BREAKING NEWS: EcoTech Marine and AquaIllumination have merged!
- Thread starter Mayja
- Start date
reefer gladness
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't get too excited. Neither of these manufacturers were using any technology that I would consider proprietary or unique.
Like most LED manufacturers these units use off-the-shelf LED's that any of us can buy and the rest of the components are readily available too. It's not like they're gaining control of the LED market with this acquisition.
Like most LED manufacturers these units use off-the-shelf LED's that any of us can buy and the rest of the components are readily available too. It's not like they're gaining control of the LED market with this acquisition.
We are kind of lucky here in that both companies are good companies, so we shouldn't be hurt that way. However, there is some overlap in the product lines, especially lighting. In time, what will happen is that the product lines will be merged, and some duplicate products will get dropped. You'll also see some consolidation of departments. You don't need 2 of everything, so a lot of them will get merged or they will keep just one.
Overall, we should be fine. The one area I'd be a little worried about is parts for older items. They might be hard to get.
Overall, we should be fine. The one area I'd be a little worried about is parts for older items. They might be hard to get.
plasma327
Member
Well, generally when companies that produce competing goods or services merge, it's good for two groups: the owners of the company getting bought, out as they get to cash in their chips, and the people who own the company that does the purchasing because they drastically increase their market capitalization and take out the competition.
Rarely is it good for the consumer. Competition within a market space like this encourages innovation. Half the products AI has brought out in the past two years have been attempts to one up Ecotech both on features and price, and I think we've all been better off for having more high quality options to choose from.
There's probably still enough companies in the aquarium lighting space for competition to remain a driving force for development, but there aren't really a lot of alternative choices to a light at the level of the radion if that's what you wanted for your tank. If you were looking at a radion, you almost certainly were also looking at AI's lower priced but comparable fixtures. Whether or not you'll continue to have that option is a question mark, but what you'll certainly never have now is an opportunity to buy a future AI product that is demonstrably superior in performance to a radion, while also being less expensive.
Tru2nr
Well-Known Member
Wow interesting move...to say they are not going to centralize anything I call shenanigans unless the owners are more aquarium focused than business savvy; unless they follow the automakers model where they have their more budget friendly brand and their high end brand. However this merger will allow them to increase their negotiating powers on the electronics side of things which could result in future innovations not being as expensive as they would be without that buying power.
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It's not that so much. It's that when two companies merge, they are going to say all the "right things" that are "politically correct". In other words, they will say the resulting company will be better for all, everything is going to be fine, all products will be continued no matter what their actual plans are.
I think in this case, we'll be OK. Now if they were being swallowed up by one of the giants in the pet trade, they we'd likely be in trouble.
I think in this case, we'll be OK. Now if they were being swallowed up by one of the giants in the pet trade, they we'd likely be in trouble.