Irving, Texas – JVC Kenwood struck an agreement to buy EF Johnson Technologies as part of a strategic initiative to increase its focus on professional communications, particularly in the U.S. public-safety market, EF Johnson announced.
In the U.S., Kenwood USA’s communications sector offers two-way mobile and portable radios for public safety, government, business and industry. It also offers amateur radios.
Irving-based EF Johnson, which focuses on public-safety communications systems, said it “will continue to remain a separate brand and will continue its operations as it did before the acquisition.”
With the acquisition, added EF Johnson CEO Andrew Adams, “EFJohnson now has the corporate scale to match the large competitors and ensures excellent support to our customers and continued development of new products for many years to come.”
JVC Kenwood and EF Johnson offer complementary communications products portfolios, EF Johnson noted.
The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter subject to regulatory approvals. A price wasn’t disclosed.
EF Johnson is owned by Francisco Partners, a private-equity company that focuses exclusively on investments in technology and technology-enabled services businesses. Francisco took the company private in 2010.
EF Johnson employs about 200 people, and its customers include first responders in public safety and public service, the federal government, and industrial organizations.
