New Partnership Expands Surge Protector Business

A Largo-based company recently celebrated the signing of an agreement to produce a new line of specialized surge protective devices that will be used at mission critical facilities, according to a media release.

Surge protectors protect electronics from spikes or surges in power.

The Sunshine State is known as the lightning capital of the country, with thunderstorms occuring about 100 days during the year. The Tampa Bay area is "right in the middle of the danger zone" for storms, according to the University of Florida Extension website.

Since 1985 Advanced Protection Technologies (APT) has designed industrial, commercial, oil/gas and residential surge protective devices in the heart of lightning country. The privately held company, located near the Icot Center, started with 10 employees servicing customers in the Southeastern United States. Now APT has "become a global industry leader with over one hundred employees," according to its website.

Last week APT and Hitachi Critical Facilities Protection Pte. Ltd. announced the beginning of a strategic partnership, according to a media release.

The signing ceremony took place at APT's headquarters at 14550 58th St. N, Clearwater. ATP will produce Hitachi-CFP's new line of UL-Listed Surge Protective Devices, and Hitachi will have exclusive reseller rights of those systems, according to Largo's Economic Development Manager, Teresa Brydon.  

The new surge protective devices will help reduce the natural disaster risk at mission critical facilities especially in the oil, gas and telecommunication sectors, according to a media release.

"We view this agreement as the first step in an exciting marriage of American quality and Japanese standards," according to Andy Malcolm, president of APT, in a media release.

"We have high expectations of this strategic business relationship with Hitachi and we look forward to developing even better products together in the future," Malcolm said.

Brydon and other area officials attended the Jan. 9 signing ceremony.