Centigon is a division of the Centigon Security Group. The company traces its roots back to coach builder Sayers & Scovill, later Hess & Eisenhardt and then O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt.
In 2001, the company became part of Armor Holdings, Inc a provider of security products and services which in late 2005 reorganized its mobile security division under the Centigon brand name. Centigon was founded in 1998 as the O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt subsidiary located in Colombia to service the Andean Pact area. It mostly produced armored versions of civilian vehicles. In 2007 Armor Holdings was purchased by BAE Systems plc. BAE sold Centigon to Carat Duchatelet Holdings in February 2008. In March, 2010, Centigon became one of three brands under the recently launched master brand, the Carat Security Group, headquartered in Lamballe, France.
The global Centigon Security Group network operates five facilities in four countries, including production facilities in Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico; Caracas, Venezuela; and Bogotá, Colombia, as well as group headquarters in Lamballe, France.[1] The headquarters houses the Group's "design center of excellence", providing worldwide operations with design and production methodologies, after sales service and support.
History
Sayers & Scovill first started manufacturing coaches in 1876 in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States.[2] The company built its first motorcar body in 1906. Emil E. Hess and Charles A. Eisenhardt, Sr. began working at S&S in 1891 and acquired the assets and trademarks of the company in 1942.[2] Production of commercial armored vehicles began in 1946. A few years later H&E prepared bullet-resistant cars for then President Harry S. Truman and his wife Bess. Hess & Eisenhardt thereafter provided mobile security for more than sixty international heads-of-state, every American President between 1948 and 2001, numerous U.S. government agencies, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force.
In 1982 the O'Gara brothers (Hess & Eisenhardt international sales agents) acquired the Armored Car Division of Hess & Eisenhardt, forming O'Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt, a specialty vehicle manufacturer based in Fairfield, Ohio.[2] O'Gara armored a variety of vehicles, including limousines, sedans, sport utility vehicles, and cash-in-transit
External links
References
- Centigon Security Group - Compagny^
- Timeline^
- Mark Basch. Jacksonville, Fla.-Based Armor Company Buys Armored Car Maker Florida Times-Union, 2001-04-24^