B&W sold to American venture capitalist

[plastic penguin]

Yet another famous British name sold to a foreign owner, The list is endless and not just Hi Fi, from chocolate to Rolls Royce, why doesn't Cameron put the whole country on E Bay, One small Island, many inventions needs new owner.

We've always been a country to plunder our big inventions and companies.

As a WWII historian, I know Barnes Wallis first invented pressurised cabins for high flight - he tested them successfully at Vicker-Armstrong at Weybridge, and in 1951 he also invented 'Swing-Wing'. Each time the British Government refused to financially back these inventions, so we gave them to the Americans and French and they developed them further. In the early 70s Wallis came up design for an aircraft that would travel from London to Sydney in less than 5 hours. Yet again, it was never taken up... since the 90s the US have secretly developed 'Aurora' - a spitting image of Wallis's 'Wild Goose' supersonic aircraft.

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s. It's been the norm for most of the 20th Century.

So B&W merging with the US company is another name to add to the already substantial list...

 

[The_Lhc]

1st the investor will sell all the belonings and cash

2nd B&W will have to lease-back the belonings (with huge interest)

3rd B&W will come in debt

4th the new buyer will invest a bit more in B&W, for the first and/or second year

5th B&W will still be in debt

6th the investor will say that he refuses to invest even more 

and at last B&W will have bankruptcy

This is how Sun Capital kills businesses.

Why do you think the owner, who will still be in charge, would allow that to happen to the company that he's spent 30 years building up? This doesn't read anything like that sort of takeover.

Thinking about it, I think this is closer to the Sonos development path, entrepreneurs awash with cash from previous non-hi-fi related business successes decide to do something they actually care about and get into the modern network equipped hi-fi market. The difference in this case is that rather than starting from scratch with the speaker side of things they've decided to get hold of an established manufacturer to get a leapfrog along the development path. Imagine Sonos type devices using B&W drivers and knowledge, could be great!

I grudgingly agree with this comment.

I'm disappointed with you.

More so than usual I mean...

Ps I just vented my spleen on gels tv thread...

That doesn't narrow it down much you know.

 

[DCC]

B&W speakers are well represented coast to coast in the US, I reckon they've reached market saturation with audio enthusiests. As they exist now, I don't see the opportunity for great growth. And this is no billionaire fanboy purchase, the 20m in up front finance assures us of that. To achieve a modest return on investment will demand a dramatic increase in sales volume of existing product type (speakers), or via significant expansion into related product lines. Neither is possible without sacrifice.

 

[keeper of the quays]

Yet another famous British name sold to a foreign owner, The list is endless and not just Hi Fi, from chocolate to Rolls Royce, why doesn't Cameron put the whole country on E Bay, One small Island, many inventions needs new owner.

We've always been a country to plunder our big inventions and companies.

As a WWII historian, I know Barnes Wallis first invented pressurised cabins for high flight - he tested them successfully at Vicker-Armstrong at Weybridge, and in 1951 he also invented 'Swing-Wing'. Each time the British Government refused to financially back these inventions, so we gave them to the Americans and French and they developed them further. In the early 70s Wallis came up design for an aircraft that would travel from London to Sydney in less than 5 hours. Yet again, it was never taken up... since the 90s the US have secretly developed 'Aurora' - a spitting image of Wallis's 'Wild Goose' supersonic aircraft.

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s. It's been the norm for most of the 20th Century.

So B&W merging with the US company is another name to add to the already substantial list...

world war 2 historian! Cool..

 

[plastic penguin]

Yet another famous British name sold to a foreign owner, The list is endless and not just Hi Fi, from chocolate to Rolls Royce, why doesn't Cameron put the whole country on E Bay, One small Island, many inventions needs new owner.

We've always been a country to plunder our big inventions and companies.

As a WWII historian, I know Barnes Wallis first invented pressurised cabins for high flight - he tested them successfully at Vicker-Armstrong at Weybridge, and in 1951 he also invented 'Swing-Wing'. Each time the British Government refused to financially back these inventions, so we gave them to the Americans and French and they developed them further. In the early 70s Wallis came up design for an aircraft that would travel from London to Sydney in less than 5 hours. Yet again, it was never taken up... since the 90s the US have secretly developed 'Aurora' - a spitting image of Wallis's 'Wild Goose' supersonic aircraft.

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s. It's been the norm for most of the 20th Century.

So B&W merging with the US company is another name to add to the already substantial list...

world war 2 historian! Cool..

Well, researcher of WWII... much the same thing. Unpaid and used to take few days off work every year to teach 10-11 year olds at my daughter's school.

My dad was a navigator on Catalina flying-boats (North Atlantic convoys)

 

[keeper of the quays]

1st the investor will sell all the belonings and cash

2nd B&W will have to lease-back the belonings (with huge interest)

3rd B&W will come in debt

4th the new buyer will invest a bit more in B&W, for the first and/or second year

5th B&W will still be in debt

6th the investor will say that he refuses to invest even more 

and at last B&W will have bankruptcy

This is how Sun Capital kills businesses.

Why do you think the owner, who will still be in charge, would allow that to happen to the company that he's spent 30 years building up? This doesn't read anything like that sort of takeover.

Thinking about it, I think this is closer to the Sonos development path, entrepreneurs awash with cash from previous non-hi-fi related business successes decide to do something they actually care about and get into the modern network equipped hi-fi market. The difference in this case is that rather than starting from scratch with the speaker side of things they've decided to get hold of an established manufacturer to get a leapfrog along the development path. Imagine Sonos type devices using B&W drivers and knowledge, could be great!

I grudgingly agree with this comment.

I'm disappointed with you.

More so than usual I mean...

Ps I just vented my spleen on gels tv thread...

That doesn't narrow it down much you know.

it's on the 4k rip off thread..the kind gentleman have ignored my most cogent of remarks! Perhaps you could read my soliloquy? As to be ignored is arduous to the writers ardour! Cheers...

 

[The_Lhc]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

 

[plastic penguin]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

My dad had a 1950s Hillman Minx and subsequently a 1970s Hunter GLS.

 

[chebby]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

 

[keeper of the quays]

I have my dream car..ford focus 1.8 tddi..best car I ever owned!

 

[The_Lhc]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

Didn't know you cared Chebby!

 

[plastic penguin]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

Didn't know you cared Chebby!

Funny you should mention Lotus Talbot. At the beginning of the week I was at the petrol station and this guy had a Lotus Talbot. Slightly unusual colour: White with a blue stripe down it.

Almost a nice as my old car from years ago.

 

[The_Lhc]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

Didn't know you cared Chebby!

Funny you should mention Lotus Talbot. At the beginning of the week I was at the petrol station and this guy had a Lotus Talbot. Slightly unusual colour: White with a blue stripe down it.

Almost a nice as my old car from years ago.

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus or, incorrectly, Lotus Sunbeam (although that does sound cooler). That must be a custom colour, the series one was Black with a silver stripe (mine), the series 2 added Moonbeam Silver (actually a pale metallic blue to my eyes) with a black stripe.

 

[plastic penguin]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

Didn't know you cared Chebby!

Funny you should mention Lotus Talbot. At the beginning of the week I was at the petrol station and this guy had a Lotus Talbot. Slightly unusual colour: White with a blue stripe down it.

Almost a nice as my old car from years ago.

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus or, incorrectly, Lotus Sunbeam (although that does sound cooler). That must be a custom colour, the series one was Black with a silver stripe (mine), the series 2 added Moonbeam Silver (actually a pale metallic blue to my eyes) with a black stripe.

I know from my days with Lotuses white with blue stripe was the second colour of the MKI and MKII Lotus Cortinas.

Regardless of the colour the Lotus Talbot was bloody lovely.

 

[Infiniteloop]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

Not quite a Lotus Sunbeam, but my first car was a Chrysler Sunbeam 1.6S

It went like the devil was chasing it and was a brilliant car to drive.

Metallic brown with 'hearing aid beige' interior.

Very fond memories.......

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Fifteen years ago Mission speakers were suddenly everywhere here in the US. Then they totally disappeared.
B&W have been pushed hard in BestBuy for the last two years. Chinese B&Ws, naturally.
As Private Frasier used to say "we're doomed! Doooomed, I tell ye! Doooomed!"

 

[Al ears]

Fifteen years ago Mission speakers were suddenly everywhere here in the US. Then they totally disappeared. B&W have been pushed hard in BestBuy for the last two years. Chinese B&Ws, naturally. As Private Frasier used to say "we're doomed! Doooomed, I tell ye! Doooomed!"

Only if you believe the hype.

 

[MrReaper182]

I hope Bowers & Wilkins don't sart chasing the "mainstream" market now they been sold to an Silicon Vally Start-up. It's a sad day when such a respeceted British company like Bowers & Wilkins get sold to the Yanks. Please don't mess up Bowers & Wilkins which ever Silicon Valley start-up brought them.

 

[manicm]

I hope Bowers & Wilkins don't sart chasing the "mainstream" market now they been sold to an Silicon Vally Start-up. It's a sad day when such a respeceted British company like Bowers & Wilkins get sold to the Yanks. Please don't mess up Bowers & Wilkins which ever Silicon Valley start-up brought them.

You've missed the bus only, oh, about 8 years ago. B&W 'chased the mainstream' since they released the Zeppelin. Blame the Chinese, blame the Americans, maybe some day the Martians will take over British hifi, if Richard Dawkins is to be believed.

 

[bigboss]

Joe Atkins, the owner of B&W, who has invested in the company for the last 30+ years, is a Canadian.

Check this out:

B&W owner hopes to become a big noise for speaker firm

"Atkins, who owns 60% of B&W, recognises he is not getting any younger. His daughter has indicated that she has no interest in taking on the firm. He is clearly preparing to offload the business, having already sold a 40% stake to two private equity investors. Brussels-based Sofina grabbed 20% in 2006 and Caledonia Investments, based in Britain, snapped up the same-sized stake in 2011 for £24m.

Is Atkins looking to sell up to a larger electronics group, or would he rather float the brand on the stock exchange?

“Thirty years is a long time to invest in a brand and there’s a big responsibility that goes with that,” he says. “I’m now thinking, how does a 50-year-old brand become a 75-year-old brand?”

He does not want to sell B&W to a large corporation, preferring to hand it over to a group that understands and nurtures premium product lines. “I think you have to find a way to transition the stake-holding while you are still invested. That point may not be now, but it’s not 20 years from now either,” he says."

I may not trust the Americans, but I will trust Joe Atkins to make the right decision for the company he nurtured for 3 decades.

 

[gowiththeflow]

As a WWII historian, I know Barnes Wallis first invented pressurised cabins for high flight - he tested them successfully at Vicker-Armstrong at Weybridge, and in 1951 he also invented 'Swing-Wing'.

Well you're not much of a historian then.

Barnes Wallis did not invent pressurised cabins. Pioneering work and early development of pressurised cabins was carried out in France, Germany and the USA throughout the 1920's and 30's. Production airliners with pressurised cabins were in commercial service prior to WW2 and before Barnes Wallis and Rex Pierson began work on designing a high altitude bomber with a pressurised crew compartment (Vickers Windsor).

Likewise, he didn't "invent" the Swing-Wing concept either, but was one of the most notable early post WW2 pioneers trying to develop the Swing-Wing concept into a functional proposition.

 

[Gaz37]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

Lovely car, but aren't I correct in saying that all the bits that make it good come from Lotus?

Kinda like giving a pair of Acoustic Solutions speakers to B&W, letting them fit their own internals, brace and stiffen the cabinet etc and make it into a decent speaker.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Should you buy B&W products now or wait?

 

[The_Lhc]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

 

Lovely car, but aren't I correct in saying that all the bits that make it good come from Lotus?

And? You say that like it's a bad thing! Two constructors World Rally Championships can't be all wrong...

 

[Gaz37]

The British car makers 'Rootes Group', that made the Hillman cars, sold out to Chrysler in the late 60s.

This is true but without them I probably wouldn't have my dream car.

Which one?

Talbot Lotus Sunbeam IIRC

Lovely car, but aren't I correct in saying that all the bits that make it good come from Lotus?

And? You say that like it's a bad thing! Two constructors World Rally Championships can't be all wrong...

It's not a bad thing at all.

It's certainly a testament to Lotus' engineering, turning a truly hateful car into something that good.