EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ASSA ABLOY is the leading provider for door opening solutions and security systems for more than nearly three decades now. It started out small and humble in the outskirts of Europe and grew rapidly over the years through its aggressive business acquisitions all over the world. ASSA ABLOY has expanded successfully through a combination of organic growth and over 200 acquisitions. This impressive journey has transformed the company from a traditional lock manufacturer in the Nordic region into the global leader in door opening solutions. With its large geographic scope of business, ASSA ABLOY has had experienced several shipment delays, negative customer feedback, insufficient inventory and other different handling and shipping problems. Due also to the highly customized nature of products, the security installations require expertise of installers. However, the company employs different distribution company partners in each location. All of these factors resulted to a major problem in the distribution of their products and threat of intense competition.

Upon intense study of the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and growth potential threats and competition, new business strategies have been suggested in this paper. But in the end, this paper strongly suggested to follow the strategy that would be in-line with the company’s long-term goals wherein market presence, product leadership and cost reduction will become evident.

INTRODUCTION AND COMPANY OVERVIEW

The ASSA ABLOY Group is formed through the merger of ASSA in Sweden and Abloy in Finland. The new company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange on November 8, 1994. Abloy brings the IKON, ABLOY, Trioving, VingCard and Cardkey brands and ASSA the Arrow, Ruko, Solid and FAS brands.

The company’s shares are registered on the A-list of the Stockholm Stock Exchange on October 2, 1995. An agreement is reached regarding the acquisition of the US lock group Essex Industries, Inc. Trioving and VingCard are separated into two companies. Sales of electromechanical products are not very large, apart from VingCard, but are expanding rapidly.

ASSA ABLOY has had several major expansions and acquisitions from the time that it started up until this day all over the world. These are the following:

• USA: Essex Industries, Sargent, Mckinney, Curries and Graham, NT Miller Undall, Medeco, Securitron Magnalock, New England Lock & Hardware, Yale Intruder Security (Yale, Chubb, Tesa and Union), HID Corporation, Ceco, Dominion, Fleming, Trussbilt, Indala, Fargo Electronics, Adams Rite, Pemko Manufacturing, LA Force Associates, Maiman, Crawford, Flexiforce, 4Front Docking Systems and Frameworks Manufacturing, Ameristar, Amarr, IdenTrust, Lumidigm, Quantum Secure, Lighthouse and Greenville, DemoTeller, Bluvision, August Home, Arjo Systems SAS, Mercury Security

• Canada: Arrow Lock, Baron Metal Industries, Portronik
• Europe
o Norway: Lisgruppen, Grorud, Elsafe
o Netherlands: Ambouw
o France: Vachette, JPM, Laperche and Bezault, Fichet, Initial, Portafeu, Nergeco
o Belgium: Litto,
o Czech Republic: FAB, RIS
o Romania: Urbis
o Germany: Wilhelm Dirrenhaus, Eff Eff
o Poland: ASSA-Solid, Mercor SA
o Spain: Azbe, Tesa
o Finland: Bjirkboda, Turvaykk’set
o Sweden: Timelox and AKI Lisgrossisten, Besam, Metget, Brighthandle, Swesafe
o Demark: Sloth & Co, Nassau
o Italy: CEM, Nuova, MAB, Corbin, Esety, Ditec Group
o Switzerland: KESO, Interlock, Sokymat, CEDES
o Slovenia: Radikovix
o Netherlands: Vema, Nemef, Integrated Engineering, IAI Industrial Systems
o UK: Doorman Services, Powershield, Trojan Holdings
o Ireland: Aontec
o Croatia: Metalind
o Bulgaria: Mauer

• South America: Scovill, Phillips, and Construction Specialties in Mexico, Cosas Electronicas and Uba Almadis in Argentina, Poli, and ODIS Limitada in Chile, Silvana and Metalika, Papaiz, and Udinese in Brazil
• Asia: Secureware and Abloy Security in Singapore, Precise Security Supplies in Hong Kong, Best Metaline, Angel Metal, King Door Closersin, and Irevo in South Korea, Baodean, Jiawei, Digi Electronic Lock, and Pan Pan in China, Alba and Prometal in Israel, Enox, and SMI (Shree Mahavir Metalcraft) in India
• Australia: Lockwood, Interlock, Security Merchants Group, Pyropanel
• South Africa: Viro, Union Locks, Security World

The company has a complete range of door opening products, solutions

Organizational Activity: Improving Workplace Relations This assig...