As exclusively tipped by ChannelNews, US home automation Company Control4 has announced that effective from April 1, 2016 they will work directly with home automation integrators in Australia.
Control4 who has dumped Advanced Audio as their Australian distributor, has also announced the appointment of Adam Merlino as Sales Director ANZ & SE ASIA at Control4.
Adam Merlino a former senior executive at Advanced Audio and the man responsible for the Control 4 business at Advanced Audio suddenly quit the Company in December claiming that he was setting up his own business called Hi Fi Technology.
This business appears to have only lasted three months.
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| Adam Merlino New Sales Director At Contol4 |
ChannelNews understands that within days of leaving Advanced Audio that Merlino was talking to Control 4 about the Australian business.
According to sources his conversation with Control4 about hime being involved in an Australian subsidary of Control 4 started prior to him leaving Advanced Audio. Despite several telephone calls and messages Merlino has not returned our calls.
In a press release sent to US journalists but not Australian media Control4 said “To expand reach with home automation integrators, the company is adding in-country staff to handle all Sales, Technical Support and Training activities. This development leverages current Control4 operations and employees from its January 2015 acquisition of Nexus Technologies Pty. Ltd. (Leaf), an Australia-based provider of audio and video distribution products.
“Australia is one of the most internet-connected countries in the world, behind only North America and Europe. Naturally, this connectedness leads to increased demand and opportunity for smart home solutions”
After making a similar change in the U.K. and China in 2011, and in Germany in 2015, Control4 has directly facilitated and supported a growing number of authorized independent dealers around the world.
Integrators in Australia that become Control4 Authorized Dealers will be able to order products directly from Control4 and, in most instances, to receive delivery within three business days.
Authorized Dealers will also have access to extensive libraries of product training materials, marketing collateral and tools, as well as regional technical support. Over the coming months, Control4 will offer a series of regional training programs across Australia for new integrators.
Merlino wrote recently “Approximately 6 years ago I became heavily involved in Advance Audio Australia (which has been operating for approximately 25 years) as a contractor developing its custom integration division. I take great pride of what I achieved over this period of time with brands like Control4, Linn, TruAudio, Autonomic, Steinway Lyngdorf and various other supporting products”.
He said that his exit from the Company was a “difficult one”.
A hint of what may have been in store was when Merlino wrote “Whilst I have not decided my future direction, it is my intention to remain in this exciting and cutting edge industry. It’s a small world and I am sure our paths will cross again.
