As ams Osram CEO Alexander Everke outlined in post-Osram acquisition plans back in 2020, the combined optical solutions organization has continued to jettison what it identified as non-core digital and lighting businesses in what is said to be its last planned divestment.
This week, Premstaetten, Austria–based ams Osram entered into an agreement to sell its Clay Paky entertainment lighting group to German camera and lighting provider ARRI AG. Founded in Munich in 1917, ARRI distributes professional imaging and lighting systems to the global film, broadcast, and media industries, as well as providing service, software updates, and parts.
In 1976, entrepreneur Pasquale Quadri founded Clay Paky in Seriate, Italy to serve the lighting needs of show and stage professionals. Clay Paky was behind many industry-leading projector luminaire developments for stage and screen, and launched its first LED model — a portable uplight called GLOW-UP — in 2011. Quadri owned the specialist lighting company until 2014 when he transferred ownership to Osram, which continued to produce both high-performance discharge lamps and LED luminaires.
During an earnings call in fall 2020, former Osram CEO Olaf Berlien noted that the pandemic had significant negative impact on entertainment lighting, especially in the cinema and theater sectors which experienced shutdowns and decreased activity even after pandemic-induced lockdowns were lifted.
Now, ARRI expects to leverage the established entertainment lighting innovator to expand its customer reach.
“The acquisition of Clay Paky is a strategic, long-term investment into our lighting business,” said ARRI CEO Matthias Erb. “Clay Paky enjoys premium recognition in the entertainment lighting market while ARRI is recognized as a premium manufacturer in motion picture and broadcast lighting. This premium position of the two brands shows that both companies are an ideal match and can further expand their respective businesses under the unified parent company.”
“We are very happy to be joining the ARRI family. Both companies have a leading position in their field, thanks to a deep market knowledge, innovation power and customer understanding,” Clay Paky managing director Marcus Graser said. “We both share a rich heritage of, and unconditional passion for technology and innovation in a professional industry that fascinates thousands of people around the world. Together with ARRI, we will continue to deliver on our vision — to create the best in class lighting equipment, services, and offer world level reference products to an even broader customer base.”
The entertainment lighting business appears to have been the last remaining portion of ams Osram’s former Digital group to be sold, according to its press statement. A sale price was not disclosed. The company continues to bring to market sensors, emitters, and software that enable applications from medical diagnostics to automotive systems, biometric systems, AR/VR, and more.
Timeline of ams Osram divestments
October 2021 – Ams Osram sells IoT lighting outfit Digital Lumens
February 2021 – Sell-off of digital components factory in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
June 2021 – Acuity buys North American digital components business
December 2021 – Signify agrees to buy horticultural lighting pioneer Fluence
March 2022 – Automotive headlamps sold to Plastic Omnium
May 2022 – Prosperity Group takes on Traxon Technologies lighting unit
June 2022 – Inventronics picks up Eurasian LED driver unit
CARRIE MEADOWS is managing editor of LEDs Magazine, with more than 20 years’ experience in business-to-business publishing across technology markets including solid-state technology manufacturing, fiberoptic communications, machine vision, lasers and photonics, and LEDs and lighting.
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Carrie Meadows | Editor-in-Chief, LEDs Magazine
Carrie Meadows has more than 20 years of experience in the publishing and media industry. She worked with the PennWell Technology Group for more than 17 years, having been part of the editorial staff at Solid State Technology, Microlithography World, Lightwave, Portable Design, CleanRooms, Laser Focus World, and Vision Systems Design before the group was acquired by current parent company Endeavor Business Media.
Meadows has received finalist recognition for LEDs Magazine in the FOLIO Eddie Awards, and has volunteered as a judge on several B2B editorial awards committees. She received a BA in English literature from Saint Anselm College, and earned thesis honors in the college's Geisel Library. Without the patience to sit down and write a book of her own, she has gladly undertaken the role of editor for the writings of friends and family.
Meadows enjoys living in the beautiful but sometimes unpredictable four seasons of the New England region, volunteering with an animal shelter, reading (of course), and walking with friends and extended "dog family" in her spare time.
