Barco has appointed Jay Vee Technologies as its exclusive Australian distributor following the Belgian visualisation company’s acquisition of French audio brands Focal and Naim, with ChannelNews able to confirm that Focal and Naim will remain with Melbourne-based Westan.

The acquisition of VerVent Audio Holding, the parent company of Focal and Naim, was announced in March 2026 and completed in April, triggering widespread speculation that both audio brands would shift to Jay Vee Technologies. That speculation has now been put to rest.

Jay Vee Technologies founder John Vandenburg told ChannelNews he has no interest in taking on Focal or Naim, saying his focus remains squarely on cementing Barco’s position in the Australian market. A new pricing structure for Barco projectors will take effect from August 1.

Vandenburg said his business is focused exclusively on the specialist integrator channel and will not sell online or pursue direct sales, a pointed contrast to the approach taken by some other premium projector distributors in Australia.

Meanwhile, Westan is reporting strong momentum across the Focal and Naim range. Director Kamil Aghtan told ChannelNews sales have grown significantly since old stock from the previous distributor was cleared through the channel, with new product launches driving fresh demand for resellers.

More product releases are expected before year end.

The previous distributor’s exit was not clean. Resellers still active in the Focal and Naim space say old model stock has continued to circulate through the channel, creating pricing and positioning headaches.

Focal has moved quickly to reassert its premium credentials, recently launching the Diva Alta Utopia wireless active hi-fi speakers and the Mu-so Hekla 7.1.2 home cinema system.

The broader industry question hanging over the Barco acquisition is whether Focal and Naim will retain their identity as standalone high-end two-channel audio brands or be absorbed into Barco’s push toward integrated audiovisual solutions spanning commercial AV, cinema, and luxury residential installations.

Barco has stated publicly that both brands will keep their identities while benefiting from greater investment and wider market access. Industry observers note that Belgium-headquartered Barco is financially strong and has a track record of acquiring technology businesses that complement its existing portfolio, with the deal viewed as a strategic technology acquisition rather than a financial restructuring.

At this stage there is no evidence that product quality, engineering teams, or brand positioning are being changed, and most observers are adopting a wait-and-see stance, while acknowledging that standalone audio companies increasingly need the scale of larger technology groups to compete globally as well as in markets such as Australia.