Worst DIY Installs Ever Part 7
10 Must-Have Products for Your Next Install
6 Amazing High-End Home Theaters
8 Awesome Turntables for Spinning Vinyl
Print
Email
Comments (6)
Share
AVAD, DBL Combine Under Ingram Micro CE Division
Ingram Micro – the mega-distributor of IT-oriented systems and the parent company of both AVAD and DBL – announced it is “strengthening its North American consumer electronics operations by integrating the AVAD custom installation and home automation unit into a larger division that includes DBL Distributing.”
Ingram Micro acquired AVAD in 2005 for $120 million up front, with earn-out payments of up to $80 million over the subsequent three years. Two years later, the company acquired DBL for $96 million.
Since the acquisitions, all three organizations have operated fairly autonomously, given their different product lines and channel strategies – until now, it seems.
AVAD had 28 branches when it was acquired five years ago. Ingram added several more, and then took them away over the years. Last May, AVAD closed 10 branches. Today, the number of locations stands at 26, but five more will disappear as part of the latest reorganization: Oregon, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Florida and Utah.
Even before Ingram acquired AVAD and DBL, the IT distributor launched a Consumer Electronics Division with a fair amount of fanfare, but evidently not a lot of success.
Now it seems Ingram is going back to its roots, folding the acquired companies into the CE group.
According to the press release:
While the AVAD name and operating structure will be retained, the unit will now be organized under the Ingram Micro Consumer Electronics Division, allowing AVAD and DBL Distributing to leverage best practices, market expertise and common processes.
DBL was “transitioned to” the Ingram Micro CE Division earlier this year.
DBL veteran Tim Coakley will lead vendor management and marketing for the overall Ingram Micro Consumer Electronics Division.
John Soumbasakis, senior vice president, strategic divisions, Ingram Micro North America, will continue to lead the division, with the general managers of AVAD and DBL reporting to him.
AVAD currently is searching for a national sales leader.
Not surprisingly, Ingram plans to recognize all sorts of synergies through operations, cross selling, and all the other happy things acquisitions are supposed to yield.
“I look forward to Tim’s leadership as we work closely together to pursue new growth opportunities," AVAD GM Jim Annes says in a statement. "The integration with the Ingram Micro Consumer Electronics Division will open many new possibilities for vendors and customers, who will now have access to a wide variety of products and services, such as digital signage, accessories, additional security and information technology. We’re excited about these changes and the opportunities presented by bringing AVAD under the divisional umbrella”
CE Pro is interviewing AVAD and Ingram execs and will report back with all of the details.
UPDATE: What Ingram Micro Reorg. Means for AVAD, DBL
Next page for official press release.
Subscribe to the CE Pro Newsletter
Read more Distributors stories
N.Y. Giants’ Victor Cruz Opens New Tri-Ed BranchD&H Distributing Ends Fiscal 2012 Up 10% in Sales
Furutech’s Alpha Design Labs Names HDL New U.S. Distributor
D&H’s Green Product Linecard Grows 20%
Tri-Ed/Northern Video Distribution Acquired by Audax Group
More in Distributors
Article Topics
News · Distributors · Avad · Mergers And Acquisitions · Ingram Micro · Dbl Distributing ·About the Author
6 Comments (displayed in order by date/time)
Is this supposed to be a good thing for dealers and a good thing for AVAD?
I rarely see closing multiple locations as a good thing but given the state of the state of the economy it makes sense.
Whenever a large company buys up a smaller one in our channel it seems they completely change the structure losing what they paid for in the first place.
Living in Phoenix I have seen first hand the changes at DBL and AVAD. I would have to say the founder of DBL has to be laughing all the way to the bank (if he isn’t crying).
I remember seeing people lined up outside the DBL will call everyday buying product and now that’s gone. Most of these companies were one person’s vision and when the corporate mentality takes over you lose that kind vision to bean counters cutting costs and making it hard for the talent left to do their job. While there are some talented people left at both companies, operating under the new parent has pushed as many out. I know a few here in town still going through recovery from the change of culture.
Ingram has a proven track record but with so many divisions and shuffling around of talent something seems to have been lost along the way. AVAD still provides a great service in many markets, but DBL has lost something without the vision of its founder. Too bad, but it couldn’t last forever, and at least he made out and sold at the best possible time.
One good thing about DBL being dissolved into Ingram is , at least we won’t have to see as many redundant “distributor ads” in trade magazines any more!
Mark,
Why don’t you go see the good guys at ADI on University Drive in Phoenix.
I have found ADI carries but brands that AVAD carries including recently the addition of Onkyo as well as Mitsubishi to go up against Samsung.
I agree with the nature of DBL, it has totally gone down hill, I don’t believe will-call is open any longer in Scottsdale.
What I can’t stand about AVAD is their 20 day terms (VS 30-40 with ADI) and you can never call a branch you want and you stay on hold for 10-15 minutes every time.
Folks,
There IS a sensible alternative for custom installers. :^)
Cheers,
AVAD Beaverton, OR will be sorely missed. Good luck to Josh, Peter, Dustin and everybody else there. Thanks for all the support over the years.