EVS acquires Axon to drive its live solutions

EVS Broadcast Equipment has acquired broadcast network infrastructure specialist Axon to boost its live production solution portfolio. 

Live video technology provider EVS, which specialises in broadcast and new media productions, confirmed the acquisition of Dutch-based Axon, a firm that specialises in providing reliable and flexible broadcast and IP infrastructure solutions.

EVS said the deal “strategically expands its global footprint, enabling customers to benefit from the most comprehensive and integrated range of media infrastructure solutions for live productions” in a statement released today.

• Read more: Live production: How the industry innovates

Axon has development centres in the Netherlands and UK with more than 80 team members and will be EVS’ largest acquisition to date and is a “mutually beneficial deal.”

EVS chief executive Serge Van Herck said: “We’re extremely excited about the opportunities this acquisition will provide us and our customers over the coming months and years.

“Axon’s strong broadcast reputation and expertise, combined with our shared customer service-focused philosophy, make this marriage a perfect fit. It will enable us to deliver the most comprehensive media infrastructure solutions on the market.”

• Read more: EVS X-One enables lean production

Integrating Axon’s product portfolio will allow EVS to offer customers live production infrastructure, in what the firm said is the most extensive offering on the market.

The terms of the deal were not released, however it will offer customers optimised resource management, greater scalability and faster deployment across multiple sites for remote live operations.

It will also enable EVS customers to implement turnkey solutions to smoothly migrate their infrastructure towards IP and remote production-based workflows.

Axon chief executive Michiel Van Duijvendijk said: “This deal offers a major growth opportunity for both businesses, bringing together two innovative and proven product portfolios to form a unique end-to-end offering. We’re looking forward to joining the EVS team and working together to provide our customers with all the tools they need to power their journey towards IP-based media production.”

The Axon brand will be absorbed into EVS over the coming weeks and its product portfolio will be integrated into EVS’ global solution offering. The objective is to integrate Axon team members and to further invest in their technology and market expertise.

Axon generated EUR 17.5 million of revenues in 2019. The value of the transaction is set at EUR 10.5 million, plus an earn-out up to a maximum of EUR 2.5 million. The acquisition will be paid by cash and debt.

Axon chief technology officer Peter Schut added: “Our merger with EVS is a unique combination in the industry. With no overlapping products we will achieve maximum synergies. Our established Synapse modular infrastructure range has a proven track record in the most demanding applications, and the recently introduced Neuron Platform, the world’s first true Network Attached Processor designed for real time IP workflows, are perfect additions to EVS’ product range.

“Combined with Cerebrum, our popular, powerful and flexible control system, this adds the overarching control layer over both companies’ products. I can see a fantastic shared future for both companies.”