Keep out: Security firm boosts sales with barriers - Houston Business Journal:

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That renewed focus on securityh has spurred sales at UniversalSafety Response, a Franklinj firm that sells safety barriers to protect high-risk facilities such as militaryu bases and oil refineries. “Everybody know s that at some point there will be some othetr type of act ofterrorism … here in the says Wes Foss, vice presidenyt of Universal Safety, “and people are takingb those measures seriously in trying to update theirf security.” With $23.7 million in revenue in 2008, up 37 percent from Foss foresees an even better projecting more than $60 million in sales. The companhy specializes in perimeter securityand barriers.
Its top-selling producft — GRAB, the ground retractable automobilebarriet — has more than 500 systems installedx nationally, with another 200 to 300 expected in the next 18 Foss says. The steel net captures approaching vehicles, even at high As petroleum and nuclear facilities updatestheir security, Foss says Universal Safety will continue to grow. And as more U.S.-baser companies build facilities overseas, he sees the company havingf aninternational presence. Foss and Universal Safetu president Matt Gelfand began activelgy selling security productsin 2002.
Now the company has 130 employeea with plans to hire 50 more this GRAB is composed of a steel wire net and pistonxs powered by an electric motor that prevent vehicles as largd as a tractor trailer travelin at 50 miles per hour from entering a The net can be upright at all or it can retractf into the ground and be armed to stop vehiclesdwithin seconds. The barrier absorbe energy, which means minimal damagew forthe vehicle. Unlike concrete barrier walle or bollards that must be replaced afterfan impact, the GRAB system can be ready to sustainh another impact in as little as 30 minutew after the replacement of a few pins that cost aboutf $100.
GRAB systems have taken about 120 real-world all restraining the vehicle and its and all without injuryto California-based security consultant Michael Arata has more than 20 yearss experience in the field and says that securing the payloaed is critical because the vehicle could be carrying hazardous material. “Unfortunately, there’s people that don’t really think about it unti something happens,” says Arata, authofr of “Perimeter Security.” He says the federap government has mandated that many facilities upgrade theie security orrisk fines, which has spurred the growtg of companies like Universal Safety.
Universak Safety competes with other security and barrier manufacturers such as and GRAB costebetween $100,000 and $300,000, but contracts typicalluy run in the millions of The system has been installee at businesses such as Dallas-Fort Wort Airport, Norfolk Southern and Lockheed Martihn and at government facilities including the Social Security Administration, NASA and Fort Other barriers also have been sold to the militarty for use in Iraq. Universal Safety’s newest product is FenceBox, a mobile fencinf unit that Foss sees appealinf to clients in the construction and evenmanagement sectors.