CES hasn’t officially begun yet, but we already have some big news coming out of the Mac hardware sector. OWC, the company that’s well-known for its focus on Mac-centric storage, connectivity, software and expansion solutions, has acquired Akitio, known for innovative Thunderbolt 3 products.
This is big news around Mac circles, because Akitio has established itself as a reliable, innovative brand. For example, Akitio produced the first mainstream Mac-compatible external GPU chassis, the Akitio Node, and continued to make a variety of products aimed at meeting the needs of modern Mac and Windows customers. In my opinion, Akitio has been a very forward-thinking company, and OWC no doubt took this into consideration as it sought an acquisition.
OWC is a staple in the Mac community. The 30-year-old company is well-known for its upgrade-centric Mac hardware, such as SSDs, RAM, etc. OWC also produces its own line of Thunderbolt 3 hardware products, of which its portfolio will gain even more depth with the acquisition of Akitio. For those wondering, Akitio California and international teams will remain and continue onboard at their current locations.
“This acquisition gives us the opportunity to strengthen our core prosumer lineup and market reach with photography, video and music pros with some really exceptional new offerings,” said Larry O’Connor, OWC Founder & CEO. “Our product lines and brands are quite complementary, with Akitio bringing a strong reputation in the Windows space and segments like performance gaming, AR/VR, high- end creative strengths to our base. I see tremendous opportunities ahead for our team and our customers.”
What do you think about this acquisition? Sound off in the comments below with your thoughts.
Here is the full press release from OWC below:
WOODSTOCK, IL – January 3, 2019 – OWC®, a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company, today announced it has acquired Akitio, a maker of premium external computer storage products and accessories with an emphasis on ThunderboltTM 3 technology. The acquisition brings together two of the leading innovators in Mac and PC storage, expansion and performance kits in the world. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
“This acquisition gives us the opportunity to strengthen our core prosumer lineup and market reach with photography, video and music pros with some really exceptional new offerings,” said Larry O’Connor, OWC Founder & CEO. “Our product lines and brands are quite complementary, with Akitio bringing a strong reputation in the Windows space and segments like performance gaming, AR/VR, high- end creative strengths to our base. I see tremendous opportunities ahead for our team and our customers.”
OWC’s Woodstock facility will serve as worldwide headquarters for all OWC brands including Akitio, and the Akitio California and international teams will remain and continue onboard at their current locations. Management was quick to announce that customer support will remain first class for all existing lines including the award-winning support now behind Akitio brand products. All warranties will be honored as provided in the original purchase.
“The new combined organization brings unique market strengths, excellent geographic coverage, an outstanding engineering team, and exceptional design and product development capabilities,” said Tommy Chen, CEO of Akitio. “OWC has developed an incredible reputation in the market for delivering products that are lightning fast, high-performance and reliable, and our entire team is proud to join OWC and take that reputation even higher.”
About OWC
Other World Computing (OWC), founded by Larry O’Connor when he was 14 years old in 1988, is dedicated to helping tech enthusiasts and industry professionals do more and reach higher. Our trusted storage, connectivity, software and expansion solutions enable creative professionals, producers, educators and government entities to get the most out of their technology investments, protect valuable digital assets and expand their hardware’s capabilities to keep up with the demands and evolution of their work. OWC features an award-winning technical support team that is on hand 24/7 as well as an unparalleled library of step-by-step installation and support videos. In everything we do at OWC, we believe in making a better world where technology inspires imagination, and everything is possible.
About Akitio
Established in 1992, Akitio specializes in the design, development and manufacture of premium, high- quality external computer storage products and accessories with an emphasis on Thunderbolt technology. Akitio products are PC, Mac, and Linux compatible. Akitio also develops its own product- testing software, as well as software for simultaneous data duplication, screen shots, and security checks to streamline DIT workflow. Akitio US Headquarters are located in Orange County, California. The complete line of Akitio products can be found at www.akitio.com.
Company Contact: Jennifer Myers: (815) 502-5640 or jmyers@owcdigital.com. Agency Contact: Jessica Byrnes: (320) 333-9993 or jess@skyya.com.
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© 2019 Other World Computing, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and Mac are the trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Intel and Thunderbolt are trademarks of Intel Corporation registered in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other marks may be the trademark or registered trademark property of their respective owners.
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