Biggest News Day Ever!

On the day that Michael Jackson’s shock death was announced to the world, we have Earth shattering news in our world too. BBG distribution are withdrawing from automotive audio and two other companies are to take on their prime brands.
I was actually in the Rayners Lane Prestige Audio shop in north London at the very moment when the call came through that they had landed the distribution of Phoenix Gold, having wrested it away from Path group. Back then they were the ‘whipper snappers’ of the trade. In the years since, BBG took on more and more magnitude and moved into domestic electronics with accessories becoming a major part of their world, too. They became so major in this market that a merger-acquisition has since recently ensued and BBG are now part of Peerless Industries Inc.
As part of a massive organisation, it was felt that BBG could no longer provide the focus needed to the mobile electronics market and despite it having been their origins, after all this time (fifteen years) they decided to let it go. All sorts of heavy-duty machinations have gone on behind the scenes and all kinds of businessman stuff that’s way over my fuzzy head but the outcome is all positive, as follows.
 
Focal’s fabulous automotive loudspeaker line has gone to Armour Automotive, who sell Mutant, Veba, Orion and Kicker kit as well as the iconic Autoleads accessory lines. The MTX, Dynamat and JL Audio brands have gone over to the Stinger cabling and accessories distributors Celsus (who are also based down in the sunny south coast) complete with all staff who were heavily involved with the car stuff at BBG. In particular the talented Chris Bennett, who was so instrumental in the UK growth of these brands, who is joining the board of Celsus as Sales & Marketing Director.
So if you are a Focal, JL Audio, Dynamat or MTX dealer, what has happened is a major injection of new effort that can only help. Along with the total continuity of supply and above all of knowledgeable and well loved people, this means that the guys I really care most about, which is End Users, will see nary a ripple in any after sales commitments from the folks that sold it to them, nor the shops they frequent. So guarantees and ‘see next year’s products’ are all still assured, which is nice.
One lovely side effect is just how thrilled the guys at Celsus are and how delicious it was to find out something new about an executive I thought I knew well. Turns out that while Mike Smith at Armour (“The Most Eligible Executive In Car Electronics”) is in charge of some of the most powerful and loud car audio brands on the planet (both of which I utterly adore) and drives the most amazing demo car in the UK in the shape of the legendary Kicker Hummer, his own personal tastes are a bit more grown up. So he is charged up at the prospect of working with one of the most recognised Audiophile speaker brands on the planet. (Google “Focal Grande Utopia Be” and read my mate Alvin Gold’s review that comes up line one) So, “Mike Smith in Closet Audiophile Propensities” may not be as amazing as the confused and conflicted feelings you get when you read that the King Of Pop has passed, but it is hectic stuff!
The official start date is not until the 1st July and Talk Audio already has meetings booked with the folks involved, (as we are kinda hooked up with everyone that matters) and we will bring you more news as we get it.
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Oh and my son Simon Rayner is fourteen years old today! And as his dad, for me that clinches it.
Biggest News Day Ever!