Leon Speakers has acquired Media Decor, manufacturer of high-end concealment products, including art lifts and moving art. The purchase expands Leon's portfolio of high-end, custom-tailored loudspeakers with TV enhancement solutions, providing new commercial and residential business opportunities.
Leon Speakers and Media Decor most recently co-designed the Edge, combining an aesthetic TV mount and Leon’s Horizon soundbar.
The acquisition of Ft. Lauderdale, FL-based Media Decor adds a team with deep ties to the design community and will promote Leon's vision “to mix art with audio and design with technology.”
Media Decor’s concealment technology not only hides large flat-panel displays, but also contributes to the room décor. With Lutron as a long-time partner, Media Decor has an expansive reach throughout the custom installation industry, which will further enhance Leon's overall network of designers, architects, dealers, and integrators.
Leon and Media Decor have a history working together that dates back to the early 2000s with Leon president Noah Kaplan and Media Decor president Jonathan Graham having collaborated extensively on mechanical and industrial designs. Graham is an inventor holding multiple patents.
In an interview with RS, Kaplan said the idea for a merger came up over the last couple of years because Media Decor was struggling with a lack of sales organization. Despite having no reps, “They were still receiving orders from all over the world,” he said.
The two most recently co-designed the Edge, combining an aesthetic TV mount and Leon’s Horizon soundbar. “In the whole design collaboration, it just became very clear that we did things almost exactly the same ways in terms of our processes,” Kaplan said.
Afterward, “I just started picturing the words ‘Media Decor’ in a different way.”
Kaplan’s vision is a new genre of products. He was mum on specific details, but integrated furniture is going to be part of it, and “things the world hasn’t seen,” he teased.
Noah Kaplan, Leon Speakers, president
He did offer that there would be three brand-new products released in the next 18 months. “Our designers are already fiercely working at the new concept designs. Even Jonathan is newly charged now since he doesn’t have to manage global sales.”
The acquisition opens up commercial install opportunities for hospitality and corporate applications with an interactive version of the Edge coming out. The idea is “to build a modern console,” Kaplan said, effectively a plug-and-play solution for hotels and boardrooms, adding, “convergence is on my mind.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Media Decor 's manufacturing and operations will remain in Ft. Lauderdale. Leon intends to cut Media Decor’s delivery time in half without compromising product quality. Individual instructions will be delivered to suppliers and customers of the two firms to ensure a smooth transition. Media Decor’s products are now a part of Leon’s product line, available to all Leon dealers and reps. “The business will appear seamless,” Kaplan said.
He noted a “huge response” in the few days since the acquisition was announced to partners, coming from as far as France, and “a huge amount of Edge quotes went out in the last couple of days.”
