Optex is now on its own

TORRANCE, Calif. - At of the beginning of this year, Optex, a provider of infrared technology, control systems and CCTV products, split its North American security operations from its other California-based divisions - a move that allows it to focus on core competencies - and in May will move into a new and separate location. Since its inception, the North American operations, which include security, factory automation, environmental and entrance divisions, were grouped in the same location under, and in some cases, were overseen by the same management. Now that the security division is separate, it is in line with the security operations of its parent company, publicly traded Optex Global - a company that accounts 75 percent of its business in security. Jim Quick, who was promoted to president after the change, said the move frees him to focus on his division’s efforts. "Now that I am the new president and chief executive officer of the Optex North American market in charge of only the security segment of the business, it will allow me and the company to focus on only security issues and trends to enable Optex to provide superior service and products to the security industry," Quick said. For now the division is still located here, but as of May the company will relocate to the Chino Hills area of California, roughly an hour east of its current location. All of the division’s 19 employees will make the move. “We are going to be in a growing market out there,” Quick said. “That area has been a hotbed for industrial growth.” Both Quick and Gordon Lang, the company’s newly appointed vice president of sales and marketing, noted that the move to separate from its sister organizations does not change the way the company conducts its business. Rather, it gives Optex the opportunity to improve its current business channels as well as look beyond traditional revenue generators. “We continue to improve in the channels that we have already excelled at,” Lang said, “and that gives us the opportunity to look at other avenues.” Lang said Optex, which already has a strong presence in photoelectric beams, wants to grow in the outdoor protection side of the business and will work with its existing consumer base to achieve that goal. “By working closely with existing customers and establishing additional partnerships, we can make sure that we address our dealers and customers first,” he said. Also attributing to the goal to grow the outdoor protection side is the development of a product for residential applications. “It’s an outdoor perimeter protection systems designed for the residential market,” Lang said. “We are actively seeking dealership partners that have a significant builder/residential strategy of their own.” With new products coming in the future and the restructuring complete, Optex is poised to makes the most of its freedom. “Anytime you can apply focus to a particular initiative, you cannot help but improve,” Lang said.