Fender Acquires SWR
June 3, 2003
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) announced that it has signed a deal to purchase specific assets of
SWR Sound Corporation. The acquisition, effective as of June 2, 2003, will
include all existing inventory of products , as well as all accounts
receivable, intellectual properties and trademarks relating to SWR products.
Says Bill Schultz, Chairman and CEO of FMIC, "We have always sought to offer
a wide variety of quality products to meet the needs of all musicians, and
the SWR brand name will help us do just that. The SWR bass amplification
products and the artists who use them are known and respected throughout the
world, and they will add diversity to what we are able to offer."
FMIC will immediately begin to produce SWR bass amplification products at
both of the company's state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Corona,
California, and Ensenada, Mexico. The SWR brand name will then be sold and
distributed through the recently created Fender Specialty Sales department.
SWR's existing retailers will still be able to carry the products and will
be contacted directly by FMIC to ensure a trouble-free change over.
(Retailer's questions should be directed to Fender Specialty Sales at (480)
596-9690.)
The new Fender Bass Amplification Division, which includes a team dedicated
solely to the development of new bass amp technology and marketing, marked
FMIC's most progressive move to date and reinforces the company's
dedication to creating a full line of bass products under the
Fender brand name. Now, with the addition of SWR, FMIC is poised to
develop, produce and market products under two distinct brand names.
For more information, visit their web site at www.swrsound.com. | 
