Banner Solutions Buys H.L. Flake

April 2, 2021
The acquisition includes H.E. Mitchell and McDonald Dash but not International Key Supply.
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Considering that the news was announced April 1, anyone could be forgiven for thinking this was an elaborate hoax, but it’s true: Banner Solutions has bought H.L. Flake. Terms of the sale weren’t announced.

The acquisition includes H.E. Mitchell and McDonald Dash along with Flake but not International Key Supply, which will become an independent company. According to a letter sent to customers, no significant change will occur right away. However, Travis Howell, marketing manager at Flake, tells Locksmith Ledger that the Flake name, as well as those of Mitchell and McDonald Dash, will cease by the end of the year, leaving behind only Banner Solutions.

“We even had some people internally say, ‘you’re going all out on this prank,’” Howell acknowledges with a chuckle given the timing of the announcement.

However, Howell stresses that the virtual trade show scheduled for April 10 will go off “absolutely, as planned,” under the banner of Flake and International Key Supply. The Security Pro Supply name under which the four distributors had marketed their training and services has ceased and won’t carry over.

Although the Flake name, which has been in use for 109 years since its origin as a bicycle retailer, will go away, Howell says the mood at the company is good.

“There’s a lot of optimism and excitement,” he says. “What’s exciting is that we’ll be part of their distribution network, so we’ll be able to get our products closer to our customers.” He adds that the merger also is good from a product assortment basis. “Banner has a lot of specialty solutions that we haven’t stocked, so that makes for a broader product offering for our customers.”

In a press release, Brendan Deely, president and CEO of Banner Solutions, says, “H.L. Flake is a company we’ve long admired for their commitment to serving the locksmith customer. This represents a tremendous opportunity for Banner Solutions to add a wealth of expertise and history in that critical channel.”

Flake has been active in training and educating locksmiths and security pros, and Howell says although nothing has been determined at this point, he wouldn’t be surprised that this initiative will continue.

For more information, go to Banner Solutions or Flake’s websites.

About the Author

Will Christensen | Senior Editor

Will Christensen is senior editor at Locksmith Ledger International. He has been an editor and reporter at magazines and newspapers for more than 30 years.