QSC will merge with Acuity’s Intelligent Spaces Group at a cost of $1.1bn, net of tax, or 14 times EBITDA and twice sales of $535m.
QSC, a company that has been in the professional audio, video, and control (AV&C) industry for many years, has signed a deal that will see it become part of the Intelligent Spaces Group of Acuity Brands, which is a company in the intelligent building solutions industry. QSC’s AV&C capabilities will complement Acuity’s existing offerings while being a major advancement in the integration of lighting, building automation, and audiovisual solutions.
A Strategic Integration for Smart Buildings
The company additionally stated that QSC is expected to strengthen Acuity Brands’ ability to design integrated smart building solutions by integrating its proficiency in intelligent lighting and building management with QSC’s advanced sound coming/visual technologies. For the Intelligent Spaces Group that develops Acuity’s solutions in intelligent building management, QSC’s products and recognizable brand would help to broaden the company’s presence and build an effective environment in the space.
QSC is famous for its products in audiovisual processing, control systems, and networked AV solutions. With QSC’s technologies, Acuity Brands plan to achieve a better integration of lighting, climate control, security, and audiovisual functionalities to enhance the users’ experiences and improve energy consumption in commercial and institutional buildings.
Implication on the AV Market
This acquisition is an indicator of a trend emerging in the commercial AV&C market, where solutions are now coming under a single umbrella and are focused on, among other things, improving the management of a building. Thus, Acuity Brands with the help of QSC will be tightly entering spaces of such kinds as corporate space, educational facilities, and recreational areas in which there is an increasing demand for the integration of lighting, audiovisual, and climate control systems.
For the industry, it underlines the increasing significance of AV technologies as one of the components of smart building systems. Acuity’s building automation experience when merged with QSC’s already existing AV solutions will provide a synergy that can potentially help define the future of smart and sustainable building systems.
Press Release: https://www.qsc.com/acuity
