ASC forges into theatre and broadcast with HFE buy

ASC forges into theatre and broadcast with HFE buy
Integrator Amptown System Company (ASC) has acquired a major stake in Leipzig system house HFE in a bid to strengthen its presence in the IT and network market.

HFE develops system solutions in the theatre and broadcast sector and its own IT and network technologies, such as adunas, aPLC-based media control system based on industrial Beckhoff components. 

The investment will see ASC expand into media control systems for the entertainment sector and in what it sees as a growing industrial building control market.

HFE will remain an independent company with its shares owned 60% by ASC and 40% by ASC founder Peter Matthes. The founder of HFE, Michael Herbert, is stepping down from active business with Kai Klöppel, managing director of ASC, taking the reigns. 

Klöppel’s first move was to consolidate sales and he confirmed: “ASC sales managers Andreas Klöhn and Stefan Thomsen, together with HFE sales manager Hans Hermann Hönsch, will act as a competence team in customer consulting on the subject of sound reinforcement and control technology, focusing mainly on stage manager technology.” 

He continued: “The ASC deployment secures the jobs of the HFE employees in Leipzig and creates the opportunity to expand growth potential with regard to modern IT and network technologies. Together, we are on the right track to combine media and IT technology in a market-oriented manner for the benefit of both companies and to position ourselves even more strongly for the future. 

“When it comes to projects in music theatres, we want to place even more emphasis on the complexity of our system solutions and also become a strong supplier when it comes to awarding contracts for studio technology.”