April 4, 2001 -- The Alesis Corporation announced a company-wide
restructuring in an effort to refocus on its core business and ensure a
smooth launch of their newly introduced product line.
Jim Mack, Alesis Vice President of Sales and Marketing said, "A very
aggressive new product plan coupled with slower than expected sales of our
current line have forced us to make targeted cutbacks in order to secure our
position in the marketplace. These streamlining efforts, while unfortunate,
guarantee the necessary resources for a strong product launch later this
spring."
As part of the restructuring, Alesis announced they would be handing off two
products to the original development partners. The Vipre All-Tube Mic Pre,
originally developed jointly by Alesis and Groove Tubes under Alesis’ GT
Electronics brand, will now be manufactured and marketed solely by Groove
Tubes.
As part of this agreement, the GT Electronics brand will remain at Alesis and
will continue to market the AM series tube and FET studio recording
microphones. Jim Mack relates, "While we are very excited by the response to
Vipre, it also represents a new direction for us at a time when we need to
focus on our strengths."
Alesis will also be handing off the DMPro Drum Kit to HART Dynamics. HART
will now assume all sales and marketing responsibilities for the product.
John Maier, Director of Marketing Communication said, "Hart Dynamics’ entire
operation is focused on the drumming community in general and the electronic
drum kit market specifically. The DM Pro Kit will be better served under this
new scenario. "
The DMPro Drum Module will not be affected by this change and will still be a
part of the Alesis Digital Drum Product line.
Alesis also announced there would be targeted layoffs as part of this
reorganization. While most of the cutbacks were centered in the company’s
manufacturing and warehousing division, there were also limited cutbacks in
the sales, marketing and administrative areas.
The company also announced talks with prospective investors and business
partners in an effort to ensure the product plan for 2001 is carried out on
schedule. Jim Mack said, "Our current product plan is arguably the most
aggressive in the companies history. These products represent the latest in
Alesis proprietary chip technology. We felt that bringing in outside partners
at this time would ensure that these new products and technologies can all
come to market simultaneously rather than over the course of the next few
years."
On the heels of a new marketing campaign dubbed, "The Re-Evolution of Music,"
Alesis recently introduced fourteen new products within a four month period.
Among the new innovations is the groundbreaking trio of the A6 Andromeda 16
voice real analog synthesizer, the ADAT HD24 hard disk recorder and the
ProLinear 820 Customizable DSP studio monitors.
Also introduced were entirely new product categories including the airFX and
airSynth motion controlled S/FX devices, as well as the 400 series digital
processors, RA series amplifiers, and Ineko personal effects processor.
For more information, visit their web site at www.alesis.com.
