CertaSite announced that Advanced Fire Company, Approved Fire Protection and Advanced Fire & Security have merged to form Advanced Fire, a CertaSite Company.
CertaSite is a new commercial fire protection and life safety company that provides high levels of customer service, responsiveness, building safety and code compliance to customers across the country. The company goes beyond compliance, focusing on partnerships and professionalism while providing customers a simplified and dependable solution to managing all of the fire protection and life safety systems in commercial buildings.
CertaSite in the fire protection industry
CertaSite is led by CEO Jeff Wyatt, who has more than 30 years of experience in the fire protection and life safety industry. He most recently served as president of Koorsen Fire & Security, one of the privately-owned life safety companies in the industry.
He started his career in the profession as an installation technician and is a veteran of the United States Navy. Wyatt was recruited to lead CertaSite by The Riverside Company, a global private equity firm that is CertaSite's primary investor.
A three-generation family business that started with door-to-door fire extinguisher sales in 1957, the Advanced family of businesses has grown to three separate companies with a legacy of comprehensive offerings, strong customer service and a sustainable model for growth. Its solid reputation in the tri-state area, along with its community-driven approach, will allow the company to grow its customer base and expand into new markets under the CertaSite platform.
Expansion under the Advanced brand
One hundred five employees are joining the CertaSite family under the Advanced brand
One hundred five employees are joining the CertaSite family under the Advanced brand, serving a network of more than 5,000 customers representing schools, government agencies and businesses of all sizes. Combining forces with Advanced marks CertaSite's a large expansion since it launched in 2018.
"CertaSite and Riverside are the perfect partners to build on the foundation laid by our employees and customers," said Advanced owner Ronald Cruder. "As I set my sights on what is next for our company and how we could enrich our customers' experience, shared values and a code of ethics for saving lives and securing property were key considerations in this important decision. From the beginning, our company has had a laser focus on the customer, and this partnership with CertaSite will enable us to strengthen our investments in the community and the customer experience. We are excited to expand these capabilities, and establish an even deeper presence in our community."
Advanced Fire operations
The merger with Advanced Fire, a CertaSite company, continues CertaSite's expansion in western Pennsylvania
The merger with Advanced Fire, a CertaSite company, continues CertaSite's expansion in western Pennsylvania. County Fire Protection joined the CertaSite family in 2018, and serves customers in Kent, Columbus, Toledo and Rimersburg, Pennsylvania. Bill Holmes, director of operations, will oversee the Advanced Fire operations.
"We are grateful to Ronald Cruder and the Advanced family for their continued partnership throughout this process," said Jeff Wyatt, CEO of CertaSite. "We are committed to preserving the legacy that these dedicated professionals built, and we recognize and respect their strong local presence. Our team will provide our new employees with development and career advancement, and expanded services and support to customers. We are thrilled to be expanding our unique brand of customer service in this market."
Acquisition of companies
CertaSite already has acquired eight fire protection and life safety companies and is actively engaged in bringing new businesses under the CertaSite umbrella.
To date, the CertaSite family includes: ABC Fire Extinguisher Co. (Youngstown, Ohio); Approved Protection Systems (Michigan); Approved Safety and Security (South Bend, Indiana); Company One Suppression (Illinois and Iowa); County Fire Protection (Ohio); Erlich Fire Protection (Michigan); Field's Fire Protection (Michigan); and Spears Fire & Safety (Michigan).
Markets of focus for 2020 include Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee.