NEW YORK - American Detection Technologies, Inc. (AMDETECH), a homeland security company and national leader in contraband detection services using highly-trained canine teams, today announced the acquisition of Southern Hills Kennels (SHK) in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
In acquiring all the assets and personnel of SHK in a cash and stock transaction, AMDETECH immediately becomes one of the largest homeland security firms in the United States to offer trained canine and handler teams both domestically and abroad.
SHK, founded in 1988 by Bill Heiser of the Volusia (FL) County Sheriff's Office, currently has approximately 40 dogs, 50 handlers, and six trainers. The company, which has trained approximately 800 dogs and handlers during the past 17 years, provides a multi-building training facility located on a five-acre site, with access to 20 more acres nearby. SHK, which has imported canines from Europe for many years to augment its supply of domestic dogs, also trains off-site at locations such as airports, schools, and stadiums. The company currently has dogs working in locations from Iraq and Afghanistan to Lebanon and Indonesia, and provides services for clients ranging from governments and police departments to colleges and tourist attractions. Clients include the FBI, the Army of the Dominican Republic, Royal Bahamian Police, the Maryland Fire Marshal's Office, the University of Central Florida, and police departments in Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
AMDETECH has corporate headquarters in New York City, administrative services offices in Worcester, MA, regional offices in New Orleans, LA Honolulu, HI, and Loxahatchee, FL, and training facilities in Woodstock, CT, and Hialeah, FL. Clients being served in 33 cities and ports include Carnival Cruise Lines, The Steamship Authority in Massachusetts, Constellation Energy, Waste Management, and the Hawaii Department of Transportation.
"We are very pleased to announce this milestone event in the history of AMDETECH, which instantly positions us as one of the largest full-service provider of canine detection teams in the U.S., if not the world," said Ronald H. Allen, President and CEO of AMDETECH. "The combination of AMDETECH's premier services with Southern Hills Kennels' sales and training expertise makes us as one of the most complete businesses servicing large contracts for both the U.S. and foreign governments."
Allen added, "More than two years ago, we announced our objective to become the dominant contraband detection service in the world, and with the acquisition of SHK, we have taken a major step towards achieving that goal. We are honored that we can now better serve America's vital homeland security needs."
Heiser commented on the acquisition, saying, "We have worked successfully with AMDETECH for the past three years, and are quite pleased to become part of their organization. This transaction is clearly the key piece of the puzzle for both companies, and together we expect to immediately experience dramatic growth."
