Entertainment group’s acquisition to create global leader

The management teams of SSE Audio and Solotech

Canadian entertainment technology group Groupe Solotech hopes it has hit the right note about agreeing a deal to buy Redditch-based audio production company SSE Audio.

SSE Audio was founded in 1976 by John and Heather Penn, who turned a love of live music and a garage operation supplying public address systems into the UK’s largest professional audio services supplier installing equipment for some of the biggest shows, such as Kylie Minogue’s Golden Tour.

John Penn will continue to head the group in the UK and its brands of SSE Audio, Capital Sound, Wigwam and Sigma Products will be maintained.

He said: “Together we now become one of the biggest audio visual and entertainment technology companies in the world. I’m really confident that this move will be good for both us and our clients.”

SSE Audio employs 150 people and its most recent accounts, for 2017, showed pre-tax profits of £3.4m on revenues of £24.0m.

Martin Tremblay, president and chief executive of Groupe Solotech, added: “This transaction enables us to pursue our expansion strategy in the European market decisively.

SSE Audio Group collecting the Medium Business award at the 2017 Business Masters.

“With it, we consolidate our unique position as a global player, offering a full-service, 360 degree proposition, including sales, rentals and integration of audiovisual technologies.”

SSE Audio won the Medium Business category at TheBusinessDesk.com’s Business Masters awards in 2017.

The deal was led by Andy Parker with support from Jack Browne at Cooper Parry Corporate Finance, with legal advice being provided by Amanda Allen at GunnerCooke.

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