Allied Universal

Allied Universal

Company type	Private
Industry	Security services, Workforce solutions
Founded	2016
Headquarters	Conshohocken, Pennsylvania and Irvine, California , United States
Area served	United States, Canada, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, United Kingdom
Key people	Steve Jones (Chairman and CEO)
Products	Security personnel services, event staffing, janitorial services, security system installations, surveillance solutions
Number of employees	800,000 (2022)

Overview

Allied Universal is a privately held American company specializing in security services and workforce solutions, headquartered in both Conshohocken, Pennsylvania and Irvine, California. Established in 2016 through the consolidation of AlliedBarton and Universal Services of America, it has grown to become the largest provider of private security personnel worldwide. Additionally, Allied Universal ranks as the third-largest U.S.-based employer on a global scale, with a workforce numbering approximately 800,000.

Corporate Details

Operating across multiple countries including Canada, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Allied Universal serves a broad international market. The company's leadership is headed by Steve Jones, who holds the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Industry and Operations

Allied Universal's business activities encompass a range of sectors such as event staffing, janitorial services, security operations, security system installations, and surveillance solutions. In 2021, the company reported revenues exceeding US$18 billion. It also manages subsidiaries like G4S STAFF PRO.

Locations

The organization maintains corporate headquarters on both the East Coast, located in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, and the West Coast, based in Santa Ana, California.

History

Allied Universal emerged from the combination of two distinct entities: AlliedBarton and Universal Protection Services.

AlliedBarton

Main article: AlliedBarton

Originally established as Allied Security in 1957 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, AlliedBarton began by offering contracted security guard services and related solutions.

In 2004, Allied Security expanded by acquiring Security Systems Inc. (SSI) in Malden, Massachusetts and Barton Protective Services based in Atlanta, Georgia. This merger resulted in the formation of AlliedBarton Security Services, which became the largest U.S.-owned contract security provider.

Universal Protection Service

Main article: Universal Protection Service

Founded in 1965, Universal Protection Service initially operated as a janitorial company before branching into security services by 1969.

Post-Merger Developments (2016 Onwards)

The merger of AlliedBarton and Universal Services of America in 2016 led to the creation of Allied Universal. The company officially commenced operations under this new identity in February 2017. Following this consolidation, Allied Universal was recognized as North America's largest security firm.

In January 2018, Allied Universal resolved a religious discrimination claim involving a Muslim employee in California who had sought an exemption from the company’s grooming policies and was subsequently terminated; the settlement amounted to $90,000. That same year, the radio program This American Life aired an extensive episode addressing allegations of sexual harassment and racial discrimination within Allied’s operations at JFK Airport, along with the company’s responses. Allied Universal responded by stating these were “isolated incidents” that do not reflect their organizational culture or work ethic and reaffirmed a “zero tolerance” stance on sexual harassment. A related lawsuit was later dismissed voluntarily at the plaintiffs’ request. In July 2018, Allied Universal announced its acquisition of Georgia-based US Security Associates and its affiliate Staff Pro for $1.5 billion.

In 2019, the company was targeted by the Maze ransomware group; however, this attack was later revealed to be a demonstration aimed at highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Later that year, in December, majority stakeholder Wendel divested most of its holdings in Allied Universal to a Canadian pension fund, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), alongside a new investment consortium spearheaded by Warburg Pincus and an affiliate of J. Safra Group.

In January 2021, Allied Universal expanded further by acquiring competitor SecurAmerica, headquartered in Atlanta.

In December 2020, British security firm G4S’s board and shareholders unanimously approved a $5.1 billion acquisition offer from Allied Universal. This acquisition closed in April 2021, resulting in a combined workforce of approximately 800,000 employees and annual revenues exceeding $18 billion.

By June 2023, reports indicated that Allied Universal’s subsidiary G4S planned a full withdrawal from Israel following prolonged pressure from the G4S Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement due to its activities there and associated reputational concerns. It was also noted that Allied Universal itself had divested from Israel.

Services and operations

Allied Universal delivers a range of security solutions and services, encompassing access control systems, intrusion detection, alarm monitoring, and IP-based video surveillance. Additionally, the company offers janitorial services, transition management, environmentally friendly cleaning options, and workforce staffing. The firm maintains operations across the United States—including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands—as well as in the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua. By February 2022, Allied Universal's workforce numbered approximately 800,000 employees.