Extron Electronics has acquired the product engineering and development division of the Electrosonic Group. Details and terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
The acquisition includes all products designed and manufactured by Electrosonic, including the VN Matrix line of video and graphics over IP encoders and decoders, the HDFrend line of HD video players, and the VN Quantum line of multi-image display processors.
“All key staff involved in the products division based in the UK and US will become employees of Extron Electronics,” said David Ambrose, managing director of Electrosonic UK.”
Electrosonic separated its products business from its systems engineering, integration and service business in February 2009. The systems business is not part of the acquisition; Electrosonic will continue as a completely independent AV systems integrator.
Amrose told Installation Europe: “The Electrosonic group have been looking at all the various strategic options available to grow the products division since separating the business from Solutions over a year ago. During this time it was decided that selling the Products division to Extron Electronics would benefit all parties involved and enable Electrosonic to concentrate on its core business activity: the design, supply and support of professional audio-visual systems.
“The Electrosonic Group sees this as an excellent opportunity to invest and build on an already very successful Solutions business in our chosen markets.”
Extron president Andrew Edwards (left of picture) described the Electrosonic portfolio as “a great fit”. He said in a statement: “In all my years, I can’t recall seeing a company quite like Electrosonic…. Their talent is evident when you look at the unique solutions they have brought to the table in video streaming and signal processing products.”
He added that Extron has been in developing a complete line of AV streaming products for over three years. “In addition to the products acquired from Electrosonic, we will be announcing new streaming solutions developed by Extron later this year,” he said.
Jim Bowie, President of Electrosonic Group (right of picture), said: “Our products division has been at the forefront of image processing technology throughout our 45-year history. These current products have developed to the point that we as a systems integrator cannot take them to their full potential – Extron is exactly the right company to take these products forward worldwide. Electrosonic can now concentrate on its main business activity: the design, supply and support of audiovisual systems.”
According to Ambrose, the products division comprises less than 10% of Electrosonic’s overall business – in terms of both employee numbers and turnover.
