Stanley Convergent Security Solutions (Stanley CSS), Naperville, Ill., purchased all the operating assets of AlarmCap, operating under the brand Microtec Security Systems, an alarm company headquartered in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec with operations in, Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Quebec, Canada.

In past years, the end of a calendar year signaled “acquisitions season.” As the year ends and companies endeavor to take advantage of much needed tax breaks, the industry typically is flooded with news of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In recent recession years, this seemed an indication of the security industry’s resilience and ability to thrive while other industries faltered. However, 2011 seemed quieter than others and we set out to find out why, while the industry continues to do well, merger and acquisition activity is down.

Talk-A-Phone Co., Niles, Ill., a supplier of emergency communications and mass notification solutions, completed interoperability testing with the International Fiber Systems (IFS) transmission, fiber optic and Ethernet products from Interlogix.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc., San Diego, a national security solutions provider, announced that it acquired selected assets of an unnamed critical infrastructure security and public safety system integration business from a large international public company. Speculation around the industry points to Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies, but neither company agreed to comment.

The New York Fire Alarm Association announced that it had its most successful holiday toy drive in all the years that its “devoted industry team” has done this. The group was able to “deliver bountifully to four burn centers and one pediatric unit.”