Loudspeakers

B&W’s Director of Product Communication is bullish about the company’s prospects after its dramatic change of ownership in 2016 to Silicon Valley start-up Eva Automation. ‘Bowers & Wilkins is a rarity within the audio category,’ he explains. ‘We have grown continually over the past 50 years. During that time, we have successfully added new product categories which have further enhanced our reputation. We have achieved that growth thanks to huge investment in R&D, pioneering many interesting technologies in the audio space.

‘That has led to our becoming the dominant force in the market for premium loudspeakers, a trend we aim to continue with the new 700 series. So, our past is about growth propelled by advanced technology. This is the business model our new owners sought to invest in. Going forward, our future will be driven by access to even greater resources, allowing us to both continue our growth and to further expand.’

Kerr says the company’s manufacturing approach hasn’t really changed from the first days of founder John Bowers. ‘We are a technology-led business with in-house R&D and manufacturing. We have a reputation to protect, and a philosophy we passionately believe in. Technologies change and our products will evolve, but this is an opportunity for us to do an even better job – not a radically different one. Our centres for R&D, audio performance and high-end speaker manufacture will remain in the UK.’