Sennheiser Middle East is a branch office of Sennheiser UK Ltd, long responsible for the distribution of all Sennheiser Group brands in the Middle East, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of parent company, Sennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co.KG.
With a diverse portfolio of products, this step has been taken to facilitate better support of its existing dealer network, as well as expanding its distribution channels, say Sennheiser.
Key areas such as consumer headphones and multimedia headsets - an area in which Sennheiser has achieved significant success in Europe and the US in recent years - as well as cockpit and cabin solutions for the aviation sector and its more diverse pro audio solutions, including automated guided tour systems and digital interpretation systems, offer new opportunities. Responsibility also encompasses the distribution of all Sennheiser Group brands, including Neumann and Klein+Hummel, as well as distributed brands such as K-Array, NetCIRA and Rycote.
"This is a logical step for Sennheiser as we look to grow the Group's direct sales in the Middle East," says Cardamone. "The last few years have seen us put a great deal of effort into growing our representation and presence. We know that some consumers in the region have used the supply and support of international distributors and in some cases system integrators, notably in broadcast, from outside the region as the distribution model for manufacturers in the Middle East develops and naturally gaps need to be filled.
"The importance of working in the same time zone and being available during our partners' working hours to offer manufacturer support and, even more importantly, local stock is key to establishing more effective relationships with our customers to provide a better solution for those regional partners.
"For this reason we have not only established the Branch office, but also a warehouse facility in Jebel Ali, serviced by our international logistics partner, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics. We will be holding significant stock in expectation of being able to act swiftly to a market that, by its nature, demands short lead times, flexibility and accurate forecasting from suppliers.
"Being 'on the ground' means we are able to obtain much more accurate information on upcoming projects, whilst offering technical support and solutions to decision makers and those responsible for specifying by developing new relationships," adds Cardamone.
Joining the Sennheiser Middle East team is Ryan Burr, formerly of local distributor Venuetech and also EV/Dynacord, in the support role of business development. Amin Hagroo also joins the team from consumer distributor Jumbo Electronics as sales and purchasing officer.
(Lee Baldock)
