Læste lige denne nyhed på et udenlandsk forum:
Audio giant Harman announced today that they have agreed to be bought by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. and Goldman Sachs' GS Capital Partners for eight billion dollars. The deal is subject to various approvals and assuming the deal is green-lighted it would be completed in the fall of 2007. Harman consists of many powerhouse brands in pro audio, home
audio/video and automotive sound, which is their most profitable
market segment. Some of these brands include JBL, Infinity, Revel,
Mark Levinson and Lexicon. JBL is a dominant force in the world of pro audio making up the sound systems for many of the worlds biggest concert tours and venues alike. Revel, Mark Levinson and Lexicon are highly regarded brands in the world of high-end home theater."
Vi har tidligere set hvordan store investeringsfirmaer opkøber audiofirmaer - f.eks. Tymphany og D.S.T. Et andet eksempel er Martin Logan, der blev opkøbt for nyligt. Hvorvidt dette påvirker firmaernes profil og udvalget af produkter er svært at spå om. For D.S.T. betød det ret store omvæltninger mens der for Martin Logans vedkommende ikke er sket det store (set udefra).
Det skal blive spændende at se, hvad der nu sker med Harman koncernen?