API Cryptek

About API Cryptek

In 1986, a company named Cryptek Secure Communications, Inc. was founded with a specific mission: to build secure, field-deployable FAX machines for the United States military. This was a niche, but critical, market focused on information security for government clients. The company’s journey saw several shifts in ownership early on. Just two years after its founding, it was acquired by General Kinetics in 1988. By 1996, the secure communications part of that business was purchased by a private equity firm, Angelo, Gordon & Co., and continued its operations, simplifying its name to Cryptek, Inc. in 2002. The modern chapter began in 2005 when a corporate restructuring brought in Bill Anderson as President and CEO. Under his leadership, the company expanded its portfolio, acquiring several other security firms in 2007 to bolster its offerings in areas like emanation and network security. However, the path wasn't smooth. In November 2008, Cryptek filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The playbook nearly closed, but a pivotal moment came in March 2009 when senior management purchased the assets, rebooting the company as Cryptek Technologies, Inc. This new entity didn't stay independent for long. In July 2009, the defense and aerospace company API Nanotronics Corp. acquired Cryptek in an all-cash deal. The move established API Cryptek Inc., with Bill Anderson continuing as its president, folding Cryptek's specialized security solutions into a larger, synergistic portfolio serving military and government customers.