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Dutch loudspeaker manufacturer Alcons Audio has recently opened a dedicated UK base, which will be headed up by Stephen Badham
Despite its relative youth – Alcons was launched by managing director Tom Back in 2002 – the company has made a big impact in the pro audio market with its evolutionary approach to loudspeaker manufacture and product designs based around multi-patented, pro-ribbon transducer technology.
Back recognises the need to look at key, influential territories, but adopts an organic approach to expansion, knowing that when the time is right, the opportunities will present themselves. That happened for Alcons Audio Germany only six months after the company’s inception.
“In general we have adopted the philosophy that we want to have our own presence in key territories that have an international influence,” he explains. “Germany is a domestic market that is very interesting to us in terms of volume, sales and appreciation of the technology we have and our success there has shown that our faith in this approach is justified.”
Six years later, Back knows the time is right for Alcons Audio UK. “The UK is important in many ways,” he says. “It influences the European music scene and it also influences the US. We have noticed that through the relationships UK companies have in the US market. Taking all that into account, setting up the UK operation was never a matter of if, it was purely a matter of when.”
Although new to Alcons, Badham has been in pro audio for more than 10 years and boasts a CV that is an undeniably good fit for the company. “Prior to getting into pro audio, I was a pro musician,” he says. “I also have a diploma in acoustics from the University of Salford, and I am a full member of the Institute of Acoustics.
“Before I joined Alcons, I was with EAW handling application support (EASE models, technical sales, system design and commissioning) for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. I’d known of Alcons for some time, but a chance meeting at a tradeshow piqued my interest in the brand further. Then I heard the product and, as far as I was concerned, it was a done deal.”
For Back, meeting Badham was a happy accident. “We talked, exchanged some information and the whole thing just clicked,” he recalls. “He was the right man, in the right place, at the right time.”
“Alcons has a surprisingly strong profile and customer base in the UK, given that there has been no direct representation here until now,” adds Badham. “Now we have that direct representation, plus significant demo stock (which we also use to support our Ribbon Network partners) and a number of significant new products on the horizon, the brand can only go from strength to strength.”
“We take our business very seriously and believe that it requires a very personal approach,” concludes Back. “So having the right person heading up Alcons UK is very important.
“Steve has the passion and personal integrity we value so highly. He also has experience and knowhow that makes him an asset to us not only in the UK, but to the company as a whole - and to the next phase in the Alcons Audio evolution."
For more information, visit alcons audio and the ribbon network
