AtlasIED is turning 90 in 2024. From its early days as Atlas Sound and Innovative Electronic Designs (IED) to the current incarnation of AtlasIED when the organization merged in 2011, the company has been providing audio and communication solutions to verticals ranging from transportation to houses of worship since 1934. Building on prior owner Loyd Ivey’s legacy, who passed away in September 2023, AtlasIED and current owner, John Ivey, remains steadfast in its approach to operating as a family-owned business.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our AtlasIED family for reaching 90 years as a global leader in our audio and communications technology,” said John Ivey, president and CEO at AtlasIED. “Arriving at this milestone reinforces our commitment to never-ending growth and service to our customers.”
Initially gaining recognition for its PA loudspeakers and microphone stands, Atlas Sound and IED combined their sales, marketing, and support teams to better serve their customers and market segments in 2011. Today, the company focuses on application-based solutions with a wide and flexible range of installation and aesthetic options, including communications and audio platforms, and a broad array of loudspeakers for commercial applications.
Though the company celebrates 90 years in 2024, AtlasIED’s beginning can be traced back to the very origin of the commercial sound industry. During the late 1920s, the Warren Harding political campaign demonstrated the need for better sound reproduction than the traditional megaphone as crowds grew at political rallies.
In 1934, Atlas Sound made headlines by being the first company to combine the horn shape of the megaphone with electro-acoustics to create outdoor PA loudspeakers. This improved public audio and serves as an early example of the versatile solutions AtlasIED brings today to airports, hospitality, and other applications.
Bob Reinhardt and Carl Blumenthal, the company’s founders, took a special interest in mechanical devices and tooling. Noticing the demand for microphone stands, the pair began designing and metalworking. Today, AtlasIED remains a manufacturer with full-time manufacturing facilities in Ennis, TX and Phoenix, AZ.
Since its inception, the company has helped customers improve end-user experiences in some of the most popular venues in the world, such as New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Moynihan Train Hall, along with supporting world-famous talent ranging from Whitney Houston to The Beatles.
“It’s an honor to be able to look back at AtlasIED’s heralded legacy, knowing that there is so much more ahead of us,” concluded Ivey. “This year, we recognize our accomplishments that serve as a tribute to the people and technology who have made AtlasIED the global leader that it is today. To say we are proud is an understatement, we cannot wait to see what the next 90 years will bring."
