QSC LLC has acquired Ultra-Stereo Labs, Inc. (USL). The acquisition will allow QSC to offer an industry-leading portfolio of audiovisual processing and B-chain solutions under the QSC and USL brands for the motion picture exhibition industry.
“As the first major acquisition in the nearly 50-year history of our company, we naturally wanted to find a company that would be an excellent strategic fit for QSC,” said Jatan Shah, chief operating officer of QSC. “We recognize the many valuable contributions that USL has made to the cinema industry over the years, and are confident that the integration of the two companies will provide an even more powerful total value proposition for our customers. The two companies are complementary in terms of product offering and how we view our commitment to the customer.”
“While there is certainly overlap in our domestic distribution channel, the breadth and depth of the QSC international distribution network will significantly expand the combined QSC/USL global footprint,” said Barry Ferrell, QSC’s chief strategy officer and leader of the cinema business unit for the company. “And while the product catalogs have some areas of overlap, for the most part the catalogs are extremely complementary, allowing QSC to offer an unprecedented and comprehensive range of cinema solutions.”
Both companies are well established in the global cinema market. QSC and USL product philosophies are also compatible: both emphasize high-quality, high-value products at a reasonable price, backed by best-in-class service and product support.
“I can think of no better company in the cinema industry to turn over the stewardship of the USL brand than QSC,” said Jack Cashin, USL founder and chief product visionary. “We are so pleased to finalize this agreement, and look forward to an amazing future together.”
QSC is looking forward to joining forces with Cashin as an integral part of the product development team for USL branded products.
Founded in 1968, QSC has evolved from an audio amplifier manufacturer to a full audio systems supplier for the live sound, systems integration, and cinema industries. Based in Costa Mesa, CA, QSC is a supplier of power amplifiers for the global cinema industry, and also a leader in signal processing and loudspeakers.
San Luis Obispo, CA-based USL was founded by Cashin in 1982, and has been a supplier of audio signal processing and audiovisual test and measurement products for the cinema and pro AV industries.
