Sciens Building Solutions, a fire and life safety company backed by The Carlyle Group, announced on October 12 that it has welcomed The Wilkins Company of Erie, Pennsylvania, and Scherer Lock & Supply of Pittsburgh to its portfolio. The release says the partnership expands Sciens across Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and Western New York and is the company's fourth Pennsylvania-based acquisition. The two companies will operate as the Sciens | Wilkins Division, led by Cam Wilkins, president of both.
The asset.
The Wilkins Company was founded in 1981 and is a second-generation family-owned business headquartered in Erie. It is an EST and Gamewell/FCI fire alarm dealer and provides fire alarm, integrated security, audiovisual, communications, door manufacturing and door hardware solutions. Customers span healthcare, K-12 education, commercial office, multifamily, industrial, hospitality, government and other markets. Scherer Lock & Supply, founded in 1951, is based in Pittsburgh. The release describes Wilkins' approach as “starting at the door,” meaning a single offering that runs from doors and hardware to a complete package of fire, life safety, security and communications services.
Cam Wilkins said the companies have served Erie, Pittsburgh and the broader western Pennsylvania market since 1981 and 1951 and that the partnership will “take Wilkins and Scherer to the next level.”
The platform.
Sciens is headquartered in San Francisco. It designs, installs, maintains and inspects fire detection, fire sprinkler and security systems for commercial customers. On its website, Sciens markets the Sciens Service Suite (S3) as one point of contact and unified billing for fire and life safety work, and the release says the Wilkins deal supports its ability to deliver the full S3 offering. CEO Terry Heath said Wilkins and Scherer bring “exceptional customer relationships and a compelling suite of capabilities across the Northeast.”
The Pennsylvania build.
Sciens' first three Pennsylvania deals were in the eastern and central parts of the state: Electronic Security Solutions in Plymouth Meeting and Anchor Fire Protection in Perkiomenville, both in 2022, and Eastern Time in Allentown in 2023, according to the company's announcements at the time. Wilkins and Scherer give it Erie and Pittsburgh, along with reach into the neighboring Ohio and New York markets. The release also lists door manufacturing and door hardware among the capabilities the deal brings to Sciens.
The M&A environment.
Fire and life safety consolidation in the Northeast has been active this fall. Total Fire Protection entered Pennsylvania with Victory Fire Protection in September, and Fire Protection Team added Brake Fire Protection in Connecticut. Elsewhere, APi Group added Evergreen Fire and Security and Summit Fire & Security acquired Casteel Automatic Fire Protection in Texas.
What it means.
For fire alarm, sprinkler and security contractors in Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and Western New York, Sciens now has a local division in place, and its CEO said the company plans to support that division's continued growth. Wilkins also shows that a business selling doors and hardware alongside alarm and security can be bought as a whole and kept intact as its own division, with the owner still running it. Buyers will want to see how revenue breaks down across inspection and service, installation projects, and each product line.
Running a fire or life-safety business with more than one line?
Alarm, sprinkler, security and hardware revenue each get looked at differently in a sale. Schryver & Co. advises trades owners with roughly $5M to $100M in revenue on how buyers will read the mix. To compare notes, write to will@schryverco.com.
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