Following on the heels of a very successful CEDIA tradeshow and the recent announcement that there would be a Commercial Integrator Expo added to it next year I want to provide our “2 cents”. As you know Crimson has a foot, or perhaps betters said, a full immersion in both the custom installer (e.g., home entertainment) industry and also in commercial AV (also digital signage by the way). All segments of AV are robust and growing on their own but as Bob Dylan famously sang, “Time they are a changing”. No shock especially today where the only constant is change.
If you look at both industries, there has traditionally been a separation with the custom installer (CI) channel on one side and the commercial and the Pro AV integrator on the other. The folks in Pro AV took care of the corporate, educational, government, and healthcare communities, and the custom installers addressed the home entertainment market. If you look at the two industries, there is an obvious difference. The informal “separation” of CI and Pro AV has been based on the requirements of each niche. In short, the requirements (design and technologies) for a board room, conference room, or huddle space are different than those in a home theater.
Suffice it to say that some on the Pro AV side dabble in home entertainment projects when requested but this has been the exception rather than the rule. On the other hand, on the CI side those who are becoming involved in commercial is growing significantly. Research show that over 60% of home entertainment companies are now doing traditionally Pro AV projects at some level. Is their main focus turning to commercial? Not at all. They got to where they are with an expertise in a certain area but the story we hear over and over again is what is taking place.
A custom installer does a great home theater project, and the customer is very happy with the results. They have come to trust that company. So, flip the coin to the professional side of that customer’s life. When they need something Pro AV oriented, they relate to what they know and trust. Voila, they call their home entertainment company. Most often this will be a small or medium sized business that reaches out but as with so much today, the answer is “it depends”. If the scale and scope of the project is in their wheelhouse the CI company may decide to “take” the business, or they may even decide to partner with a Pro AV company. The bottom line is that this type of business is growing.
The folks at Cedia have recognized this trend and the announcement of the addition of a Commercial Integrator Expo is proof that they are paying attention. Cedia will continue to focus on the CI channel but by paying homage and attention to the crossover business that their community is experiencing, the only thing we can say is well done and we are looking forward to the expanded event. As we said in the beginning, Crimson has full immersion in both Pro AV and CI markets, and we are ready for the “twain to meet”.
