Pion, who was previously with digital mixing console manufacturer InnovaSon, told L&SI during the PLASA09 exhibition in London this week that while APG is a very popular brand in France, with installations of its product in venues throughout the country, it has very little presence internationally. Now, with a complete product line from smaller installation models to its particularly popular stage wedges and its line array systems, Pion says he is ready for the challenge of bringing their product line to a new international customer base.
He comments: "I met with APG at a time when, for the first time in their 30-year history, they really had a complete range of live sound and public address loudspeaker products to offer to market. However, although they have a solid base of faithful and passionate members which has made them what they are today, what they don't yet have, and are in the process of building, is a comprehensive international distribution network. This, of course, I where I come in, and I am really looking forward to building the brand on an international level."
APG general manager and shareholder Grégory Dapsanse says the move could not have come at a better time for the company. "Something we've always been proud of at APG is the level of personal contact we maintain with the customer . . . I am delighted to say that as a result, unlike many companies in the pro audio market today, we actually increased our turnover and market hare last year, and improved our profitability despite the difficult economic climate. We had been thinking for some time that we were ready to move up a gear, particularly where the international market is concerned, so when we heard that Xavier was available, it all dovetailed perfectly."
(Lee Baldock)
