Acquisitions

Your business is more than a company. It's your legacy.

 

Unite With Us On Our Journey

Founded in 2018, CertaSite is a commercial fire protection and life safety company that goes beyond compliance to provide the highest levels of customer service, responsiveness, building safety and code compliance to customers across the country.

 

At CertaSite, we believe every business has a story worth preserving.


When the time comes to transition ownership, we're committed to honoring the legacy and, oftentimes, brand you've built by investing in your team members, supporting your customers, and strengthening your business for the future.

As part of APi Group, CertaSite is built for the long term. We don't acquire businesses to resell them. We invest in great companies, develop great people, and create lasting value for the communities we serve.

When it's time for your next chapter, choose a partner who values what you've built.

CertaSite is in its forever home as part of APi Group. Business owners can feel confident partnering with an organization focused on long-term growth and partnership, not acquiring companies to resell them. 

Our goal is to invest in great businesses, create opportunities for team members, and build lasting value for customers and communities. In many cases, that also means honoring the trusted local brand, reputation, and relationships that helped make the business successful. While every partnership is unique, some companies may continue operating under their established name as part of the APi Group family.

 

Api Companies
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Why Owners Choose CertaSite

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Preserve the brand and legacy you’ve built

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Create opportunities through team member ownership and profit sharing

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Invest in your team members through leadership and career growth

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Join a long-term organization committed to partnership, not short-term transactions

Who You Are

You’re an owner who has built a strong full-service fire protection business and looking for a succession plan that will protect your employees and customers, and give you opportunities for income-producing reinvestment. 

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What Owners Like You Think About CertaSite

“Our introduction to CertaSite was a blessing from God. It was a life changing event for me. CertaSite is the perfect partners to build on the foundation laid by our employees and customers.”

– Helen Gharibian, former owner of Premier Electronics

 

“Personally, I couldn't be more pleased with my decision to pass my family-owned company onto CertaSite. I have the highest level of confidence in their integrity and core values, which allowed me to exit into retirement without fear that my long-time loyal customers and associates would lose out in this transition.”

– Earl Spears, former owner of Spears Fire & Safety Services, Inc.

 

“CertaSite has exceeded my expectations. They are very focused on developing better and more extensive employee training and education programs and they have already put many into use. I had negotiated with several companies before I decided to sell to CertaSite, and I am happy to report that I have made the right decision.”

– John Lewandowski, Approved Protection Systems

 

“I had met with a couple different equity firms, but CertaSite was the only one that understood how to integrate multiple companies, and that had a plan for strategic growth in place. Everything we discussed has happened, and all of my employees retained their jobs. There were only positive changes throughout the transition, and positive changes continue to move forward.”

– Mike Field, Field’s Fire Protection

 

Join the CertaSite Movement

Rooted in America's heartland, CertaSite is committed to acquiring fire protection companies with strong roots in their communities.

We want to partner with fire and life safety companies that are as committed to excellence as we are. If you're interested in becoming part of the CertaSite family, let's talk. Fill out the form at the bottom of this page to start the conversation.

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Meet CEO Jeff Wyatt

With more than 30 years of experience in the fire and life safety industry, Jeff Wyatt most previously served as president of one of the Midwest's largest privately owned fire and security companies in the industry, where he led the company to significant levels of growth with a robust organic growth strategy. Now backed by the capital of APi Group, Jeff is focused on building a business that prizes customer satisfaction, innovation, and people-focused solutions.

Book a Meeting with Jeff

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You have questions. We have answers.

Selling your business is no easy decision. But we're here to answer any questions to help you determine the best decision for you, your employees, and your customers.

We are a commercial fire protection and life safety company like you. We're headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana with locations throughout the Midwest. Founded in 2018, our mission is to provide a meaningful impact to as many lives as possible. Our vision is to be the most dependable and simplified life safety solution on the planet. And we want you to join us.

We are blessed to have 21 companies join the CertaSite family so far, and this group is always growing. Among this group are: ABC Fire Extinguisher Co. (Ohio); Advanced Fire, a CertaSite Company (Pennsylvania); Approved Protection Systems (Michigan); Approved Safety and Security (Indiana); Company One Suppression (Illinois and Iowa); County Fire Protection (Ohio); Erlich Fire Protection (Michigan); Field’s Fire Protection (Michigan); Great Lakes Fire & Safety Equipment (Michigan); Spears Fire & Safety (Michigan); Starfire Systems and Starfire Extinguisher (Wisconsin); Marine Fire Sales & Service (Ohio); Premier Electronics (Michigan); Craynon Fire Protection (Ohio); Teasley Fire Protection (Kentucky); Midwest Fire Protection (Michigan); Heartland Fire & Security (Iowa); Hamrick Fire Systems (Ohio); Fire Loss Control (Ohio); Ace Fire Protection (Indiana); and Eastman Fire Protection (Michigan).

Two reasons: 1. The market for fire protection businesses is stronger than ever. If there’s a time to sell, it’s now. 2. Sellers rarely get an opportunity to retain equity in the business. We’re offering that opportunity.

Our acquisition process has five easy steps and takes 60 - 90 days from letter of intent (LOI) execution. 

  1. Company valuation - no financial documents needed, only a basic Q&A
  2. LOI presented to owner
  3. Acceptance of LOI by owner
  4. Due diligence
  5. Closing - welcome to the CertaSite family!

To learn more about our acquisition process, check out this overview sheet.

We look for former owners to do what they love with us, not what they had to do as an owner. This could be a key leadership role, a sales or customer service role, or a training position within CertaSite.

You can do so knowing that your company, customers, and employees are in capable hands, and that your legacy will be honored and preserved.

When you sell to CertaSite, your employees continue with CertaSite will not go backwards in their pay or benefits. We want the acquisition to be a positive step for your people. In fact, there have been numerous cases of acquired employees being promoted within their first year of joining CertaSite.

When your employees join CertaSite, they will also be enrolled in our CertaSite Academy so they can grow both professionally and personally in their future.

With our strong focus on technology and innovation, they will benefit from significantly expanded service capabilities and a firm commitment to people-oriented service.

CertaSite will take care of you, your employees, and customers. We will give you the opportunity to stay onboard as a key member of the team. We will support your existing staff with learning and development and career advancement. And we will serve your customers the most dependable and simplified experience on the planet.

As a customer-driven company, CertaSite will prepare your business for an even brighter future through:

  1. Improvements in technology and innovation.
  2. A growth-driven sales strategy.
  3. Marketing and branding investment.
  4. Professional development opportunities and a seamless transition.

We’re backed by The Riverside Company, a $7 billion global private equity firm that focuses on building strong brands through small and medium-sized businesses. The Riverside Company focuses on acquiring and investing in growing businesses valued at up to $400 million. Since its founding in 1988, Riverside has made more than 600 investments. The firm’s international private equity and structured capital portfolios include more than 90 companies.

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Our acquisition process is simple.
Ready to get started?
Interested in becoming part of the most simplified and dependable life safety solution on the planet? Let's talk.