Barco announces that it has reached an agreement in principle to acquire 100% of the shares of VerVent Audio Holding (“VerVent”), a French-British premium audio company active in high‑end audio systems, headphones and automotive OEM audio solutions, with premium audio brands Focal and Naim .The acquisition of VerVent is reported to be approximately €135 million which is equal to VerVent’s reported annual revenue.
Barco is a Belgian technology company that builds professional visualization, collaboration, and networking systems used in healthcare, enterprise control rooms, meeting spaces, and entertainment venues. It specializes in advanced display and projection technology, image processing, and connectivity platforms.
The transaction is planned to be financed with Barco’s own funds. Barco has a reported annual revenue of €900 million. The agreement marks a strategic expansion for Barco’s portfolio, establishing the company as a fully integrated audiovisual solutions provider. Barco was founded in 1934 in the town of Poperinge, in the Flemish-speaking region of Belgium. Founder Lucien De Puydt’s initial business was to assemble radios from parts imported from the United States-hence the name of his company, the Belgian American Radio Corporation, or “Barco.”
“Today marks an important step in Barco’s ambition to shape the future of immersive audiovisual experiences” stated An Steegen, CEO of Barco “By welcoming VerVent and its iconic Focal and Naim brands into the Barco family, we accelerate our strategy to deliver fully integrated solutions where image and sound reinforce each other seamlessly. Building on our leadership in visualization, we go all-in on entertainment. The addition of high‑fidelity audio strengthens the overall experience of our offering across high‑end residential and broader consumer/home entertainment environments, as well as in professional markets. This combination expands our reach, deepens our technology capabilities, and positions us to capture new opportunities across the audiovisual value chain. We are excited to embark on this next chapter together.”
VerVent, headquartered in Saint-Étienne, France, is a premium audio group with a long heritage in designing and manufacturing high-end audio systems under its globally recognized Focal and Naim brands. Its portfolio spans premium loudspeakers, immersive and active audio solutions, headphones, studio monitors and automotive and yachting OEM systems, complemented by a growing custom installation and home theatre offering.
The premium audio market combining audiophile consumer audio and high-end home cinema segments is estimated at more than €3 billion, and supported by trends of immersive sound, active speakers, integrated systems and direct‑to‑consumer go‑to‑market models.
The combination will enable Barco’s evolution towards integrated audiovisual solutions, offering high‑end visualization and audio solutions to both consumer and professional customers. Beyond the home and consumer segment, this will also create opportunities to develop integrated audiovisual propositions in home cinema, public spaces and professional cinema, building on Barco’s leading cinema and high‑end residential visualization solutions and VerVent’s premium audio expertise.
VerVent will be integrated into Barco’s Entertainment division. Barco intends to support the company’s ongoing strategic plan, which focuses on high‑end premium audio positioning, a technology upgrade towards digital, active and connected products, portfolio rationalization and leveraging its sales network, including consumer channels and brand licensing.