The parent company of Sydney manufacturer Rode Microphones, The Freedman Group, has acquired Lectrosonics, a 54-year-old US maker of high-end wireless audio equipment, making it one of the largest professional audio companies in the world.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it was announced on Thursday as a significant acquisition for Freedman, which acquired fellow US audio hardware maker Mackie in late 2023 for $180 million and owns several other brands.
It gives the group founded and owned by Australian billionaire Paul Freedman a major presence in the US amid global trade uncertainty.
The Lectrosonics brand and US manufacturing operations will continue. But some of Freedman’s other products, including Rode hardware will be able to be made in America within months, avoiding Donald Trump’s trade tariffs.
Founded in 1971, Lectrosonics manufactures wireless microphone systems and audio processing products from its base in New Mexico. The high end products are used in big budget movies and broadcast productions. The company won an Academy Award in 2017 for its Digital Hybrid Wireless Technology.
“For decades, Lectrosonics has been synonymous with the highest possible performance along with unmatched reliability and innovation in professional wireless audio,” Mr Freedman said.
“Their uncompromising commitment to quality perfectly aligns with our own values and strengthens our position as a global leader in professional audio solutions.”
The acquisition includes Lectrosonics’s brand, complete intellectual property portfolio, factory buildings in Rio Rancho, New Mexico and an array of production machinery and equipment.
It is the latest addition to Freedman’s audio brands, which include Rode, Mackie, Aphex, SoundField and Event Electronics.
Rode microphones are manufactured at the company’s Sydney hub — a 26,000 square metres facility of factories and warehouses in Silverwater and Greystanes — with precision machinery valued at more than $500 million.
“I am beyond excited and genuinely humbled that Lectrosonics is joining our team,” Mr Freedman said.
“They are without doubt the world’s leader in wireless communication for the entertainment and broadcast markets. Being able to now offer our customers the finest sounding wireless technology in the world is, without exaggeration, something that is very special to me.”
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