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The BSL Group, a specialist in security and risk prevention, announces the acquisition of Atlas Sécurité Privée, a leader in human surveillance in Western France, to create a major player in the security and guarding business. This acquisition of 100% of the shares was carried out thanks to bank financing and the setting up of a CAPEX line, advised by Largillière Finance.

Founded in 1990, Groupe BSL is a security company specializing in risk management and prevention for the security, surveillance and guarding of goods and people. The Group covers the whole of France via 4 main agencies, and offers a complete range of security, surveillance, protection, intervention and fire safety services for key accounts in the luxury goods, hotel, distribution, tertiary, transport and logistics sectors. With a workforce of 2,000, Groupe BSL is growing fast.

Based in Isneauville, near Rouen, and founded in 2003 by Stéphane Chergui, Atlas Sécurité Privée is Normandy's leading independent group in guarding, security and fire safety services. Atlas provides security for industrial, commercial and tertiary sites for corporate customers (large groups and SMEs) throughout France, and for major events. The group operates through a network of 4 private security agencies (Caen, Le Havre, Angers, Nantes), and employs 1,500 people, with sales of 34 million euros.

The private security segment has been experiencing strong growth in France for several years, due to security threats, particularly the terrorist threat. The market is highly segmented, and dominated by a handful of major players.

This acquisition will enable the BSL Group to become one of the world's leading mid-sized players, and to position itself in new markets.

In addition to geographic expansion, the merger is based on strong operational and commercial synergies, driven by complementary customer portfolios and a shared corporate culture founded on proximity and responsiveness.

This acquisition is also in line with the national development drive of Sécuralliance France, and the international expansion ambitions of the Global Sécuralliance network, of which the BSL Group is a founder.

Patrick Senior, Founder of Groupe BSL, comments: "This merger with Atlas Sécurité Privée, a recognized and growing company, marks a strategic turning point, enabling us to almost double in size. With this change of category, we can now position ourselves on larger-scale tenders. We know each other well and share the same high standards for our customers. What's more, Atlas provides us with a solid base in Normandy, and rounds out our range of services with rigorous monitoring, as well as reporting tools and performance indicators tailored to each customer. Thanks to their expertise, the Largillière Finance teams enabled us to find financing on the best possible terms to facilitate the integration and pursue our external growth dynamic."

Stéphane Chergui, President of Atlas Sécurité Privée, adds: "Joining the BSL Group is a unique opportunity for our company and its teams. Our teams have known each other for many years and operate in complementary geographical areas. Thanks to its recognized expertise and solid reputation, the BSL Group has established itself as one of the leading challengers in the French security market. Together, we now have a truly national footprint with which to address new markets."

Gabriel Hainault, Director at Largillière Finance, comments: “We are proud to have been able to support the BSL Group in this new stage of its development, with the setting up of bank financing under very good conditions, despite a tense debt market, and the addition of a CAPEX line to enable the Group to continue strengthening its positions in a fast-growing security market.”

Stakeholders in the operation:

Press contacts

Margie 

Aliénor Miens - 06 64 32 81 75 - alienor.miens@margie.fr

Agathe Boggio - 07 62 77 69 42 - agathe.boggio@margie.fr