The Badlands Security Company continues its investment in the locksmith and security market with its acquisition of Cosmic Fischer, a 58-year-old New York City commercial security integrator. This move extends Badlands from locksmith and door hardware services into electronic access control, video surveillance and intercom systems in the New York market.
Badlands Security is a holding company that acquires and grows established, best-in-class security and locksmith operators in the Northeast. It was capitalized by Tucker’s Farm Corporation in 2025. Its first major security acquisition was Bronx, N.Y.-based Webster Lock and Hardware Company, one of the largest family-owned locksmiths in the country, covering roughly 10,000 doors with approximately 40 trucks.
Cosmic Fischer traces its roots to 1968, when Fischer Locksmiths was founded. Aaron Vaknin led the business for more than three decades, combining Fischer Locksmiths and Cosmic Doors to form Cosmic Fischer. Cosmic designs, installs, and services doors and storefronts, locks and hardware, electronic access control, video surveillance, intercom systems, and gates for commercial property owners, managing agents, and institutional clients.
“Webster gave us the mechanical side of New York security: locks, hardware and doors, done at scale. What we didn’t have was the electronic side, and in commercial buildings that’s where more of the work is heading every year,” said Badlands Security CEO Daniel Balzora.
Cosmic stood out for three reasons, Balzora added. “First, they are as comfortable on a mortise lock as they are on an access control panel, and that’s rarer than people think. Second, their customers stay with them year after year. Third, Stephen Vaknin. He knows his people and his customers, and he has been winning bigger projects because building developers, owners and managers trust him to deliver.”
Cosmic will continue to operate under the Cosmic Fischer name from its Manhattan headquarters. Stephen Vaknin, who has spent more than 11 years with the company and the last six leading its operations, will continue to lead the business.
“Cosmic Fischer has been a family business since 1968. We were selective about who we would trust to move the business into the future. Badlands understands our industry and our business approach that has inspired customer loyalty. Joining the platform gives our technicians better tools, our customers a deeper bench, and our team the capacity to take on larger projects than we could pursue on our own. I’m excited to be staying on as CEO to lead the growth,” Vaknin said.
Terms were not disclosed.
More Acquisitions to Come
Badlands Security is actively seeking additional locksmith and integrator companies in the Northeast. Though Cosmic Fischer and Webster Lock and Hardware Company are bigger companies, size isn’t the main criterion, Balzora said.
“We look at people before we look at size. The first questions are simple. Do customers trust this company? How experienced and skilled are the technicians, and do they want to stay? Is there an owner or manager who cares what happens to the business after the deal? After that, we look for commercial locksmith, door hardware, physical security and access control businesses in New York and the Northeast that fit with Webster and Cosmic.”
“Some of the best locksmith businesses in the Northeast are a single storefront with a handful of trucks and a reputation built over decades. Those are exactly the companies we want to speak with. Many of those owners are thinking about what comes next, and they don’t all want the same thing. Some want to stay on for years and keep a stake in what we build together. Others want to step back within a year. We’re flexible on both. Either way, the brand name stays intact and we take the back office off the owner’s plate.”
He expects private equity investment to continue to grow, noting that many security businesses are family-owned and long-time owners are thinking about retiring and selling. Others are seeking additional funding to expand.
“Security is a service that buildings can’t go without, and a lot of the industry is still run by owners who built or inherited their businesses decades ago and are now thinking about succession. At the same time, locks, access control, cameras and intercoms are converging, which rewards companies that can do all of it well. Both trends attract capital,” he said.
Baldoza also addressed the fears of many owners: that private equity firms maintain ownership for just a few years, damage their reputation and then sell. “My advice to any owner is to ask every buyer how long they plan to own the business and what happens to their team. Tucker’s Farm invests long-term capital, and at Badlands, the companies that join us keep their names.”
The company is actively seeking additional partners across commercial security, locksmith, door hardware, and access control. They will be on hand at ISC East, Nov. 3-5 at the Javits Center in New York City. For more information, visit www.badlandssecurity.com.