Centigon (company)

Last updated

Centigon is a division of the Centigon Security Group. The company traces its roots back to coach builder Sayers & Scovill, later Hess & Eisenhardt and then O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt.

Contents

In 2001, the company became part of Armor Holdings, Inc a provider of security products and services which in late 2005 reorganized its mobile security division under the Centigon brand name. Centigon was founded in 1998 as the O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt subsidiary located in Colombia to service the Andean Pact area. It mostly produced armored versions of civilian vehicles. In 2007 Armor Holdings was purchased by BAE Systems plc. BAE sold Centigon to Carat Duchatelet Holdings in February 2008. In March, 2010, Centigon became one of three brands under the recently launched master brand, the Carat Security Group, headquartered in Lamballe, France.

The global Centigon Security Group network operates five facilities in four countries, including production facilities in Mexico City and Monterrey Mexico, Caracas Venezuela, Bogotá Colombia and Group headquarters in Lamballe, France. [1] The headquarters houses the Group's "design center of excellence", providing worldwide operations with design and production methodologies, after sales service and support.

History

Sayers & Scovill first started manufacturing coaches in 1876 in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. [2] The company built its first motorcar body in 1906. Emil E. Hess and Charles A. Eisenhardt, Sr. began working at S&S in 1891 and acquired the assets and trademarks of the company in 1942. [2] Production of commercial armored vehicles began in 1946. A few years later H&E prepared bullet-resistant cars for then President Harry S. Truman and his wife Bess. Hess & Eisenhardt thereafter provided mobile security for more than sixty international heads-of-state, every American President between 1948 and 2001, numerous U.S. government agencies, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force.

In 1982 the O'Gara brothers (Hess & Eisenhardt international sales agents) acquired the Armored Car Division of Hess & Eisenhardt, forming O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt, a specialty vehicle manufacturer based in Fairfield, Ohio. [2] O'Gara armored a variety of vehicles, including limousines, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and cash-in-transit vehicles, to protect against varying degrees of ballistic and blast threats. The company also built armored personnel carriers, mobile water cannon and pursuit vehicles. It was the prime contractor to the U.S. Military for the supply of armoring and blast protection for the ubiquitous Humvee.

During the 1990s manufacturing subsidiaries were opened in Mexico, Brazil, France, Russia, Colombia and the Philippines. In 2000 O'Gara introduced IMPAKтм, the world's first aramid bullet resistant fabric designed for passenger vehicles.

On 23 April 2001 Armor Holdings agreed to buy the security products and security group of The Kroll O'Gara Co., including O'Gara-Hess and Eisenhardt, absorbing the latter and retiring its name. [3] The acquisition was completed on 23 August 2001 for $53.7 million. [4]

On 7 May 2007 BAE Systems announced its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. was to purchase Armor Holdings for US$4.1 billion (US$4.5 billion including net debt). [5] The acquisition was completed on 31 July 2007. [6] Discussing the integration of Armor Holdings, President and CEO of BAE Systems Inc. Walt Havenstein said the company was undecided on the future of the Centigon division: "We still have to assess how we want to approach that market, either from a U.S.-centered perspective or from a global perspective, so that's a little less clear". [7] BAE completed the sale of Centigon to Carat Duchatelet Holdings on 26 February 2008. [8]

In March, 2010 the Centigon brand was placed under the new overall branding umbrella Carat Security Group, sharing status with Carat Duchatelet and the newly created Carat Defense brands. [9] The Centigon brand features standard wheelbase armored sedans, sport utility vehicles and cash in transit offerings. Brand offerings include the exclusive OEM-certified armored Land Rover Discovery IV, Jaguar Sentinel and independently certified armored Land Cruiser 200. Global production under the Centigon brand exceeds 1400 armored vehicles per year worldwide.

In the end of 2014, the Chinese Group Dongfeng Design Institute Co Ltd. acquired Centigon and started to redefine the company in terms of objectives and strategy. [10] In 2016, the Centigon Security Group was founded and owned five different factories around the world and one production site dedicated to the manufacture of bulletproof glasses. Centigon also possesses strong partnerships with several European OEMs (Jaguar Land Rover, Renault, Peugeot, Scania...) and is now starting to tackle the Asian market, in particular Chinese manufacturers such as Brilliance or Jinbei. [11]

Centigon France (29 million euros in turnover, 170 employees in 2020) is one of the world leaders in small armored vehicles. Founded in 1948 under the name of Labbé, the industrialist produces 350 vehicles each year from one to 40 tonnes: armored cars for CEOs, businessmen, diplomats or heads of state, vehicles for transporting funds, maintaining security. order, but also engines intended for the gendarmerie and the armed forces.

Related Research Articles

BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. As of 2017, it is the biggest manufacturer in Britain. Its largest operations are in the United Kingdom and United States, where its BAE Systems Inc. subsidiary is one of the six largest suppliers to the US Department of Defense. Other major markets include Australia, Canada, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, Oman and Sweden, where Saudi Arabia is regularly among its top three sources of revenue. The company was formed on 30 November 1999 by the £7.7 billion purchase of and merger with Marconi Electronic Systems (MES)—the defence electronics and naval shipbuilding subsidiary of the General Electric Company plc (GEC)—by British Aerospace, an aircraft, munitions and naval systems manufacturer.

Rover Group Former British car company

The Rover Group plc was the British vehicle manufacturing conglomerate known as "BL plc" until 1986, which had been a state-owned company since 1975. It initially included the Austin Rover Group car business, Land Rover Group, Freight Rover vans and Leyland Trucks. The Rover Group also owned the dormant trademarks from the many companies that had merged into British Leyland and its predecessors such as Triumph, Morris, Wolseley, Riley and Alvis.

United Defense

United Defense Industries (UDI) was an American defense contractor which became part of BAE Systems Land & Armaments after being acquired by BAE Systems in 2005. The company produced combat vehicles, artillery, naval guns, missile launchers and precision munitions.

BAE Systems Inc. is an American subsidiary of British defense, security, and aerospace company BAE Systems plc. The American subsidiary operates under a Special Security Agreement which allows it to work on some of the most sensitive United States defense programs despite its foreign ownership. It is incorporated in Delaware. It employs approximately 35,000 workers within U.S. borders and several thousand more in Israel, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Major business lines of BAE Systems Inc. include electronic warfare, sensing and communications equipment; armored vehicles, artillery systems; naval guns and naval ship repair; and cybersecurity and intelligence services.

Linde plc Largest global industrial gas producer

Linde plc is a global multinational chemical company founded in Germany and, since 2018, domiciled in Ireland and headquartered in the United Kingdom. Linde is the world's largest industrial gas company by market share and revenue. It serves customers in the healthcare, petroleum refining, manufacturing, food, beverage carbonation, fiber-optics, steel making, aerospace, material handling equipment (MHE), chemicals, electronics and water treatment industries. The company's primary business is the manufacturing and distribution of atmospheric gases, including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, rare gases, and process gases, including carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, ammonia, electronic gases, specialty gases, and acetylene.

BAE Systems Platforms & Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of BAE Systems Inc. and is a large provider of tracked and wheeled armored combat vehicles, naval guns, naval ship repair and modernization, artillery and missile launching systems, advanced precision strike munitions and ordnance, and other technologies for U.S. and international customers. It was created on 24 June 2005, following the completion of BAE Systems' acquisition of United Defense in 2004 and its merger with BAE Systems Land Systems. In 2007 BAE Systems acquired Armor Holdings adding to the size of Land & Armaments significantly.

Kroll is an American corporate investigation and risk consulting firm that was established in 1972 and is based in New York City. In 2018, Kroll was acquired by Duff & Phelps. In 2021, Duff & Phelps decided to rebrand itself as Kroll, a process it completed in 2022.

Bianchi International of Temecula, California is a worldwide producer of leather and nylon goods for the law enforcement industry. Since the 1970s they have produced items from gun holsters to duty belts and everything related in between.

BAE Systems AB

BAE Systems AB is a Swedish defence company and a subsidiary of BAE Systems Land & Armaments, whose ultimate parent is the British defence contractor BAE Systems. The company is a holding company for Land Systems Hägglunds AB and BAE Systems Bofors AB, and has no products of its own.

Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles Series of US military vehicles (trucks)

The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) is a series of vehicles, based on a common chassis, that vary by payload and mission requirements. The FMTV is derived from the Austrian Steyr 12M18 truck, but substantially modified to meet United States Army requirements, these including a minimum 50 percent U.S. content.

Alvis plc British company

Alvis Ltd. was created when United Scientific Holdings plc acquired the Alvis division of the nationalised vehicle manufacturer British Leyland in 1981. United Scientific maintained its own name until 1992 when the group was renamed Alvis plc. Alvis acquired Swedish armoured vehicle manufacturer Hagglunds AB in 1997 and the armoured vehicle business of GKN in 1998. Finally, it acquired Vickers Defence Systems from Rolls-Royce in October 2002. Alvis was acquired by BAE Systems in 2004 and became BAE Systems Land Systems , now part of the BAE Systems Land & Armaments operating group.

Armor Holdings, Inc. was an American manufacturer of military, law enforcement, and personnel safety equipment. It was acquired by BAE Systems on July 31, 2007 and renamed BAE Systems Mobility & Protection Systems. The divisions have been reorganised within BAE Systems Land and Armaments.

MRAP Armoured vehicle designed to survive IED explosion

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected is a term for United States military light tactical vehicles produced as part of the MRAP program that are designed specifically to withstand improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes. The United States Department of Defense MRAP program began in 2007 as a response to the increased threat of IEDs during the Iraq War. From 2007 until 2012, the MRAP program deployed more than 12,000 vehicles in the War in Iraq and War in Afghanistan.

ArmorGroup International is a British company providing private security. It was founded in 1981 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange until 6 June 2008.

V-hull Vehicle armor design

The V-hull is a type of vehicle armor design used on wheeled armored personnel carriers (APCs), infantry mobility vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and MRAPs. The design originated in the 1970s with vehicles such as the iconic Casspir used extensively during the South African Border War, Leopard security vehicle used in the Rhodesian Bush War and South African armored vehicle company Land Systems OMCs and Buffels.

Loomis (company) Swedish multinational cash transport company

Loomis is a cash handling company. The modern company was formed in 1997 by the consolidation of two armoured security concerns, Wells Fargo Armored Service and Loomis Armored Inc. Their international network covers over 2 operating locations in the US and eleven western European countries.

Safariland, LLC is a United States-based manufacturer of personal, and other equipment focused on the law enforcement, public safety, military, and recreational markets. It was formerly a division of the United Kingdom-based defense and aerospace company BAE Systems PLC. Safariland has said that their body armor has protected at least 2,040 police officers who were shot in the line of duty.

BAE Caiman MRAP

The Caiman is an armored vehicle with a V-hull design based on the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) and Low Signature Armored Cab (LSAC), initially developed by Stewart & Stevenson. Stewart & Stevenson was later acquired in 2005 by Armor Holdings, which developed the Caiman from the FMTV and LSAC designs. Armor Holdings also owned O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt and Integrated Textile Systems at the time. It is now produced by BAE Systems Platforms & Services, formerly BAE Systems Land & Armaments.

Centigon Security Group, formerly Carat Security Group is a large, privately held manufacturer of mobile armor. Based in Lamballe, France, the Group is the result of several mergers, including the purchase of Centigon by industry rival, Carat Duchatelet. One of the world's leading commercial armored vehicle providers, it operates six factories worldwide, employs a labor force of 800, and produces 1,400 armored vehicles annually.

Presidential state car (Russia) Official state automobile of the president of the Russian Federation

The Russian presidential state car is the official state car of the President of Russia.

References

  1. ↑ "Centigon Security Group - Compagny".
  2. 1 2 3 "Timeline".
  3. ↑ Basch, Mark (2001-04-24). "Jacksonville, Fla.-Based Armor Company Buys Armored Car Maker". Florida Times-Union.
  4. ↑ "Kroll-O'Gara Completes Sale of O'Gara Business to Armor Holdings". Business Wire. Business Wire, Inc. 2001-08-23.
  5. ↑ "BAE Systems plc announces proposed acquisition of Armor Holdings Inc" (PDF) (Press release). BAE Systems plc. 2007-05-07. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  6. ↑ "BAE Systems completes acquisition of Armor Holdings Inc" (PDF) (Press release). BAE Systems plc. 2007-07-31. Retrieved 2007-09-07.
  7. ↑ Biesecker, Calvin (2007-08-03). "BAE Outlines Integration Plans For Armor Holdings". Defense Daily International.
  8. ↑ "Carat Duchatelet Holdings announces the acquisition of BAE System's Centigon International" (Press release). Carat Duchatelet Holdings. 2008-02-26. Retrieved 2008-07-07.
  9. ↑ "Carat Duchatelet & Centigon Unveil New Global Brand and Website Portal" (Press release). Carat Security Group. 2012-02-26. Archived from the original on 2010-10-19. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  10. ↑ "Centigon Security Group - History".
  11. ↑ "Centigon on Facebook". Facebook . Archived from the original on 2022-04-27.[ user-generated source ]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.