auditability and flexibility across a wide range of security applications, while helping our customers manage security more effectively across their business.
We’ll continue building on these capabilities, bringing together physical security, software and intelligent management tools to give customers greater visibility and control across their security operations.
As asset values rise and security risks evolve, organizations across a range of sectors are reassessing whether their physical security still reflects the value of the assets they are protecting.
In the US, we are seeing growing demand from independent jewelers, retail businesses, pawn shops and precious metals dealers, while more affluent consumers are increasingly seeking secure storage for watches, jewelry, firearms, collectibles and important documents.
Jewelry retail is one example, where rising precious metal values are prompting many businesses to review whether their certified storage and wider security measures remain proportionate to their exposure, alongside growing scrutiny from insurers and security consultants.
The launch of the John Tann TRTL 60×6 safe by Hamilton range reflects how we are responding to these trends, providing certified, high-security storage solutions designed to meet the evolving needs of both commercial customers and private asset owners.
In addition, as banks continue to consolidate their networks and develop smaller physical branch formats, we are seeing growing opportunities to support the modernization of banking infrastructure through new vaults, vault panels and security rooms, increasingly integrated with electronic security systems to deliver higher levels of protection, efficiency and operational control.
We’re seeing similar conversations in other sectors where organizations are protecting high-value assets, critical infrastructure or sensitive environments.
While the challenges vary, the requirement is the same: security solutions that are designed around the risks customers face and that can adapt as those risks change.
Becoming a dedicated Safe Storage business gives us greater focus and the opportunity to invest in the areas where we see the strongest potential for long-term sustainable growth.
Our focus will be on advancing connected security technologies, expanding in key global growth markets and continuing to develop certified, compliant solutions that combine physical protection with greater connectivity, visibility and control.
This greater focus will allow us to strengthen customer relationships, develop new service-based opportunities and pursue sustainable growth, both organically and through selected acquisitions.
Our ambition is to build on our long heritage in certified safe storage while creating a more focused business that can respond faster to customer needs, bring new technologies and services to market and deliver long-term value for customers and stakeholders.