Old Friends

In the midst of union strikes affecting automakers General Motors and Chrysler earlier this fall, one area firm and its northern partner have locked in on a niche business to prevent those kinds of labor disputes from disrupting companies. Canada-based AFI International Group announced last month the acquisition of Cleveland firm International Management Assistance Corp. (IMAC). Both companies specialize in continuity services for businesses facing a crisis that threatens to upset their business, such as long-term labor walkouts or natural disasters.

"We, through IMAC and AFI International, are the only single source provider for this type of service in North America," says Peter Martin, COO of AFI and IMAC.

For 18 years, AFI and IMAC partnered when the Canadian company's clients had U.S. needs. After gathering 75 to 80 percent of the available Canadian business, AFI began to look south of the border for acquisition candidates.

"With IMAC being a preferred business partner, having a very similar culture and having the leading service in the U.S., it just made sense that we would seek to acquire the No. 1 player in the market," Martin says.

Both companies will offer the same line of services for troubled companies, such as security, replacement workers, logistics, investigations and executive protection on both sides of the border, according to the firms. 

As an AFI International Group company, IMAC will operate under its own brand and its headquarters will remain in Cleveland.

"We have full intentions of keeping it here," Martin says. "We've got an excellent work force that resides locally and has made IMAC the success that it is, and we believe that those people are key to our forward plan."