Here’s our round-up of the distribution deals and partnership arrangements announced in the industry in recent weeks.
• Sahara AV Distribution (winner of Distribution Team of the Year at the 2017 InstallAwards) is now distributing the Matrox range of graphics cards and AV over IP solutions to resellers and integrators across the UK. This builds on Sahara’s recent acquisition of the Sedao digital signage brand; the Matrox range allows integrators to deliver their Sahara digital signage content to customers in education, corporate offices ands other applications.
Pictured are Rob Moodey of Matrox (left) and Carl Harper of Sahara.
• K-array’s UK distributor 2B Heard has named Professional Audio Ltd (PAL) as its official dealer for Ireland, effective 1 August. The agreement will ensure rapid access to K-array’s range of installed, portable and touring sound systems. A special event is being planned for later in the year, where Irish audio professionals will have the opportunity to experience K-array technologies first-hand.
Based in Dublin, PAL has spent 27 years as a market leading trusted supplier within Ireland’s pro audio and MI communities, and already represents a portfolio of global brands.
• AV and collaborative furniture solutions provider TeamMate has appointed Stampede as a European distributor of its popular WorksZone Collaboration Table and basic Educator, Hub, and VariHite Lectern solutions.
TeamMate channel director Jamie Gryce commented: “Minimising the lead time is a process that is continually at the forefront of our minds, and now that we have opened up our channel to Stampede, we can do just that and reduce delivery times for our partners during the busiest times of the year.”
• RGB Communications has expanded its distribution role for Atlona in the UK. Following its successs with Atlona in the residential market, the company is now also distributing the company’s commercial products.
“We believe our extensive experience of more technically demanding ‘connectivity and control’ solutions makes us the perfect distribution partner to bring these new products to the AV market,” said Gordon Innocent, chairman, RGB Communications. Innocent sees Atlona’s Velocity cloud-based control system and the soon-to-be-shipping SW-510W for wireless presentation support as particularly compelling for AV trends taking shape across the UK. The entire RGB sales and technical staff has completed training on all new and forthcoming products, he added.
• Powersoft has appointed Atendi as its distributor in Denmark., Atendi diversified into pro audio in 2015 from its background in lighting, taking on Martin Audio. Powersoft was quickly on the Atendi radar. “As Martin Audio move more towards passive speakers – from the CDD Live! series to ceiling speakers – these match perfectly with the Powersoft products,” said Michael Engman Rønnow, Atendi pro audio sales & support. The company sees both the rental and burgeoning install sectors as offering huge potential for Powersoft.
• Speaking of Martin Audio, that comapny has appointed SD Sistemi as its new distributor for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The agreement was borne out of several meetings at ISE and Prolight & Sound this year.
SD Sistemi CEO, Dragan Šukalo sees the company’s mission as to dragging into the modern age a country whose technology is lagging behind: “We have noticed that the market is now starting to offer huge potential and that now is the right time to invest. There is an increasing demand for premium brands and Martin Audio will satisfy the needs of our customers and help modernise the entire market in our country.”
• Global AV cable brand Van Damme has appointed a pair of new distributors in Eastern Europe: Sound Technology and Mega Music are representing the brand in Russia and Poland respectively.
Moscow-based Sound Technology has been active for more than 15 years and offers a full range of services from system design and delivery to installation and after-sales support. It works across a number of sectors including clubs, bars and restaurants, recording studios, hotels and shopping malls.
Mega Music, sole distributor for Van Damme in Poland, has a wide reach in to the pro-audio and MI industries.
• Distributor Midwich is partnering with the upcoming British audio brand Orbitsound. It is distributing the manufacturer’s simple audio solutions to commercial verticals including corporate, education and hospitality within the UK.
The new distribution deal comes as Orbitsound enters a new phase in its 10-year history with the recent launch of the all-in-one audio solution, ONE P70. Originally designed for classrooms, the ONE P70 quickly became popular with consumers, and received many awards and accolades.
• Argosy, an international supplier of AV and broadcast cables and infrastructure products, has become the exclusive distributor of IPE’s EMU intelligent mains monitoring range to EMEA.
IPE’s power distribution solutions are trusted by facilities around the globe, including educational facilities, banks, houses of worship, pre- and post-production facilities and OB vehicles, and state-of-the-art watercraft. Its centralised control solutions can manage performance across installations spread over multiple locations.
• German networked audio solutions specialist DirectOut Technologies has appointed GSL Professional as its representative in the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
GSL Professional offers a complete product portfolio for main vertical pro audio markets, including installed and live sound, and broadcast. It also offers brands from Harman portfolio, TASCAM TEAC (in UAE and the GCC region), and also supplies Klotz Cables. GSL Professional hosted joint product presentations and seminars last month, supported by DirectOut business development manager Luca Giaroli.
• British lighting console and media server manufacturer Avolites has appointed Fairlight as the exclusive distributor of its lighting and video network control products in Belgium. The exclusive partnership follows nearly two decades of successful collaboration between the two companies, including distribution in the Netherlands.
• From 1 August, Edison Production Company has taken over the distribution and support of Merging Technologies’ audiophile music server product line in Germany. Edison takes over MERGING+NADAC, MERGING+PLAYER and the forthcoming MERGING+POWER from Digital Audio Service, which has chosen concentrate exclusively on Merging Technologies’ professional products. Edison Production Company BV in the Netherlands has been Merging’s high-end distributor in the Benelux since the introduction of the MERGING+NADAC.
