- With more than a month still left to go in the current sales year, Stampede Presentation Products, Inc. announced that sales of its Unified Communications products grew by 94 percent in 2013 — a rate of growth that will only continue to explode in 2014 and 2015.
- According to Stampede president and COO Kevin Kelly, Stampede is committing itself to building an entire 21st century mix of products that are built around the concept of ‘The Internet of Things.’
- “In order to remain the industry’s largest supplier of high value added ProAV solutions, we must take the steps required to build out our future product lines in ways that meet the needs of an increasingly Internet based, web centric ProAV customer,” Kelly said. “We have created a specialist team that is focused on meeting this goal. And we’ve formed a Tech Support team with AV, PC, Network and VC expertise to support the sales efforts of the specialist team. I believe this is a first for our industry.”
- Currently, according to Kelly, Stampede is offering a first generation of ‘Internet of Things’ product portfolio centered around audio solutions from Phoenix Audio and Clear One; visual solutions from Sony, MediaPointe, and Vaddio; and software from Vidyo, Bluejeans, and ChorusCall. “In highly customized and integrated offerings these audio, visual, and software solutions are delivering high value added Unified Communications capabilities to a growing number of end user customers,” Kelly explained. “But it is just the beginning of where we as an industry are headed.”
- Kelly emphasized that the ProAV industry is being challenged daily to stop using the terms ‘audio and video’ and start using the terms ‘see, hear and control’ in order to understand the business opportunities that this shift to ‘The Internet of Things’ era is creating.
- “The traditional AV industry is maturing and a new personalized industry is rising up to take its place, one that is built upon the ideas of connecting, integrating, and sharing devices in entirely new eco-systems built around highly customized software applications.”
- Beginning in 2014, Stampede will be adding greater emphasis to a host of product categories, including video surveillance and security; IP video, cameras, and control; wireless audio; wearable devices; power line devices, and, of course, tablets and tablet accessories.
- “Make no mistake about it. These categories are already established and they are only going to become huge in the years to come,” Kelly said. “Lest anyone doubt this, consider this fact: in 2013 Stampede sold 20,000 pairs of smart video glasses. If any one thing points the way to the future it is this remarkable sales achievement.”
