At CEDIA Expo 2018, I had the opportunity to meet with Krell Industries executives Walter Schofield and Gordon Shackelford to learn more about the steps the company is taking to address market concerns in the wake of a lot of nasty rumors about Krell’s viability. Step one of the new direction for Krell involved the hiring of Walter Scofield as its new Chief Operating Officer as Strata-gee recently reported just a few weeks ago. In this meeting, I was to learn of more steps coming.
Management
Origin Acoustics: New Products, New CEO
As usual, our first official CEDIA Expo press conference was Origin Acoustics. And as usual, Origin begins the show by putting on the Dave Donald show. Donald, who is Origin’s “Worldwide Ambassador,” is a showman at heart with a dynamic speaking style and sprinkles of exciting hyperbole. I have to say, while Donald seemed slightly lower key that at past shows, you certainly won’t drift off to sleep when he’s verbally throwing new models at you.
But what followed next is what really caught our attention… [Read more…] about Origin Acoustics: New Products, New CEO
Welcome to the First For-Profit & Last San Diego CEDIA Expo
Welcome to San Diego for the first for-profit CEDIA Expo, the first Expo to take place under the full control of professional show producer Emerald Expositions. It is also the last CEDIA to be held in San Diego, at least for the forseeable future. Next Year, the show moves back to Denver, one of the locations that is considered most popular with CEDIA members.
See our initial thoughts on this year’s CEDIA Expo show… [Read more…] about Welcome to the First For-Profit & Last San Diego CEDIA Expo
Showing Signs of Life, Krell Announces New COO
Krell Industries LLC formally announced today it has hired Walter Schofield as its new Chief Operating Officer. Schofield is fairly well known in the audio community, in fact, Krell refers to him as an “industry veteran.”
See more on this new appointment… [Read more…] about Showing Signs of Life, Krell Announces New COO
The Top 3 Integration Trade Media Groups Were All Acquired in Last 12 Months
Just What the Heck is Going On Here?
On Tuesday we learned that select properties of EH Media – owner of CEPro, Commercial Integrator, Security Sales & Integration, Campus Safety and others – had been acquired by Emerald Expositions (the new owner of the CEDIA Expo). Earlier this year, U.K.-based Future plc, a global media company, acquired U.S.-based NewBay Media – parent of Residential Systems, Sound & Video Contractor, AVTechnology and others. And almost exactly one year ago, IFA – producer of the largest consumer electronics trade show in the world (held in Europe) – “partnered” or acquired a significant stake in NAPCO Media’s consumer technology division – parent of Dealerscope, Technology Integrator, and Connected Design.
So that’s three of the top custom integration trade media companies all acquired within the last 12 months. What the heck is going on here?
It’s crazy days in the CI trade media world… [Read more…] about The Top 3 Integration Trade Media Groups Were All Acquired in Last 12 Months
Control4 Announces Appointment of Charlie Kindel, ex-Amazon
BREAKING NEWS
Former Head of Amazon Smart Home Org. to be
SVP of Products & Services for Control4
Control4 Corp. announced today that it has appointed Charlie Kindel, an ex-Amazon executive in charge of their Alexa project, to fulfill the role of Control4 Senior Vice President of Products & Services. Kindel is replacing Eric Anderson, who announced his retirement recently after holding the same role since 2012.
See more on Kindel joining Control4…
[Read more…] about Control4 Announces Appointment of Charlie Kindel, ex-Amazon
Senators Call for Govt. Investigation of Smart TV Industry
With all that’s going on in the world of politics – or perhaps because of what’s going on in the world of politics – two senators are calling for an investigation of the Smart TV industry, citing concerns about a potential compromise of privacy for users of which they are unaware. This move is in response to news that emerged a few weeks back suggesting that Smart TV makers were tracking users viewing, unbeknownst to them.
What are Smart TV makers doing to get Congress riled up?… [Read more…] about Senators Call for Govt. Investigation of Smart TV Industry
AudioControl: In Full Control of The Path to Success
Strata-gee’s Exclusive All-Access Tour of AudioControl
When invited to visit AudioControl some time back, I was intrigued. While AudioControl is a secondary supplier, one step below the major electronics manufacturers, it has carved out a unique niche for itself with a solid and growing hold on the AV and mobile audio installer and integrator segments. They’ve had a long record of success, which in the last three years or so has actually increased in intensity with impressive double-digit annual sales growth, according to CEO Alex Camara.
When the stars – and our schedules – finally aligned, Camara offered Strata-gee unprecedented access to the company, including granting me the opportunity to be a “fly on the wall” and sit in on operations meetings, a company-wide CIP meeting, and even an engineering meeting to discuss current and future products – no holds barred. What I learned made a big impression.
See what we discovered in our visit to AudioControl… [Read more…] about AudioControl: In Full Control of The Path to Success
Gibson, Protected from Creditors, Still Loses Money
News of Gibson’s $10M Monthly Loss Gives Some Pause
Gibson Brands, Inc. declared bankruptcy on May 1, 2018, thereby placing themselves in Chapter 11 protection from creditors. Now under the guidance of bankruptcy court, the company buys itself time to put a plan together to present to the judge offering a path out of bankruptcy for the company. During this time, debts are frozen until the judge determines the final disposition – a disposition that typically includes some level of payment to debtors, both secured and unsecured.
So how is Gibson doing? According to a story by the Nashville Post, Gibson posted a loss of nearly $10 million in May – its first month under bankruptcy court protection from creditors.
See more on the bumpy bankruptcy road upon which Gibson finds itself… [Read more…] about Gibson, Protected from Creditors, Still Loses Money
Gibson Investment Gone, Onkyo Sells Off European Operations
In Restructuring, Company Scales Back to ‘Core Competencies’
All the way back in 2012, Onkyo Corp. and Gibson Guitar Corp. came together to partner in what both hoped would become an entity where the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. Just months after their announcement, Onkyo forged ties to another Japanese audio brand, Teac/Tascam – just as Gibson stepped in to buy a majority share of them…and the combined entity began to grow.
Little did they know that just six short years later, Gibson, the investor in Onkyo, would implode into bankruptcy – forced to extricate itself from its Onkyo aspirations. Onkyo was hit as well, losing its Gibson investment – forcing them to reassess their direction. We now learn that Onkyo has sold off its entire European operations to an accessory distributor known as Aqipa GmbH.
