This Custom Distributor Guide was sponsored by AVAD and PowerHouse Alliance as a supplement to Residential Systems, November 2013.
As a new year approaches, custom integration distributors AVAD and PowerHouse Alliance are answering trends and the expanding needs of CI professionals by providing both tried-and-true and new product solutions to help their partners maintain healthy businesses.
“AVAD’s product offerings have evolved to include solutions and brands that adapt with how consumers use technology,” said Jim Annes, vice president and general manager for AVAD. “New brands like Nest that redefine an established market in HVAC, as well as commercial products like the InFocus Mondopad that improve the possibilities of collaboration, meet the ever-expanding needs of our customers and their clients.”
PowerHouse Alliance also has seen the necessity to add lines to its roster, influenced by the arrival of new technologies and the convergences of categories integral to the custom channel, in addition to encouraging integrators to keep abreast of product trends. As Dennis Holzer, executive director, noted, “Just as our product roster continues to evolve based on trends, so must the re-sellers in the custom channel. It is mandatory that the integrator continually stay up to date with new product offerings and advancing product technologies, which will define the future business opportunities they can offer their customers.”
To help their integrators and dealers cultivate ongoing relationships with their customer base as well as expand their businesses, both distribution firms have established several means of keeping their partners informed. AVAD, for example, recently launched two mobile applications to help custom integrators access its vast portfolio of residential and commercial AV products.
“AVAD Mobile is a fully transactional U.S. dealer app for quick ordering, as well as checking out promotions, news, and trainings when moving between the office and multiple job sites,” Annes explained. “AV Home Design provides users with a convenient, drag-and-drop home system design tool to help any client visualize an AV system on their wall before installation. These mobile resources provide functionality that makes custom installation more accessible to integrators in today’s mobile world.”
PowerHouse Alliance has significantly increased its product training seminars, so its dealers are fully aware of new offerings in expanding CI categories, which include, as Holzer noted, home surveillance, door locks, thermostats, and lighting—all of which can be remotely controlled by tablets and smartphones.
“The major advantage of purchasing from PowerHouse members is that it also allows integrators the ability to sell a broader range of categories and products to their existing customer base,” said Holzer, “some of which also include reoccurring income streams, all with convenient local product availability.”
Citing the improved U.S. economy and rising consumer interest in integrating technology in their everyday lives, AVAD is taking steps to help dealers “consider product categories that enable them to take greater control of their environment,” Annes stated. “Today, products are better able to work together and are becoming increasingly easier to integrate and update. We offer integrators training and sales support opportunities that increase their skill set on how to implement solutions to fulfill the feature sets that their customers are asking for.”
Having watched the market trend toward advanced home security and integrated IT capabilities, as well as the rise of smart devices as interfaces for automation systems, PowerHouse Alliance continues to diversify its product range, while encouraging integrators to maintain market vigilance.
“As a result of the newer trends and the complexity of these products, integrators also need to continually be taking advantage of the local product education/training classes being offered,” Holzer noted, “so they can make sure their menu of offerings to their customers remains consistent with technology advancements.”
AVAD LLC
AVAD’s Experience Centers offer local access to new products. AVAD is an industry-leading provider of consumer electronics solutions to the residential and commercial custom installation markets. As part of the Specialty Solutions Division of Fortune 100 parent company Ingram Micro, AVAD supplies integrators access to the industry’s top products and integrated solutions for video, audio, lighting control, content management, whole-home, and more. AVAD offers the broadest consumer electronics and business automation portfolio in North America, distributing more than 75 major brands.
Further differentiating its services, AVAD invests in tools and technical support services that integrators need to grow their businesses. AVAD positions itself as a distribution partner by providing easy access to the best products and a full range of value-added services that enable customers to receive complete commercial solutions.
AVAD Experience Centers, Local Contact
With 23 locations throughout North America, AVAD’s Experience Centers offer local, hands-on access to the latest products and technologies from hundreds of the industry’s best brands.
AVAD System Design Group
For larger and more complex residential and commercial jobs, the AVAD System Design Group provides a full range of complimentary design services, including needs analysis, bill of materials specifications, AutoCAD presentations, and product selection, allowing dealers to develop the best solutions for their clients.
AVAD Technical Support Group
While most of our competitors rely on third-party technical support, we’ve invested in our dealer’s business by providing an in-house team of product and systems experts.
AVAD Product Exchange Policy
Unique to our industry, AVAD’s vendor relationships allow more flexibility to control a dealer’s inventory. Should any product fail within 30 days, it can be exchanged, hassle-free. In addition, we also offer a 90-day “good as new” return program for any current product.
AVAD National Freight Program
Leveraging its network of 24 branch locations, all products can be picked up at will call or shipped directly to the dealer or the job site.
AVAD University
AVAD’s education programs will increase dealers’ industry IQ and business acumen, allowing them to stay a few steps ahead of your competition by learning about proven solutions and best practices from the marketplace and industry leaders. Online and classroom product training and certification, technical certification and complete system coursework is offered at the convenience of the dealer.
AVAD Industry Events and Tours
AVAD brings the industry’s newest products and the best technologies right to the dealer’s doorstep through its VendoPalooza and VendoCOMM tours. Local industry events save integrators time and money, enabling them to see the best products from the best manufacturers without traveling too far.
Regions Covered:
• USA
• Canada
Brands Distributed:
• AKG
• Altronix
• APC by Schneider Electric
• Aprilaire
• Arlington Industries
• Artison
• AT&T/VTech
• bCODA
• Bell’O
• Bogen Communications
• Bose
• Boston Acoustics
• Burton Wire & Cable
• Calrad Electronics
• Carlon
• Chief
• Crestron
• Crown International
• Current Audio
• DataComm Electronics
• DBX
• Denon
• DoorBell Fon
• Draper (Home Theater Sales)
• DYMO
• Elevar
• Flypaper
• Furman Sound
• Gefen
• Global Caché
• GRI
• Hosa Technology
• H-P Products/Dirt Devil
• InFocus
• iPort
• JBL Professional
• Just Lamps
• JVC Professional
• Key Digital
• Kramer Electronics USA
• Labor Saving Devices
• Leviton Manufacturing
• LifeSize
• Linear
• Lutron Electronics
• Luxul
• Marantz
• MartinLogan
• Middle Atlantic Products
• MIDLITE
• Mobotix
• Monster
• MuxLab
• NEC
• NETGEAR
• Niles Audio
• On-Q/Legrand
• Optoma Technology
• Panamax
• Panamorph
• Panasonic
• Panasonic Professional
• Parasound Products
• Peerless-AV
• Platinum Tools
• Polk Audio
• PROConnect
• Pro Control
• ProFlex
• QSC
• RepairMaster
• RGB Spectrum
• Rip-Tie
• RowOne
• RTI
• Russound
• Samsung
• Samsung Professional
• SANUS
• Screen Innovations
• Sharp Electronics
• Sharp Professional
• Sirius/Terk
• Soundcraft
• Speco Technologies
• Structured Cable Products
• SunBriteTV
• Thomas & Betts (Augat)
• TiVo
• Transformative Engineering
• Triplett
• Universal Remote Control
• Wilson Electronics
• XM Satellite Radio
• ZeeVee
Jim Annes, VP/GM, AVAD Contact:
AVAD LLC
5805 Sepulveda Blvd, #750
Sherman Oaks, CA 91411
Phone: 888.FOR.AVAD
Web: www.avad.com and
www.avadcanada.ca
Email: [email protected] or
[email protected]
PowerHouse Alliance
PowerHouse Alliance member, Volutone’s Van Nuys, CA, location. PowerHouse Alliance, now 13 members strong and growing, has firmly established itself as the respected national consortium of regional distributors, providing quality name-brand, cutting-edge, and high-technology products to dealers and custom installers nationwide
PowerHouse Alliance, members combined, represents annual sales of more than $850 million dollars. Individually, each member prior to joining the alliance, had a significant investment in their territory, but recognized that they could grow and gain additional exposure, opportunities, and benefits by joining forces, both for themselves and the dealers they service.
PowerHouse Alliance has, in aggregate, more than 850,000 square feet of fully stocked warehouse space in 38 locations nationwide. Products span the spectrum of home theater, consumer electronics, security, commercial electronics, and IT, with more than 250 lines on the roster executive director Dennis Holzer is continuing to put together a group of core vendors that fit with one another that all members are required to support, creating stronger relationships with key manufacturers and additional benefits for all of our customers.
“Our group continues to exceed expectations and goals thus far, which includes increasing the quantity of warehouse locations, expanding into new categories, adding additional tier one brands, and lastly, making group purchases based on consolidated buying power for better pricing to our dealers,” Holzer, said. In addition, “for vendors looking for national fulfillment, we have created cost efficiencies, such as allowing members to fulfill distant orders more cost effectively by using an authorized partner’s closer warehouse. We’re opening up additional opportunities with larger retailers, buying groups, and custom installers as our main focus, since as a group, we truly cover all 50 states. Our dealers recognize that we are a one-stop solution. We are not manufacturer representatives with distribution arms. Our overriding goal is to bring together our customers and vendor partners to create a seamless, profitable, and successful relationship.”
In addition, the PowerHouse Alliance offers exclusive product offerings, categories with reoccurring income streams, prepaid freight options, and total solutions in every warehouse for all levels of custom installation and other programs that are advantageous for its members to pass along to their customers.
“We continue to receive significant vendor and dealer interest as a result of having our group name and advantages becoming better known,” Holzer added. “Vendors, retailers, and custom installers are realizing that with the PowerHouse Alliance, they benefit from a national footprint coupled with real local representation, dealer training, 38 convenient well-stocked pick-up locations, consistent product availability, reward programs, and innovative one-stop custom solutions.”
Members of the PowerHouse Alliance are: 21st Century, Garner, NC; Audio America, Jupiter, FL; Autco, St. Louis, MO; CED, Northbrook, IL; CTD, Ft. Wayne, IN; Dorrance Supply, Youngstown, OH; ECD, Houston, TX; EDI, Portland, OR; MRI, Plainville, CT; Mountain West, Salt Lake City, UT; Sierra Select, North Highlands, CA; Ultimate Integration, Clifton, NJ; and Volutone, Simi Valley, CA.
Regions Covered:
• Nationwide
Warehouse Locations:
• Atlanta, GA
• Austin, TX
• Bensenville, IL
• Cerritos, CA
• Carmel, IN
• Charlotte, NC
• Clifton, NJ
• Columbus, OH
• Dallas, TX
• Denver, CO
• Ft. Wayne, IN
• Garner, NC
• Houston, TX
• Indianapolis, IN
• Irvine, CA
• Las Vegas, NV
• Marlborough, MA
• Merriam, KS
• Miami, FL
• New Berlin, WI
• Northbrook, IL
• North Highlands, CA
• Orlando, FL
• Jupiter, Fl
• Miami, Fl
• Ontario, CA
• Phoenix, AZ
• Plainville, CT
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Seattle, WA
• Simi Valley, CA
• St. Louis, MO
• Union City, CA
• Van Nuys, CA
• Wichita, KS
• Youngstown, OH
Brands Distributed:
• 2GIG
• Crest/Peavey
• DaLite
• Digital Watchdog
• Jamo
• Jamo
• JVC
• LG
• Luxul
• Middle Atlantic
• OmniMount
• Panamax
• Pioneer/Elite
• Platinum Tools
• Polk
• Sanus
• Universal Remote Control
• Vanco
• Wyrestorm
• … And 200+ more
* Not all lines available in all geographic territories
Contact:
Dennis Holzer, Executive Director, PowerHouse Alliance Dennis Holzer, Executive Director
Phone: 412.531.2068
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.powerhousealliance.com
