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The shares of Maidenhead’s GCD Security Ltd have been sold by its sole shareholder, Eddie Clarke, to Initial Electronic Security Systems Ltd. of Blackburn (part of the Rentokil Group) without any loss of full time jobs. In fact the deal brings more employment to Maidenhead because Initial are closing their Reading operation and transferring staff and work to GCD’s existing Waldeck Road site. Eddie Clarke, former Director and Shareholder of GCD, was one of the founders of GCD back in 1974 when he began to supply a new design of underfloor safes from his home in High Wycombe, and saw Esso Petroleum become his first customer. Since those days Mr Clarke, a qualified engineer and master locksmith, has built up a one-stop security service employing 28 staff who provide everything from window grilles to cctv, and high-security safes to electronic alarms. In 1978 he opened a retail shop in High Street, Maidenhead and had to build the commercial premises in Waldeck Road, Maidenhead in 1985 because the business was bursting at the seams. “One of the difficulties in expanding a security business was the lack of trained specialists,” says Eddie Clarke, “so I started my own apprenticeship scheme which still runs today. Although I am now giving up the commercial premises and operating solely from the High Street shop, I shall continue the apprenticeship scheme because I will still need qualified security engineers to provide customers with the quality service which good security installations require.” The locksmith business was excluded from the sale to Initial Electronic Security Systems Ltd and remains under Eddie's ownership. Initial Electronics approached Mr Clarke about a takeover at a time when he was considering easing up on his business activities to release more time for his other interests. These include being chairman of the Security Industry Training Cooperative in Uxbridge College, and parade organiser of the Maidenhead Carnival in which he has been involved since its inception.

“The Initial Group is an old established firm which appeared to share the same ideas and vision for local customer support that I do”, he says. “But it was still a daunting prospect, and handing over my life’s work to such a large organisation proved to be an extremely complex affair. Could I be sure they would continue the reputation I had built up for the GCD name? In all aspects I found the advice and support of Colin Hellmuth and Sue Jones, business solicitors at Colemans in Maidenhead, to be invaluable in steering me through the process.” But it is not going to be golf all the way for Eddie Clarke! He still retains a keen interest in the subject of security and will be expanding the core locksmith and safes side of the Security Centre which remains in High Street. “Adequate physical protection of buildings is the first line of defence before fitting electronic alarms,” Eddie Clarke observes. If you can prevent or dissuade intruders from gaining entrance to your home or business premises in the first place, then you have won the battle before they even cross any electronic thresholds.”