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Hills signs three new vendors to bolster AV portfolio
Mon, 9th Apr 2018
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Hills Limited has expanded its vendor portfolio with three new signings in the AV product space, picking up exclusive ANZ distribution agreements with XTA electronics - MC2 Audio (XTA and MC2), Xilica Audio Design (Xilica) and Application Solutions (safety and security) Limited (abbreviated as ASL).

The company says the addition of the three new vendors serve to broaden its AV product offering and strengthened its position as a complete solution provider for the professional AV market.

Hills CEO and managing director, David Lenz says, “Bringing these brands into Hills ensures we continue as one of the largest value-add distributors of technology across Australia and New Zealand targeting the Company's key markets, which include transport infrastructure, entertainment, education and health.

XTA Electronics and MC2 Audio, are technology partners based in the United Kingdom, operating in a joint capacity - with solutions that can be used both together or separately.

XTA designs and manufactures professional audio processing equipment, specialising in live performance, while MC2 provide professional audio amplifiers, which according to Hills, have gained a reputation for their reliability and sound quality.

Hills says the addition of XTA and MC2 products round out the distributors offering in the stadium and performance market, while complimenting the distribution of its principal speaker brand - Community Professional Loudspeakers.

Hills' second vendor signing, Xilica Audio Design provides configurable digital signal processing (DSP) systems which send audio to different areas, managing sound quality so it fits the environment.

Hills says the vendor's portfolio of audio processors and advanced remote-control devices, will create opportunities across key verticals like health, education, corporate and government where audio, video or public address announcements need to be targeted to specific areas or rooms.

Lastly, ASL is a manufacturer of public address, voice alarm, commercial audio and 3D control systems.

In combination with Community's mass notification speakers, ASL will provide an emergency paging and voice alarm solution that will integrate with Hills fire and security business, creating opportunities in the transport infrastructure road tunnel market.

Lenz says the addition of these three new vendors will prove useful in providing opportunities for partners and more choice for end-customers.

“These vendor wins enhance Hills ability to provide customers with industry-leading solutions and demonstrates the company's capacity as a one-stop-shop for building technology solutions,” he says.

The signing of the three new vendors follows Hills' recent appointment of Darren Banks as the company's general manager for vendor business management, tasked with growing the distributor's vendor partners.

At the time of Banks' appointment, Lenz said, “It's an exciting time to be at Hills. We've invested in getting the basics right, opening a national distribution centre and flagship trade centre at Seven Hills, revitalising New Zealand operations and launching a new eCommerce platform to provide strong channels for vendor sales. “Appointing a GM responsible for vendor relationships ensures we are maximising opportunities across the portfolio.