Ecotech Marine and Aqua Illumination announced today a landmark deal which sees the two companies merge. From now on the two biggest manufacturers of reef aquarium LED lights will see each other not as competitors but as partners. Both of the aquarium industry’s largest players will retain their distinct product lines and identities, no Aqua-Marine or Ecotech Illumination for the foreseeable future.
“The companies will maintain a separate brand presence in the market and each will continue to manufacture the distinct product lines for which they are known. The companies also plan to maintain existing distribution channels and customer support structures.” Hopefully, it is their efforts in design, engineering and manufacturing that will see a marked degree of cooperation and integration moving forward.
On the one hand, it has been nice to see the parallel development of cloud-based wireless controls like the ReefLink and the AI Director. But on the other hand it’s been a pain not to be able to physically merge the controls for two of our favorite high-tech LED reef aquarium lights despite the obvious overlap. Both Aqua Illumination and Ecotech Marine are very successful companies in the marine aquarium hobby and industry, and this merger is truly a joint agreement to help further their goals in the aquarium world, and perhaps in other lighting related industries as well.
While the marine aquarium hobby may lose some of the advancements that competition between the two major players has produced, no one can ever accuse either companies of ever resting on their laurels when it comes to the innovation department. As much as the engineering teams have been competing with each other in a gentlemanly way over the last few years, we personally know that all parties involved are driven by doing really cool things, and the success of their products’ users.
For now it’s business as usual for both Ecotech Marine and Aqua Illumination but we can;t wait to see the fruits of their cooperation in the future.
Press Release:
EcoTech Marine, Aqua Illumination (AI) Announce Merger
[February 24, 2014, Allentown, PA and Ames, IA]—Pennsylvania-based EcoTech Marine and Iowa-based Aqua Illumination (AI) have announced that the two companies have merged their ownership structures to better meet the needs of consumers.
The companies will maintain a separate brand presence in the market and each will continue to manufacture the distinct product lines for which they are known. The companies also plan to maintain existing distribution channels and customer support structures.
“This merger provides an opportunity for EcoTech Marine and AI brands to fill specific niches within the aquarium industry,” said Tim Marks, president of EcoTech Marine. “It was a move that just made sense given both companies’ commitment to advancing aquarium technology by offering never-before-seen engineering and software solutions to aquarists with ever-improving products.”
“I think I speak for both EcoTech Marine and AI when I say we couldn’t be happier with the outcome of this merger,” said Chris Clough, President of AI. “Both companies have an unwavering pledge to provide our customers with the very best in innovative aquarium products and we are thrilled to be teaming up to fulfill and exceed those efforts.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a product launch for both companies: EcoTech with the Radion XR30w Gen 3 and AI with the Hydra 52 LED light.
For more information or to read FAQs about the merger, visit: http://www.ecotechmarine.com/merger.
