Chessington, UK (April 23, 2024)—Audiotonix, which owns the Allen & Heath, Calrec, DiGiCo, DiGiGrid, Fourier Audio, Harrison, KLANG:technologies, Slate Digital, Solid State Logic, sonible and Sound Devices brands, is shuffling investors. The pro-audio conglomerate announced it will receive a next-stage investment from private equity firm PAI Partners; current investor Ardian will maintain a minority stake in Audiotonix via re-investment as part of the transaction.
“I would like to thank Ardian for the confidence and their solid support of Audiotonix, and all our brands since their investment in March 2020,” said James Gordon, Audiotonix CEO, in a statement. “Ardian invested alongside us just as the global Covid lockdowns began, and from our first meeting, they were aligned in making sure all our brands emerged in a stronger position than before, but with the same teams and brand values fully supported. They allowed us to continue our large investment into R&D and supported our desire to add the right brands to our portfolio.”
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Gordon noted that teaming with PAI comes after a 12-month effort to find the next partner, stating, “I am happy to say the PAI team were a perfect cultural fit from our very first meeting. They come to us with a global reach and passion for music and technology that is a natural fit for our pro-audio brands today and tomorrow.”
PAI Partners is a private equity firm that has invested in companies around the globe. It currently has c. €27 billion of assets under management and, since 1994, has completed more than 100 investments in 12 countries, realizing more than €24 billion in proceeds from 60 exits.
Colm O’Sullivan and Neil McIlroy, both Partners at PAI, said, “We are delighted to partner with James Gordon and the exceptional Audiotonix management team, alongside Ardian, in this next chapter of growth. Audiotonix is well placed to benefit from positive structural tailwinds in the experience economy and diverse professional audio environments – whether in live entertainment, installed professional audio, music or sports. We look forward to working with the team as the group continues to deliver market-leading, professional products, defining audio experiences worldwide.”
