Catalyst AV: New Distribution Network with 11 Members

Catalyst AV, a new nationwide distribution network, has launched with 11 independent distributors that will serve the residential and professional AV channels. With 16 locations across the United States, the Catalyst AV network will serve more than 10,000 integration companies.

Board member Mike Hench, principal of Electronics Source and former president of The EDGE Distributors Group, says Catalyst is committed “to maintaining sustained inventory levels to assure next-day (and where applicable same-day) delivery in the continental U.S.”

The 11 Catalyst member companies are:

• Allnet Distributing (Midwest)
• Audio Video Warehouse (Nevada, Arizona)
• Custom Plus Distributing (Pacific Northwest/Alaska)
• Easy Access Distribution (Northeast)
• Electronic Lane Distributors (Southwest)
• Electronics Source (Florida and Southeast)
• Electronic Stockroom (California)
• HCA Distributing (Rocky Mountains)
• Pioneer Music Company (Plains States)
• SPD (Upstate NY)
• Tech Source Distributors (Mid-Atlantic)

The group will use its locations to host manufacturer training events and product showcases. Special emphasis will be placed on technologies that frequently cause installation compatibility issues such as networking, media distribution and home control.

”Given changing market conditions and the growing intricacies of systems integration, we believe in-depth support in all these arenas is crucial for the continued sustenance and growth of the integrator’s business model,” says Hench. “Taking on the demands of just-in-time inventory and providing real backbone tech support like helping with setup, troubleshooting, debugging, etc., truly makes us a key part of the supply chain.”

Besides Hench, the Catalyst AV board of directors includes Steve Presti, Easy Access Distribution principal and former president of DDG, and Wally Whinna, Allnet Distributing principal and former executive vice president and co-founder of AVAD.