JL Audio Takes Over Clarion Marine

JL Audio and Clarion Corporation of America announced that JL Audio will assume responsibility for all of Clarion’s marine audio business in the US, Canada and many other International markets.

JL Audio becomes the exclusive licensee of the Clarion brand and takes over all functions of Clarion’s marine business including product design and development, sales, marketing, and tech support, effective October 1.

Initially, JL Audio will focus on assuming responsibility for Clarion’s OEM marine business that entails sales of marine audio products to boat builders. Later, JL Audio will analyze and re-evaluate its plans for Clarion marine audio in the retail/distributor markets, said the company.

JL Audio VP Marketing Manville Smith said, “Our retail/distributor strategy for Clarion marine is being developed and will be announced at a later date.”

The deal applies exclusively to Clarion marine audio and does not cover the brick and mortar car audio US market, which Clarion exited two years ago.

Smith said the deal “gives JL Audio an additional brand in the market.   It’s an opportunity for us to take a very well established and respected name in marine audio and use it to give us more options, as we offer marine audio products to boat builders and retail customers.  The Clarion brand covers a wider price range than JL Audio; it goes down into lower price points…”

JL Audio will also assume responsibility for Clarion marine audio in the near future in Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and select Caribbean, Central and South American markets. No other international markets are included in the agreement.

President of JL Audio Andy Oxenhorn said, “Our team is ready, willing and able to accept the stewardship of the Clarion brand for the markets covered by the agreement, and we are very excited about the scope of the opportunity this presents…”

“Clarion entered the marine audio market in the early 1990s with purpose-built high performance products, and quickly achieved a lasting leadership position in brand recognition and sales,” said President of Clarion Corporation of America, Chris Honma. “Given JL Audio’s commitment to cultivating and marketing top quality audio products in the marine market, we expect this licensing agreement to generate a great deal of synergy in servicing our existing OEM and retail customers, while providing our brand the ability to extend its presence in the marine markets.”