By Patrick Avenell

Leading premium audio and hi-fi distributors Audio Product Group (APG) and QualiFi are to merge, effective 1 July 2013, with QualiFi taking the lead in the new entity, with Michael Henricksen continuing as CEO and Ken Dwyer, CEO of APG, invited to join the board of directors.

The new QualiFi will house an impressively large array of brands, including Denon, Loewe, AKG, Marantz and Jamo. The new company will initially be run out of APG’s inner Sydney offices while new office space is secured.

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In addition to clarifying the new CEO role, QualiFi has confirmed that Philip Hawkins will be the general manager, Ralph Grundl will be in charge of marketing and Steve Gerry will be the national sales manager.

All current future warranty obligations for all brands will be assumed by QualiFi.

“The combined management and sales teams, together with the broader portfolio of world-renowned brands, will create a very important distribution business in the CE and CI markets in Australia,” said Dwyer and Henricksen in a joint statement.

“Both APG and QualiFi share similar business values and culture. Both companies have long histories of success in the Australian AV industry. The purpose of this merger is to create an extremely strong and valued distribution partner for all brands represented across all the various CE and CI sales channels.

“The directors and management of APG and QualiFi are confident this merger is an exciting opportunity and is an extremely positive development for our brands, suppliers, customers and staff. We are grateful for past support and look forward to a mutually rewarding future for all stakeholders.”

The statement continues to say that APG’s Installed Sound and Pro Audio/Musical Instrument divisions are not included in the merger and that APG retains ownership of this business.

Brands subject to the merger, as listed in the joint statement:

Denon
NAD
PSB
Loewe
AKG (personal audio products)
Tannoy (residential products)
Niles
Elan
Sunfire
Xantech
Marantz
Jamo
ZVOX
Stealth Acoustics
MK
Forte