Sennheiser seeks to sell its consumer audio division
Sennheiser and consumer audio is over? Not really, but the leading German brand of audio products on February 16 announced that it was looking to sell its consumer division.
- In a press release, Sennheiser announced that it was looking for a partner to further strengthen its consumer division.
- The manufacturer explained that it wants to focus on professional and business-oriented products in the future.
- He said that consumer audio remains a major growth driver with strong potential.
Sennheiser, one of the big names in audio, is a family business run by the two brothers Daniel and Andreas Sennheiser. Rumours about the repositioning of its pro and consumer divisions have been circulating for some time now.
In a press release issued on 16 February, Sennheiser said the company was open to all options. In other words, the manufacturer could aim either to proceed with the total sale of its consumer division, which includes the Momentum TW range of true wireless headphones and headsets as well as its connected speakers, or a partial buyout to strengthen the division with one or more new investors.
"In our professional and consumer divisions, we have four business units in total: Pro Audio, Business Communications, Neumann and Consumer Electronics. In all these areas we see great potential for growth. At the same time, they are characterized by different consumer bases, different requirements, different product life cycles and different market dynamics," says Andreas Sennheiser, Co-CEO of Sennheiser.
The manufacturer goes on to explain that it plans to concentrate its own resources on the first three segments of its catalogue, i.e. the professional ranges for the corporate world, the event industry and so on.
What does the future hold for Sennheiser's consumer audio products?
However, this does not mean that products such as the Momentum True Wireless 2 headphones and the Momentum Wireless 3 Bluetooth headset will disappear. It would be a shame to see Sennheiser abandon these ranges, which have established themselves as strong market references alongside Sony, Bose or Apple products.
"The market for headsets and connected consumer speakers offers great growth potential, despite a very dynamic market and strong competition. This is particularly the case for the market for true wireless headphones," the manufacturer said.
"Our products are known to offer the best sound and a unique audio experience. The idea is for Sennheiser to relieve itself of some of the costs of its consumer division.
Whether manufacturing, assembly, marketing or R&D, it is not yet clear what impact this potential takeover could have. However, Sennheiser's aim is clearly to free up more resources for investment in its professional ranges.
The future quality of the consumer ranges, which will no longer be independent, is questionable. Sennheiser obviously assures that "all areas of the company will emerge strengthened by this planned repositioning."
Source: Sennheiser - Communiqué
