Audiovox Acquires Invision, Rear-Seat Entertainment Maker

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 2/9/2010

Hauppauge, N.Y. - Audiovox has acquired Invision Industries, a major supplier of rear-seat entertainment systems to automakers and car dealers. Terms weren't disclosed.

Audiovox's latest acquisition includes Invision's patent portfolio, a manufacturing facility, a support team and R&D capabilities, Audiovox said. Invision has a "history of strong relationships with some of the world's leading car makers," said Audiovox president/CEO Pat Lavelle. The acquisition "will enhance our position as a significant supplier to the OE market." The addition of Invision personnel "will add a greater dimension to our OE mobile electronic sales capabilities and product development initiatives," he added.

Audiovox is also a supplier of rear-seat entertainment systems to automakers as well as to car dealers. Car dealer products include an Advent-brand, expediter-channel FLO TV system that connects to any existing in-vehicle DVD-monitor system.]

Kissimmee, Fla.-based Invision will report to Tom Malone, president of Audiovox Electronics, and will continue to operate out of its existing facilities in Florida. Dun & Bradstreet shows Invision employing 175 people and that its parent company is CV Family Enterprises.

The acquisition is the latest in a string of acquisitions by Audiovox, including last October's purchase of Schwaiger, a German maker of electronics accessories and satellite-receiver technologies. That acquisition was for $4.3 million and was expected to add approximately $32 million in annualized sales.  Before that, Audiovox acquired five companies in fiscal 2008: Oehlbach and Incaar, RCA A/V lines, RCA accessories, and Technuity for the Energizer brand.