[News] Hasselblad USA And Bron Imaging USA Merge

It's been a while since two heavy hitting companies have merged hasn't it? No wait, Facebook scooped up Instagram only a few short weeks ago. But when we are talking about photography in a professional sense, it has been a while. Walk into any high end commercial studio and it's a pretty safe bet that they'll either have a Hasselblad camera or Broncolor lights. In many cases, they will have both.

Yesterday Hasselblad USA and Bron Imaging Group announced they have decided to merge their USA operations. The combined company will go by the rather predictable name of Hasselblad Bron Inc. The newly formed organization had this to say about the merger:

"The combined company will leverage the strengths of two of the professional photo industry’s leading distributors, and allow the sales, marketing and customer support divisions to provide higher levels of service."

Hasselblad Bron Inc also announced that Michael Hejtmanek, current president of Bron Imaging Group, will be heading up the new company. They will also be moving to a new single facility later this year.
See the full press release below.

BRON IMAGING GROUP AND HASSELBLAD USA ANNOUNCE
AGREEMENT TO MERGE U.S. OPERATIONS

Combined Company Will be Known as Hasselblad Bron Inc.

EDISON, N.J. (April 24, 2012) – Hasselblad USA Inc. (www.hasselbladusa.com), the U.S. distributor of Hasselblad professional camera systems and Bron Imaging Group Inc., (www.bronimaging.com), distributor of professional photographic equipment, today announced an agreement through which the two companies will merge their operations in the U.S., effective immediately, creating a combined company known as Hasselblad Bron Inc.
The combined company will leverage the strengths of two of the professional photo industry’s leading distributors, and allow the sales, marketing and customer support divisions to provide higher levels of service. The transaction will combine Hasselblad USA and Bron Imaging’s distribution channels and sales forces. Additionally, customer support, repair operations, marketing and administration will be combined into a single operation. The partnership is an expansion of an existing two-year marketing relationship between the companies, through which the companies worked closely together to develop their brands in the professional photography market.
Under terms of the merger, Hasselblad Bron Inc., will be a single entity providing support for all of the brands of the combined company.
Michael Hejtmanek, current president of Bron Imaging Group, will lead the new company as president and chief operating officer of Hasselblad Bron, Inc.
Our goal is to provide photographers with the world’s best cameras, lighting and other photography gear,” said Hejtmanek. “Joining forces to create Hasselblad Bron Inc. allows us to create a larger customer service organization to accomplish our mission of providing an exceptional level of products and support for our highly valued customers.”
The merger will only impact the two American organizations of Bron Imaging Group U.S. and Hasselblad USA, Inc. Hasselblad AB (Sweden), Bron Elektronik AG (Switzerland) and other related suppliers will remain independent companies.
The new Hasselblad Bron Inc. will relocate to a single facility during the summer of 2012.

About Bron Imaging
Bron Imaging Group, Inc., formerly known as Sinar Bron Imaging, has been providing photographers with the world’s best photography equipment since 1980. The company is committed to the art and technology of photographic expression and strives to provide the best tools of the trade for amateur to professional photographers. Bron Imaging Group provides a full range of world-class tools such as a diverse line of lighting products reflectors and modifiers, broadcast- and cinema-quality continuous lighting systems and more. Bron Imaging is the U.S. distributor of Broncolor, Sun Sniper, California Sunbounce, Foba, Kobold, Sinar and Visatec photographic equipment. For more information, please visit www.bronimaging.com

About Hasselblad USA
Hasselblad USA Inc. is the U.S. distribution company for Hasselblad camera systems. The company is committed to marketing and supporting the Hasselblad line of cameras and scanners. The Hasselblad H Camera System and its professional lens family and unique advanced features, including True Focus and instant lens correction within the Phocus software, is the most comprehensive digital camera system of its kind available today. For more information, please visit www.hasselbladusa.com.