A Brief History of API

• 1960 Business commenced by Stephen Mills offering mobile locksmithing service from Crows Nest.
• 1967 API helps start the Master Locksmiths Association of Australasia. Larry Mills later serves several terms as National President.
• 1971 API acquires a safe making business to be known as Lord Safe Co.
• 1976 API becomes founding member of ASIAL.
• 1981 Larry Mills assists in inventing the BiLock key system.
• 1988 Lord Safe factory relocates from Brookvale to Taree.
• 1989 David Mortimer is appointed CEO of NSL Investments Pty Ltd.
• 1993 API purchases Australia Safe Co. (previously Wormald Safe) from Safecorp.
• 1994 October - API purchases the main activities of the Victorian locksmithing operations of Chubb Australia Ltd.
• 1995 July – after more than 30 years in its Crows Nest premises, the Sydney based Head Office moves to St Leonards.
• 1996 March - API purchases the air tube business of Metsys Pty Ltd and the bullet resistant manufacturing business trading under the name of BREC.
• 1998 December - NSL Investments acquired the controlling interest in Aircom Systems and transferred its air tube business, originally purchased from Metsys, to the new company.
• 1999 January - API Security acquired the business of Realistic Security, providers of security doors, windows and grilles.
• 1999 September – NSL disposes of its interests in the air tube businesses.
• 2005 September – API undergoes a Management Buy-Out (MBO) by long term management (David Mortimer & Bob Turner) supported by the Private Equity Investment arm of the ANZ Bank.
• 2006 June – API acquires the business of Stewarts Security Specialists, creating the largest national provider of Security Products and Services in Australia.
• 2006 November – API acquires the business of Queensland Locksmiths (Brisbane) creating the largest locksmithing and servicing facility in Brisbane and further extending it’s “national” presence and capability.
• 2007 January – API acquires the Servicing business and the associated assets of Gunnebo Security (formerly Chubb Australia), taking on their servicing commitments, the Sydney and Melbourne staff, and taking over the offices and staff in Adelaide and Canberra, the addition of which cement API’s objectives to become a truly ‘National’ service provider.
• 2007 April – API acquires the business of Specialty Hardware Services Pty Ltd, a Sydney and Newcastle based organisation specialising in the supply and distribution of Architectural Hardware products to the building & construction industry, a broad trade and retail customer base.
• 2008 April – API acquires another Melbourne based locksmithing businesses, Northern Suburbs Locksmiths and Lock Plus, strengthening it’s Victorian footprint, and further extending API’s involvement in the Architectural hardware industry at a national level.