Securitas Transport Aviation Services is focused on providing customized security services to airports and airlines. The company was founded in 1988 and joined the Securitas Group in 1999. “At that time, we had become too big for a local Belgian company,” says President Marc Pissens who has more than 20 years of experience in the aviation security sector.
Mr. Pissens is also the Group’s Aviation and Divisional President Africa, Middle East and Asia, President of the Aviation Security Services Association – International (ASSA-I) and President of the Confederation of European Security Services (CoESS).
Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Securitas is a globally operating, leading provider of protective services for a wide variety of industrial sectors and customers, including the high-security aviation market.
The Group’s security services include specialized guarding, mobile services, monitoring services, remote video solutions as well as consulting and investigation services – all of which are tailored to the customers’ individual demands.
Securitas has annual revenues of more than 70 billion SEK and employs 320,000 people at operations in over 50 countries across the globe. The Group is divided into four business segments: Security Services North America, Security Services Europe, Security Services Ibero-America and Security Services Africa, Middle East and Asia.
The latter division was only set up in 2014 to reflect the company’s strong growth in the region. In Europe, Securitas has approximately 118,000 employees providing protective services in 27 countries, including aviation security services in 15 countries.
The origins of Securitas go back to Erik Philip-Sörensen who set up his own security business in Helsingborg, Sweden, in 1934. Since then, the company has developed into a global player in the protective services industry, through successful internal development and a number of high-profile acquisitions.
The aviation security industry has gone through some major changes in recent years. “Especially since the September 11 attacks in New York City in 2001, the business changed significantly,” states Mr. Pissens. “In 2010, the introduction of the screening of liquids brought additional changes.”
The current emphasis in the sector is on service, facilitation and speed – issues that have grown more important to increase passenger comfort without comprising on security. To meet these requirements, new technologies had to be introduced.
“The screening points have been designed in a friendlier way,” Mr. Pissens gives an example. “Also, the planning systems have been upgraded with state-of-the-art technologies to see which flights will come in, etc. At the same time, we have increased our efforts as regards staff training and recruitment and improved the working environment and atmosphere as well as raised salaries to attract qualified, motivated people.”
Based in Brussels, Belgium, Securitas Transport Aviation Services operates as the European headquarters of Securitas’ Aviation division. The division employs 400 people across Belgium and has annual revenues of 600 million EUR. “Securitas Aviation has more than 28,000 employees at over 220 airports in 28 countries around the globe,” explains Mr. Pissens.
Securitas Transport Aviation Services serves three major customer groups: airports, airlines and aviation-related businesses. Airport services include luggage screening, access control, perimeter control, guarding of the airport, maintenance of airport security technology, firefighting services, mobile patrolling, protective services at the airport and consulting services.
The airline portfolio comprises passenger screening and profiling, passport control gate control, guarding and sweeping of aircrafts, cargo checks and catering as well as consulting services. Aviation-related enterprises based at the airport, such as hotel facilities, railway hubs, parking lots, catering businesses, courier firms and cargo handling companies, are provided with comprehensive security services, too, depending on their individual needs.
In addition, Securitas Transport Aviation Services offers training for airport personnel. Last but not least, the company talks to the regulators, including the European Commission and the TSA and supports them in their working groups. “We are part of the security advisory board and work closely together with our clients,” says Mr. Pissens.
While depending on skilled, trustworthy staff, Securitas Transport Aviation Services is a technology innovator introducing new security enhancing systems to airport environments, such as high-precision cameras, access control systems or remote video systems. “We cooperate with the manufacturers to find the best solutions for our clients,” states Mr. Pissens.
The combination of qualified human resources with the latest security technology has earned Securitas Transport Aviation Services a leading position in the aviation security market.
“We are the number one in the aviation industry and compete with big names and local competitors,” explains Mr. Pissens. “We are focused on changing the image of the industry and committed to being the best within the aviation security sector.”
As the market leader in Europe and North America, Securitas Aviation is determined to further develop its global market position. “Our main international markets are France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Canada and Argentina,” states Mr. Pissens.
The Group’s success is primarily a result of its concise, clear focus. “We are doing security, not facility management,” Mr. Pissens describes the philosophy of Securitas Aviation. “Our exclusive focus is on security. Within this business segment, however, we cover the complete range of services, from luggage checks to passenger screening.”
Another vital issue distinguishing Securitas Transport Aviation Services from the competition is the company’s strong focus on quality.
“High quality, reliable services are very important in our business which is very sensitive,” says Mr. Pissens. “It is not always easy to provide the customer with the right quality, but it is very important, just like it is to keep your promises to the client.”
To stay at the qualitative forefront of the aviation security industry, Securitas Transport Aviation Services is offers constant, computer-based further training to its staff and does periodical quality surveys.
To further advance its market position, Securitas Transport Aviation Services is determined to introduce more, novel technology to support its operations and make airports and aircraft even safer places. At the same time, the experienced security company is focused on further developing its service offering.
