A FAREHAM-based security firm has bought one of its competitors in a deal worth £2 million.

Croma Security Solutions Group (CSSG) PLC has bought Access Key & Lock, also based in Fareham.

CSSG began 45 years ago as a small, family-run business, known as County Locksmiths in Shirley, Southampton.

It was founded by locksmith Fernando Fiorentino who arrived in the city in the 1960s.

Now run by Fernando’s son Roberto, CSSG offers bespoke security systems including fire alarms, CCTV, access control, guarding and biometric identification and numbers international businesses and the UK government among its customers.

Access Key & Lock, which also has its HQ in Fareham, was founded by locksmith Mark Whettingsteel in 1998.

The business will now trade as Croma Locksmiths & Security Solutions across its seven outlets in Fareham, Portsmouth, Southampton, Bournemouth and Brighton, as well as CSS Locksmiths in Winchester and Southampton.

Mark has joined the board of CSSG and will run locksmith operations for the group. He worked for CSSG under Fernando in 1985-89 as a trainee locksmith.

“I’ve come full circle from being the most junior of trainees to the most senior as executive director in charge of the new enlarged locksmith division,” he said.

Mark said the buy-out made commercial sense for both brands allowing the two divisions to concentrate on their strengths while offering a greater service across the region.

Sebastian Morley, chairman of CSSG, said: “We’re delighted to complete this acquisition. Access Key & Lock is a fantastic business with a great footprint along the South Coast. It’ll help us attract and service large corporate clients in the south and, in due course, further afield.”

In the last financial year, Access Key & Lock had sales of £2.44m and pre-tax profits of £300,000 and was named Britain’s Best Security Retailer every year from 2008-11. It has been nominated again for 2016.

CSSG PLC is an AIM-quoted total security services provider. Among the services it offers is FastVein™, biometric fingervein identification technology used for access control and time and attendance monitoring.