Canadian Music Trade - August-September 22 | Page 14

Guitar Center Business Solutions Acquires Cutting Edge Systems Guitar Center Inc .’ s Business Solutions division has acquired Cutting Edge Systems Corporation , a technology installation firm in New England as a part of its growth strategy for the company ’ s Business Solution Group , the American music retailer has announced . This acquisition brings Cutting Edge ’ s comprehensive integration services under the umbrella of the Audio Visual
MOHIT PARASHER
Design Group ( AVDG ), a commercial and residential audiovisual system integrator that has operated as an arm of Guitar Center Business Solutions since 2017 .
“ We are excited to welcome Cutting Edge Systems and its talented teams to the Guitar Center family ,” said Mohit Parasher , president of Guitar Center ’ s Business Solutions . “ Cutting Edge is well known for its audio-visual expertise throughout New England and Greater Boston . Their experience , skillsets , and values are a perfect match for AVDG as we continue to expand in the Northeast and build upon the award-winning technology integration services that AVDG is known for nationally .”
Guitar Center ’ s acquisition of Cutting Edge Systems represents the second major expansion in the Northeast for AVDG , which acquired New England-based Maverick Integration Corp . in 2020 and currently has offices in Waltham , MA , and Nashua , NH . Earlier this year , AVDG was also ranked seven out of 100 on CE Pro magazine ’ s yearly list of top technology integrators in North America .
For more information , go to www . avdg . com .
HAL LEONARD ’ S BRAD SMITH
Hal Leonard Now the Canadian & U . S . Distributor for DrumnBase Rugs Hal Leonard has announced that it is the U . S . and Canadian distributor of DrumnBase ’ s stage , studio , and practice room rugs .
DrumnBase ’ s Belgian-made rugs were launched in Europe in 2019 with “ vintage Persian ” and vegan cow ” designs . Brad Smith , Hal Leonard ’ s VP of MI products , says , “ Although these are perfect for drummers , these rugs can also be used to define space for a guitarist ’ s pedalboard , a keyboard stand , or even a vocalist ’ s mic . They give any stage , studio , or rehearsal space a professional look that inspires a better performance .”
Rik Driegen , the Dutch owner of the DrumnBase brand , adds , “ As a gigging musician , I was never satisfied with the drum / practice room / stage rugs on the market , so I designed this line to give the right amount of flexibility and grip , a rug that stays flat and is incredibly durable , and just as important , has the right look and stage feel .”
For more information , contact Hal Leonard : 800-554- 0626 , sales @ halleonard . com , www . halleonard . com .
Amphion Loudspeakers Unveils New Headquarters Amphion Loudspeakers has opened its new headquarters in Kuopio , Finland . The 19,000-sq . -ft . facility includes an increase in manufacturing and stock space , purpose-designed R & D rooms , and demo areas for the brand ’ s home and studio lines of monitoring . This is a major upgrade from Amphion ’ s previous offices and represents a sizable investment in the brand ’ s future brought on by increased demand for its speakers and power amplifiers , according to the company .
Initially founded in 1998 as a home loudspeaker manufacturer , Amphion launched its well-regarded studio monitor line in 2014 . Well-known users include Grammy-winning producers such as Finneas O ’ Connell , Jacquire King , and Mike Dean , and mix engineers like Mitch McCarthy , Josh Gudwin , and Damien Lewis . The increases in business led Amphion ’ s leadership to reimagine its facilities to better represent the scope and capabilities of its product lines , and by extension the needs of its growing customer base .
For more information , go to www . amphion . fi .
Steve Hendee Shifts Focus to Export Sales at Yorkville Sound After three decades with Ontario-based manufacturer and distributor Yorkville Sound , including 10 years as director of U . S . sales , Steve Hendee is shifting his focus to overseeing Yorkville ’ s Export Sales division . With this change in position , Hendee has moved from Niagara Falls , NY to Florida , and will continue his export duties out of his home office .
While working as Yorkville ’ s director of sales , export management has been
STEVE HENDEE
a central part of Hendee ’ s day-to-day focus . The company says he will continue to manage relationships with all of Yorkville ’ s export partners from around the globe to ensure their success with Yorkville ’ s catalog of brands . Hendee can be reached at shendee @ yorkville . com . For more information , contact Yorkville Sound :
905-837-8777 , canada @ yorkville . com , www . yorkville . com
14 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE