Security: a booming industry

Since the late 1990s, the French investigation and security industry (including security guards, cash-in-transit services, detectives, and other segments) has been expanding briskly, notably as a result of fast-growing demand from large enterprise groups. On an annual average basis, sales volume grew by 5.5% and the workforce by 6.6% between 1998 and 2010. Even the 2009 crisis had little impact on business. The main factor of production in this sector is labour. Margins are small, but profitability is high. By comparison with other market services, jobs are more stable, but skills and pay are lower.