Aalberg Audio Appoints KMC Music as its Exclusive United States Distributor of the Ground-Breaking, Wireless Controlled Effect Pedals

Adding further momentum to its 2016 business development program, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com), the industry-leading distributor of MI and ProAudio products, today announced that it has been appointed by Aalberg Audio (www.aalbergaudio.com) to serve as its exclusive United States distributor.

Roger Hart, KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising, today called the appointment another important step forward in KMC’s 2016 business development program. “While last year was very much a year of transition for KMC, this year is going to be a year of significant growth and expansion as we add more and more lines to our brand portfolio," Hart said. "The addition of Aalberg’s audio effects pedals to our available lines is only going to help drive sales for our dealers.” 

According to Hart, great care has been invested in the hardware and software that makes Aalberg audio effects pedals sound amazing while being intuitive to use — with and without their wireless controller. “The pedals have rich, high definition audio, LED indicators for parameter levels, stereo in/out for multiple signal configurations, and a patented custom designed aluminum housing that is built to last,” he emphasized. “The pedals also the have the ability to wirelessly connect with the Aalberg Update app, enabling musicians to easily upload new content to the pedals.” 

Aalberg Audio of Norway, an award-winning manufacturer of innovative and high-end audio equipment, is committed to becoming the world leader in wireless music equipment. The core products of Aalberg Audio are guitar effects pedals that can be controlled wirelessly from a control unit attached to the guitar. This gives the guitar player greater freedom on stage, and the possibility to manipulate the sound in a manner not previously possible.

The inspiration for wireless effects pedals came to Aalberg Audio co-founder and guitarist Rune Aalberg Alstad after a night out with student friends in 2010 during which they'd been arguing about which were the best effects pedals on the market at that time. Alstad realized that all the pedals shared a common flaw: they are all fixed to one position on stage. The sky opened up and the ideas for a remote controlled pedal just came pouring in. Alstad recalls grabbing the closest object he could write on and scribbling down the blueprint for a remotely controlled effects pedal.

Rune used his idea to form the basis of a Masters degree in Music Technology at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU). Rune teamed up with the engineer Torkild Indstøy (now Aalberg's CTO) and entrepreneur Aleksander Torstensen (now Aalberg's CEO). The team has grown since then with many contributors and advisors helping to make our innovative ideas into a reality.

Innovative Consumer Cleaning Products Start-Up WHOOSH! Receives $1.5-Million in Financing From the Bank of Montreal

The Toronto-based next-generation consumer cleaning products start-up WHOOSH! (www.whoosh.com) today announced that it has received more than $1.5-million in financing from the Bank of Montreal to support its growth. According to WHOOSH! President & CEO Jason Greenspan, the financing is in the form of an operating and term credit facility supported by additional banking services. 

“WHOOSH! has more than tripled in size since it was founded three years ago,” Greenspan said today. “Thanks to our efforts, the issue of Tech Hygiene has become a major focus of consumers and retailers alike, who now recognize the importance of keeping mobile device screens clean.  In the process, we have succeeded in making WHOOSH! the leading Tech Hygiene brand.  The financing and support provided by the Bank of Montreal is going to strengthen and expand our ability to grow the brand and deliver more products to more customers than ever before.  We appreciate this vote of confidence from our banking partner.”

WHOOSH! Screen Shine solutions are now available at over 5,000 stores globally including Office Depot/Office Max, Staples Canada, Telus and Walmart stores.

According to Rob McLean, Vice President of the Bank of Montreal, WHOOSH! represents the kind of innovative, forward-looking company that the bank seeks to partner with.  “WHOOSH! is pioneering the commercial market development of a very exciting and new product category.  The company is poised to become the next great consumer products brand. We are proud to be partnered with this dynamic and growing company.”

WHOOSH! Screen Shine made its debut at CES 2014 where it became the only screen and device cleaner to be awarded two coveted CES Innovations Design & Engineering Awards. WHOOSH! is also a Family Choice Award winner, one of the most coveted, family-friendly consumer award programs in the nation, recognizing the finest products and services that enrich the lifestyles of children and families.

Paiste America Appoints KMC Music to Serve as its Sole United States Distribution Partner

Strengthening a percussion portfolio that already includes Gibraltar, Latin Percussion, Remo, Toca, Vater, and Vic Firth, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has been appointed to serve as the sole United States distribution partner of Paiste America (www.paiste.com), one of the world’s most renowned lines of cymbals, hand cymbals, and gongs that includes the iconic Paiste 2002 Series and the highly respected Paiste Signature Series.

“The addition of Paiste to our already extensive percussion portfolio reinforces our position as the MI retailer’s only true one-stop source for all of their percussion needs,” KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising Roger Hart emphasized today.  “We are proud to be able to offer our customers the cymbals used by artists that include Stewart Copeland, Nicko McBrain, Ian Paice, and Alex Van Halen, among many, many others.” 

The success of Paiste can be directly attributed to the core philosophy that underlies all of its product development programs.  “As a family business, we have always been driven by the goal to constantly create new sounds with cymbals, gongs, and bronze percussion instruments that meet the unique needs of drummers and percussionists,” explained Paiste CEO Erik Paiste.  “And now, with the help of KMC Music’s extensive in-field sales, merchandising, and support teams, the Paiste line of cymbals and gongs is going to be more immediately available to the largest network of MI retailers in the world’s largest MI retail marketplace.” Key house accounts will continue to be served by Paiste America and its own sales team.

“Experimentation, integration, and revolution are all a normal part of the Paiste product development effort,” Erik Paiste continued.  “The art of percussion has evolved to a point where the technical and musical components that go into creating ‘sound’ have reached unprecedented new heights.  Today’s drummers and percussionists speak many musical languages and actively perform in several genres.  Paiste is committed to keeping up with these trends and, as a result, our product line today meets more musical styles and needs than ever before.” 

KMC Music Opens New Corporate Headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut, Relocates Warehousing and Distribution to Mississippi

Calling it the start of the next great chapter in its proud history of serving the MI and Pro Audio industries, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has completed its transition from Fender Musical Instruments to JAM Industries ownership with the opening of a new corporate headquarters in Bloomfield, Connecticut, the relocation of its warehousing and distribution to the JAM Industries operations center in Southaven, Mississippi, and the implementation of new credit and order processing systems based in JAM Industries’ Montreal, Canada headquarters.

From left to right: James Tsaptsinos, Vice President of Sales; Mark Terry, President; and Roger Hart, Vice President of Merchandising

“An exciting new chapter in our history of service to MI and Pro Audio dealers is now underway,” KMC Music President Mark Terry said today.  “We are looking forward to bringing to our dealers an unprecedented new array of business building sales and promotion programs designed to help them better meet the needs of their customers.”

Effective immediately, the new KMC Music corporate headquarters will be based in Bloomfield, Connecticut in a new campus that includes all executive offices, telemarketing, training, sales, marketing and customer support functions.  The new address is 310 West Newberry Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002.  The general phone number is (855) 417-8677.  “When it was time to select a new corporate headquarters we knew we didn’t want to stray far from our roots,” Terry explained.  “We’re thrilled to remain in Bloomfield, where our company was founded and where so much of our history resides.  Staying in Bloomfield also reaffirms our commitment to maintaining the core values that have made us the leading distributor of MI and Pro Audio solutions — a customer-centric focus, a commitment to exceed our customers’ every expectations, and our determination to always provide the broadest range of high value added products, programs, training, and service support.”

The new KMC Music headquarters in Bloomfield, CT

The new KMC Music warehouse will be based out of JAM Industries’ 300,000 square foot, state-of-the-art automated operations and distribution center in Southaven, Mississippi.  The address of the new warehouse is 4325 Executive Drive, Suite 300, Southaven, Mississippi 38672.

In addition, all KMC Music Accounts Payable/Receivable functions have now been moved from Fender Musical Instruments to the JAM Industries corporate headquarters in Montreal, Canada.  Effective immediately, all credit inquiries should be directed to credit@jamindustriesUSA.com. 

Amplifying Mark Terry’s message, KMC Music Vice President of Sales James Tsaptsinos emphasized that, “All of the changes announced today are designed to enhance the way our dealers do business with KMC Music. We understand the vital role customer service and consistent communication play in ensuring that our businesses run smoothly together. The new KMC Music is ready to do even more business with our dealers and we look forward to sharing with them news about a number of tremendous new business opportunities.  We look forward to a great Second Half 2015!”

The new KMC Music distribution center in Southaven, MS

To download additional hi-res images, click here.

Core Brands Selected to Provide Control, Audio and Connectivity Solutions for LEED Registered Sunset Green Home Building Project

Underscoring the increasingly important role its brands are playing in the construction of smart home building projects, Core Brands today announced that it has been designated the exclusive provider of control, audio, and connectivity solutions for a new LEED registered home currently under construction in East Quogue, New York within the Town of Southampton, New York. 

According to Core Brands Director of Business Development Joe Lautner, Core Brands will provide ELAN®, Panamax®, SpeakerCraft®, Sunfire® and Xantech solutions to the home, which will showcase state-of-the-art sustainability when the project is completed this summer. 

“More and more, Core Brands solutions are being selected by smart home designers and builders who are looking to create living environments with the smartest, eco-friendly control and functionality,” Lautner explained. “The award-winning ELAN Control System continues to set the bar for smart home control that is intuitive, flexible and easily scalable for future upgrades. SpeakerCraft and Sunfire offer the very best in multi-room audio and home theater audio performance, and nothing comes close to Panamax protecting advanced electronics and Xantech in delivering robust, reliable connectivity.  We are proud to be associated with this LEED-registered home project.”

Sunset Green Home is a sustainable, energy-efficient new home construction project registered through the LEED® for Homes Green Building Program with the certification goal of LEED platinum.  The LEED certification program is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings.  

The project team members combine expertise from multiple disciplines, including technology solutions providers, architecture, landscape architecture, custom home building, energy modeling, sustainability consulting, and LEED program administration.  “This multidisciplinary team structure is critical to successful integrated project delivery, which is a cornerstone of the LEED for Homes green building program,” Erle stressed.  “We are proud to have Core Brands become part of our team.”

According to Kim Erle, LEED AP Homes, the decision to build a sustainable LEED certified home was made after the original 1940’s era beach cottage was damaged first by Hurricane Irene and then, devastatingly, by Hurricane Sandy.  “When we decided to rebuild this home after Hurricane Sandy we wanted to build a new home that would stand as a model for green residential building in a region where homeowners are increasingly calling for environmentally friendly, healthy and energy-efficient homes,” Erle said today.  “We wanted to align ourselves with partners that share the same commitment.  Core Brands absolutely shares our vision and our commitment to be an environmentally responsible member of the community and we are proud to select them as our control, audio and connectivity solutions provider.”

The 3,600 square foot home now under construction incorporates sustainable products, materials, and technology into every part of the home and it includes solutions from, among others, AdvanTech Flooring, Anbrook Shingles, ATAS Aluminum Roofing, Hydrazzo Swimming Pools, Axor and Hansgrohe Fixtures, Beam Alliance Central Vacuums, Boral Tru Exterior Trim, Bosch Refrigerators and Dishwashers, CertainTeed Gypsum, CoverStar, Daltile Tile and Stone Products, DEL Ozone Chlorine, DuraVent Chimney Pipes, Duravit Bathroom Furniture and Ceramics, Eldorado Stone, EmPower Solar, Franke Kitchen Systems, Grace Ice and Water Shields, Hafele Products, Huber Engineered Woods, Integrity Windows and Doors from Marvin, Liberty Cedar, Mitsubishi Cooling and Heating, Nantucket Beadboard, New Castle Building Products, Simpson Strong-Tie, Tech Lighting, Thermador, TruStile Doors, Uponor, VentGrid, Walk Green Wood Products, Zehnder America, Zip Systems Sheathing and Tape, and Zodiac.

The Sunset Green Home is scheduled to be open to the public in late Summer 2015.