Quantel announced that it has acquired Snell, a well-known U.K.-based manufacturer of a range of gear for live TV broadcast production and the creation, management and distribution of content for TV everywhere – on tablets, mobiles and web. The acquisition enables the combined business to offer customers a complete product range to create, version and deliver high-quality content efficiently across multiple platforms.
“This acquisition brings two great companies together to create a major new force in the global broadcast and media technology market. This will enable us to better serve Quantel and Snell customers around the globe,” said Ray Cross, executive chairman and CEO, Quantel. “Our product ranges are entirely complementary so the excellent Snell and Quantel brands and product ranges will continue. We’ll be able to combine the best-in-class talent and technologies from Quantel and Snell to bring exciting new products and solutions to market to help our customers transform their businesses. More local offices across the world will enable us to build closer relationships with our customers and to offer even better support.”
Paul Martin, managing director of the Snell TV Everywhere division and Robert Rowe, managing director of the Snell Live TV division will join the Quantel board. Tim Banks, Snell sales director and Peter Fredericks, Snell finance director are also taking leading roles in the new combined organization.
“I’m really delighted that the Snell and Quantel businesses have come together to increase the scale and scope for both,” said Simon Derry, outgoing CEO at Snell. “Under Ray’s leadership the combined business will be able to write a new and exciting chapter moving forwards. I look forward to supporting Ray during the important period of transition.”
“We will be creating a new world-class facility at the company headquarters in Newbury to produce the complete Quantel and Snell product range and we look forward to the new ideas generated when the two R&D teams start to interact,” said Cross.
According to a company FAQ, “… all existing products from Snell and Quantel will continue as there is zero product overlap between the two companies. The combined business has more regional offices facilitating local access and even better support across the world. Future products and systems will combine best in class technology from Quantel and Snell. The combined organization has the scale, resources and expertise to respond quickly to new market demands.”
The combined company will have offices in 16 locations around the world and combined revenues of more than $170 million.
