Hiller Companies Announces Expansion On Mississippi River
The Hiller Companies, a provider of fire and life safety services, last week announced a merger and an acquisition, expanding the scope and size of the Mobile, Ala.-based firm.
Mid Rivers Fire Safety
On April 13, Hiller announced it had acquired Mid Rivers Fire Safety Inc., based in Troy, Mo.
Mid Rivers brings more than 20 years of experience providing inland marine fire protection services to St. Charles, St. Louis and surrounding areas.
John Cocke, vice president of the Marine and Gulf Coast Group of The Hiller Companies, said he is excited to gain the Mid Rivers Team’s experience and knowledge of inland marine fire protection and expand Hiller’s footprint northward.
“I am thrilled to have the Mid Rivers team join Hiller,” Cocke said. “They strongly enhance our Hiller Marine division with their dedication to customer service and excellence in the marine fire protection industry. “This relationship allows Hiller to better serve the brown-water industry by having an established location in high-volume marine waterways that act as gateways to major cities in the central-eastern portion of the U.S. and in close proximity to the Mississippi River.”
Hiller CEO Santiago Perez believes the Mid Rivers acquisition will open doors for Hiller as he looks to expand the company into new verticals and regions.
“Hiller is in a position to grow quickly, and bringing Mid Rivers onto the team helps us expand northward while establishing a strong presence in inland waterways,” he said. “This is an exciting development for us. I am looking forward to working with the team to build on their success, and I am confident they will be an integral part of our growth going forward.”
Mid Rivers owners Kathy and Curt Favre look forward to diving in with the Hiller team to leverage Hiller’s resources and expertise to positively impact the business they have grown over the last 20 years.
“We are excited to be uniting with The Hiller Companies,” they said. “The name Hiller has a reputation of excellence in the fire protection industry and this partnership will ensure that our customers have access to the most robust and cutting-edge solutions on the market, regardless of location. We know our team will grow under Hiller’s leadership, and we can’t wait to be a part of that.”
Going forward, Mid Rivers will become Hiller St. Louis and will transition to the Hiller brand. Day-to-day operations will remain constant under Kathy Favre and Curt Favre to ensure a seamless experience for customers and supplier partners.
Unifour Fire & Safety
Three days earlier, Hiller announced it had merged with Unifour Fire & Safety, headquartered in Hickory, N.C., to form the premier fire and life safety services provider in the U.S. The combined company, which will continue to be known as The Hiller Companies, will have greater scale, service capabilities and geographical reach that will benefit customers of both companies, Hiller said in the announcement. Unifour Fire & Safety will continue to operate under its existing brand. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The combined company will continue to be led by Perez. Unifour Fire & Safety will consolidate under The Hiller Companies and continue to be led by President Stephen Terrell and Chief Operating Officer Ben Moore.
“This is an exciting moment for Hiller, as we significantly expand our presence in the Southeast, strengthen our capabilities to deliver world-class services to our combined customer base and provide more growth opportunities for Hiller and Unifour employees and partners,” Perez said. “Unifour’s experienced leadership, service culture and customer-centric approach fit well with Hiller’s strong commitment and track record of providing superior service to our customers. These values are the foundations of both businesses, and we are excited about the opportunities ahead for our combined company.”
Morgan Anderson, founder of Unifour, said, “We are excited to be joining forces with Hiller, a highly respected company in our industry. Unifour and Hiller’s values and cultures align, which made for the right partnership for Unifour. Merging with Hiller allows our company the advantage of being part of a larger team and network of like-minded fire and life safety experts while remaining focused on serving our region of the country.”
Established in 1919, Hiller is a leading national provider in the fire and safety services industry, offering customers a full range of installation and recurring services through a network of 26 branches across the United States. Unifour was founded in 1984 and has made a name for itself as a leading provider in the Southeast, serving areas including North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
