Medeco’s residential line expected to surpass commercial business

May 15, 2003 SALEM, Va. - After years of focusing on the commercial lock market, Medeco has entered the residential market. Even though it’s a new focus, company officials expect residential lock sales to surpass its commercial business in only a matter of years. The residential line launch follows the request of Medeco’s commercial lock customers, who often asked the company if it also offered locks for the residential market. “Up until now, when you want to buy locks for your home, you took what your builder gave you or you went down to your mass merchant and asked your $7 an hour clerk what’s best,” said Joey Kingma, director of residential security for Medeco. His company's new residential locks, he said, are sold through professional locksmiths. Company officials decided to add the residential line last year and launched its first suite of products later in the year. Medeco intends to unveil new additions to its residential lock line this summer featuring other styles, such as mortise locks. What sets this line apart from other residential locking products is the quality of the lock, said Kingma. Most residential locks only offer an ANSI or American National Standards Institute rating, which shows the physical strength of the lock. These locks are also UL 437 rated, which means the key for the lock is patented and a corresponding blank key is not available at traditional key cutting stations, such as at a local hardware store. Company officials believe this is the first offering of a high security lock for the residential market. Kingma said the company will focus on exterior doors, and leave interior door hardware to its sister companies, such as Yale, which is also an Assa Abloy company.