CASSOLA, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vitec Imaging Solutions, a Division of The Vitec Group plc (“Vitec”), the international provider of premium branded hardware products and software solutions to the growing content creation market, is pleased to announce that on 10th January 2022 it agreed to acquire Audix and its affiliates, with the deal expected to close shortly. The acquisition continues Vitec’s mission to marry great audio with great video for all types of creators.
Audix is a leading, high-quality microphone brand for studio and live performance audio based in Portland, Oregon, with a cult following in the US market. The highly respected brand focuses on premium, professional vocal and instrument microphones, designed for studio, commercial and live applications, with cutting-edge audio technology designed and manufactured in the US.
As part of the Vitec family, the Audix team and facility in Oregon will become Vitec Imaging Solutions’ Audio R&D Centre of Excellence, enabling the acceleration of in-house microphone product design, development and manufacturing across all Vitec audio brands. With the acquisition of Audix, Vitec's audio capture strategy is now structured around three core brands that cover all growth segments of the $1 billion microphone market.
1. Audix: The Best Microphones for Studio Recording and Installed Sound
Under the global umbrella of Vitec Imaging Solutions, Vitec will add sales, marketing and e-commerce capabilities to develop the iconic US brand worldwide, while maintaining its high level of innovation, with a primary focus on fast-growing wireless applications. Audix will open its vertically integrated, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the US to the rest of Vitec’s audio brands, ensuring the innovation is applied across our whole audio portfolio to the benefit of all Vitec brands’ users.
2. Rycote: The Leading Microphones and Noise Cancellation Accessories for Professional Broadcasting and Filmmakers
The Rycote brand is dedicated to the broadcast and production segment where it’s trusted by professionals for market-leading windshields, shock mounts and handling protection systems. While Rycote windshields and mounts will continue to be made in the UK, Rycote’s broadcast microphones will benefit from the additional manufacturing facilities in the US. This will enable us to extend the range, further enhance product performance and better serve the US market.
3. JOBY: The Most Versatile Mobile Microphones for Content Creators
The JOBY brand is our largest volume offering, servicing the 40 million monetizing social media influencers for whom great audio quality is a critical component of their success. The JOBY microphone range is expanding later this month with exciting new additions including professional on-camera mics and innovative solutions for podcasters and gamers. Going forward, the development of JOBY microphones will move to the US to accelerate the innovation process in the largest content creator market.
“Audix is the perfect addition to our existing audio range, in a high-tech, growing category,” said Marco Pezzana, Divisional CEO at Vitec Imaging Solutions. “The brand will significantly increase our total addressable market, advance our audio technology capabilities and, most importantly, bring great people with intimate knowledge of the audio industry, who will be a real asset to the company and enable us to accelerate the delivery of Vitec’s audio strategy and delight the content creator community with easy to use, high fidelity audio capture solutions.”
Discover more at:
https://audixusa.com/
https://vitecgroup.com
https://joby.com/
https://rycote.com
A snapshot of The Vitec Group plc
Vitec is a leading global provider of premium branded hardware products and software solutions to the growing content creation market. Vitec's customers include broadcasters, film studios, production and rental companies, photographers, independent content creators, gamers and enterprises. Our product portfolio includes camera supports, video transmission systems and monitors, live streaming solutions, smartphone accessories, robotic camera systems, prompters, LED lighting, mobile power, bags, backgrounds and motion control, audio capture and noise reduction equipment.
We employ around 2,000 people across the world in 11 different countries and are organised in three Divisions: Imaging Solutions, Production Solutions and Creative Solutions. The Vitec Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
More information can be found at: www.vitecgroup.com.
Vitec Imaging Solutions
Vitec Imaging Solutions is a division of the Vitec Group, an international group principally serving customers in the broadcast and photographic markets. Vitec Imaging Solutions designs, manufactures and distributes premium branded photographic and video equipment such as tripods, bags, filters and lights for professional and hobbyist photographers, and content creators. The portfolio includes nine premium brands - Manfrotto, Gitzo, JOBY, Colorama, Savage, Avenger, Lowepro, Syrp and Rycote - that positions Vitec Imaging Solutions as the leading global provider of accessories within the fast-growing imaging market. Thanks to Vitec Imaging Distribution, all the products are directly distributed in 11 markets across the world and in many others thanks to a qualified network of retail partners.
AUDIX
Audix Corporation is a leading manufacturer of professional microphones and headphones, addressing the Professional Audio and Installed Sound / Commercial markets. Audix microphones are known for excellent sound and build quality, versatility and serving a breadth of applications around the world in studios and performance venues and across a range of businesses and institutions. Founded in 1984, Audix is one of the few microphone companies worldwide that produces a comprehensive range of wired and wireless microphones. These include vocal and instrumental microphones for recording and sound reinforcement as well as a range of microphone solutions for business, educational, government and telemedicine users. Audix products have been endorsed by leading artists, have received numerous industry awards and are the go-to solution for many leading systems integrators, consultants and contractors.
Audix products are designed and manufactured in the Company’s facility in Wilsonville, Oregon. Audix is passionate about innovation through advanced design and manufacturing techniques and processes which are key to the Company’s ability to produce competitive, premium products. Having R&D and manufacturing under one roof enables Audix to develop and streamline new products from idea to prototype to production, both rapidly and efficiently. Audix has a substantial Intellectual Property portfolio including patents, trademarks and trade secrets.
Rycote
For more than forty years, Rycote has specialized to develop and make the industry standard shock & wind protection for the extremes of field production sound. It is not just our specialty; it is our passion. It has never been enough to just build the best field production tools for microphones today, we are constantly engineering better tools for tomorrow.
We continue to apply our years of engineering knowledge to create the most complete line of specialized microphone accessories that exists today. These tools are designed for capturing audio whilst preventing wind and handling noise, but preserving the microphones natural frequency response.
JOBY
At JOBY we believe in creation as an act of creativity. Since the very first day, when we were founded in the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve always designed mounts, cases, lights, stands and grips with a user-centric approach. We’ve always tried to create functional yet playful, innovative yet easy-to-use products. Today, we keep building our legacy, shaping the content creation world day after day. We’re always there for those who care for what they create, those who always go the extra mile, those who dare to be bold, those who want to leave a mark with their content. And, of course, those who want to have fun along the way. If you're that kind of creator, we stand by you. Because in the end the world is what we make of it, and together we can make it better - one post, vlog, story at a time. For more information, visit JOBY.com.
