ArmorGroup
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| ArmorGroup International plc | |
|---|---|
| Type | Private military security firm |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Key people | David Barrass, CEO Noel Philp, Chief Operating Officer[1] |
| Industry | Government contracting |
| Revenue | US$ 295 million[2] |
| Operating income | US$ 9.2 million[2] |
| Profit | US$ 7.1 million[2] |
| Employees | 8,500 |
| Website | www.armorgroup.com |
ArmorGroup International is a British company providing private security and military services, founded in 1981 and listed on the London Stock Exchange.
ArmorGroup provides protective security services, risk management consultancy, security training and weapons reduction and mine action services. It has 38 offices in 27 countries, including Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Lebanon, Nigeria and Sudan.
It is a founder member of the International Peace Operations Association (IPOA), the British Association of Private Security Companies (BAPSC[3]) and the Private Security Company Association of Iraq (PSCAI).[4]
ArmorGroup is managed by David Barrass, interim CEO; Noel Philp, Chief Operating Officer; Matthew Brabin, CFO and Christopher Beese, chief administrative officer.[5]
On 20 March 2008, the company announced that its Board had recommended a cash offer for the company by G4S plc.[2]
Contents |
[edit] History
ArmorGroup began operations in 1981 as Defense Systems Limited (DSL), a company founded "to provide protective security services principally to multinational oil and gas companies."[5] The publicly traded Armor Holdings Inc., a business principally involved in the manufacture of armored vehicles and law enforcement equipment, acquired DSL in 1997. Some of the current senior management team carried out a Management Buyout of the company in November 2003, backed by Granville Baird Capital Partners and Barclays Bank. ArmorGroup was listed on the main list of the London Stock Exchange in December 2004.[5] In 2007, it posted a US$9.2 million profit, reporting $295 million turnover for that year.[2]
[edit] Services
- Protective security services - Convoy escorting, Close Protection, manned guarding, maritime security and technical security systems;
- Security training - hostile environment awareness training, Close protection, specialist driving and surveillance detection;
- Security consultancy - Kidnap, ransom and extortion support; risk management and business continuity planning; and
- Weapons reduction and mine clearance - mine and UXO survey, detection, removal and destruction; small arms, light weapons and ammunition stockpile reduction; Mine risk education.
[edit] Iraq War
ArmorGroup first entered Iraq under contract with the Bechtel Corporation in May 2003. ArmorGroup is now one of the very few private security companies which is legally registered and licensed to operate by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Trade. In 2007, the firm had 1,200 employees in Iraq.[6] ArmorGroup provides security for roughly one third of all nonmilitary supply convoys in Iraq.[6] In 2007, the Washington Post cited U.S. Labor Department information that ArmorGroup had sustained 26 fatalities in Iraq.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.armorgroup.com/aboutus/corporatemanagement/ retrieved on April 4, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e Prelims and G4S recommended cash offer - Armor Group
- ^ BAPSC : Home
- ^ PSCAI
- ^ a b c ArmorGroup official factsheet. Retrieved 16 June, 2007.
- ^ a b c Washington Post June 16, 2007 "Iraq Contractors Face Growing Parallel War." by Steve Fainaru. Retrieved on April 4, 2008.
