Zapco is getting a new distributor. Aurigin, Inc, the master distributor for Hybrid Audio Technologies in the US, will step down as the US distributor of Zapco car audio products effective December 31.
Zapco distribution is returning to the parent company of Zapco, ARPA (formerly ARPA of America). ARPA will also now distribute other high end car audio brands in addition to Zapco, said ARPA President John Borges.
The new ARPA brands will include a British amplifier company and a Russian electronic connect company as well as the ESB brand of Italian speakers, he said.
These new brands will soft-launch with ARPA next month, but the formal launch, as well as a restructuring of ARPA will occur in May.
Scott Welch who served as Sales Manager at Aurigin will become Sales Manager at ARPA.
Aurigin had been Zapco’s distributor for 18 months. Prior to that, speaker enclosure maker Atrend was Zapco’s US distributor for four years. Aurigin will return to a focus on its core products, said Aurigin CEO Scott Buwalda.
ARPA will immediately assume all responsibilities of Zapco sales, warranty, technical support, and other services. Enzo Biasella, CEO of ARPA stated “First we would like to thank the Aurigin team for supporting the US market while carrying the Zapco brand, and at the same time we would like to announce our distribution of Zapco and ESB brands in the domestic market by ARPA starting January 1, 2020. ARPA will intend to sell only high-end products to highly qualified retailers tailored for a demanding public.”
ARPA will host a meet-and-greet and product demonstration at Kingpin University on January 8-9, 2020, coinciding with the CES Show the same week. The new ARPA brands will be unveiled at that time. For more information about the ARPA event to be held at Kingpin University, contact John Borges ([email protected]), or Elad Ben Shlush ([email protected]).
Scott Buwalda of Aurigin / Hybrid Audio Technologies will be present at Kingpin University as well, and will greet dealers, reps, and international distributors. To secure a spot to speak one-on-one with Scott Buwalda, RSVP to [email protected]
