Gentex acquires Canadian company with focus on advanced security

ZEELAND — Zeeland’s manufacturing giant just got a little bigger.

Gentex Corp. announced Thursday, Nov. 20, the acquisition of Toronto-based BioConnect, a leader in biometric authentication solutions, signaling a continued expansion of the company into the advanced security and access control industries.

Over the decades, Gentex has grown into one of Ottawa County's largest employers, with thousands of employees working at its Zeeland campus, which serves as its main operational and manufacturing hub. The company is one of the top five largest employers in the West Michigan area and has carried an employee count of around 4,500 to 5,800 in recent years.

The acquisition provides Zeeland-based Gentex with a market-leading, multi-modal authentication software platform used across the security and access control industry, according to a press release from the company. BioConnect can verify a person’s identity across physical, digital and various online applications, offering solutions in identity assurance, advanced cybersecurity and the protection of company assets, data and intellectual property.

“Biometric technology is playing an increasingly important role in the industries in which we operate, including automotive, aerospace, medical, and smart home,” said Neil Boehm, Gentex chief operations officer and chief technology officer. 

“This acquisition not only provides Gentex with a strong foothold in the security and access control industry, but also the expertise to continue developing advanced biometric solutions for the industries we currently serve.”

Founded in 2010, BioConnect has cultivated a niche in providing holistic security systems for highly regulated sectors, according to its website. 

The company currently serves more than 1,500 customers across industries including data storage, health care, financial services, education and manufacturing. Notably, eight of the top 10 U.S.-headquartered data centers use BioConnect’s technology “to protect physical access to their sensitive operations.”

The move follows Gentex’s purchase of Florida-based Voxx International in April, which included EyeLock, an iris biometric technology.

History of the industrial giant in Zeeland

Gentex Corp. has deep roots in Zeeland, where it was founded in 1974 by Fred Bauer. The company initially focused on electro-optics, applying its expertise in sensing technology to the manufacturing of fire protection products, including residential smoke detectors.

The company's trajectory shifted in 1987 when Gentex introduced the automatic-dimming rearview mirror, a groundbreaking product that uses a unique gel to automatically darken the mirror when headlights from trailing vehicles cause glare. 

This patented technology established the Zeeland firm as the world leader in an automotive safety feature that is now standard in millions of vehicles, according to the company’s website.

— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.