Strategy in TECH...
Snap One announced today that they are now selling to all four major custom integration buying groups (they called them “all four major CEDIA U.S. buying groups”) and that fact shows their commitment to their “integrator partners.” The company says it is now allied with Azione Unlimited, HTSA, HTSN, and ProSource “…as a key part of its long term strategy to help dealers succeed.”
High-end specialty audio products maker Bryston announced today that its BR-20 Preamplifier/Bit-Perfect High-Resolution Streamer is now Roon Ready certified. This is a move that blends some of the finest audio and streaming technology with an enhanced music catalog interface that is sure to please Bryston users.
Ever since supply chain shortages hit many industries, particularly in relation to the availability of integrated circuits or chips, there has been a massive scramble to increase capacity and to build new chip fabricating facilities (fabs) or factories. There has been a series of announcements from huge companies like Intel, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), Samsung, and others launching massive multi-billion projects to add more chip production facilities.
There’s just one problem…the equipment they need to build these facilities are themselves delayed.
High-end audio maker Perlisten Audio announced today that it has appointed Erik Wiederholtz as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO). The appointment was announced by Perlisten CEO Dan Roemer.
For the first time in quite a while, CEDIA released the results of a new market study that helped to illuminate where the market is at today. There were, as usual, some significant surprises presented – perhaps the first was an interesting change in methodology that may perhaps serve to deliver a clearer view of key market data.
With COVID now seemingly in decline, on Monday Google employees (Googlers?) began the process of returning to work at the company’s various headquarter and other office locations around the country. The company is requiring they work at least three days a week in the office, continuing to work remotely for the other two.
Google is hardly alone in pulling employees back to the office, Apple employees return next week and most major companies have announced dates for office life to begin again. Will this kill remote work and have an impact on the custom integration business?
AAMP Global, a leading global manufacturer of a wide array of technology products for the personal and commercial vehicle markets, announced today the strategic acquisition of AudioControl – the well-known specialty manufacturer of electronics products for the automotive, residential, and commercial audio channels. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but AAMP says that AudioControl’s Seattle, WA-based operations and team will continue to operate as an independent facility under the AAMP Global umbrella.
I spoke with top executives of both companies to learn more about what drew the parties together and just what is meant by a “strategic” acquisition.
For three straight months now, consumer sentiment has declined as the world faces war in Europe, soaring global gas prices, price inflation on a wide range of consumer goods, and lingering supply chain issues. As measured by the widely followed University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment released earlier this month, the index is nearing its lowest level in 11-years.
This week, ProSource announced that it was expanding its leadership team by adding well-known retail industry executive Jim Pearse as its new President. The duties of the president were once part of CEO Dave Workman’s role, but the group says this management team expansion is now necessary to support the group’s continued growth.
In a Zoom interview last week, I sought to take more of a measure of the man who now runs CEDIA, its new Global President and Chief Executive Officer Daryl Friedman. We first met, and I first told you about Friedman, back when his selection was first announced to the world just a little over 100 days ago. Friedman was in a series of round-robin press interviews and we only had a few minutes to interact. Now, 106 days later (at the time of this interview) he’s traveled the country, gotten his feet wet, and had much more depth of thoughts to share with Strata-gee readers.
