Lawo AG has confirmed the integration of the Innovason brand into its portfolio following the recent dissolution of the company Innovason SAS.
The German manufacturer’s association with Innovason commenced in April 2008 when it acquired a majority shareholding in the French console maker. In the wake of a lengthy restructuring process and the liquidation of Innovason SAS on 2 November this year, Lawo AG now owns all Innovason product and trademark rights.
While the Plougoumelen offices have been closed and the Innovason brand will henceforth be managed from Lawo HQ in Rastatt, the current French team – all of whom are henceforth Lawo employees – will remain in the country “one way or another”. Additionally, the figures most closely associated with Innovason’s development will continue to help steer the brand: Hervé de Caro will serve as product manager for the Eclipse console; Nicolas Gozdowski will continue in his role as service engineer; Benoit Quiniou will stay in R&D; and Marcel Babazadeh will continue to fill the role of international sales director.
Regarding the existing Innovason console range, support for the Eclipse will remain unchanged, while legacy products – such as the Sy Series – will be supported “where possible”.
Reflecting on the new arrangement, Marcel Babazadeh described it as representing “the best of both worlds. Now that the Innovason products have become part of the range offered by Lawo in Rastatt, it means that the continuity of the brand is guaranteed. At the same time it benefits from everything that Lawo has to offer with its more than 40 years of experience in professional audio technology.”
Lawo CEO Philipp Lawo highlighted the Innovason brand’s enduring potential. “I admire innovation, which has always been a driving force for the development of Innovason products,” he said. “However, despite Lawo’s intervention in 2008, the company was still not able to realise its full potential. Now that the brand is fully integrated into the Lawo structure, I am confident that together we can achieve success. I’m also delighted to welcome the new colleagues on board, all now key members of the Lawo team responsible for Innovason. It is the end of an era for Innovason in its former structure, but the dawning of a new chapter of innovations. We’re all looking forward to a new and promising future in the live sound market together.”
