International. Thomson Broadcast has signed a definitive agreement to acquire GatesAir from a subsidiary of The Gores Group, Gores. The transaction is subject to certain regulatory filings and is expected to close in the second half of 2022.
The combination of GatesAir with Thomson Broadcast will create a comprehensive platform at scale with increased capabilities in product innovation, design and efficiency and an expanded portfolio of comprehensive turnkey transmission solutions.
GatesAir has experienced strong growth recently, following a very successful participation in the North America Spectrum Repack program. GatesAir worked with Bowen Inc. on a robust process that involved interest from various strategic and financial parties, with Thomson Broadcast prevailing due to its highly complementary adjustment.
"GatesAir is already an undisputed leader in the broadcast industry, and our combination with Thomson Broadcast will create a larger-scale combined company even better suited to meet the ever-evolving needs of our customers around the world," said Bruce D. Swail, CEO of Gates Air. "I am very proud of the GatesAir team for their leadership and innovation in this industry over the past century and look forward to entering the next 100 years as an even stronger business leveraging the strengths of two legendary streaming brands. On behalf of everyone at GatesAir, I would like to thank Gores for his strategic guidance, which was invaluable in growing our business and driving innovation."
"Over the course of our successful partnership with Bruce and the management team, GatesAir has driven tremendous growth and transformation through organic and inorganic initiatives, establishing itself as a premier independent broadcasting company with market-leading technology and services," said Edward Johnson, Managing Director of The Gores Group. "We have no doubt that GatesAir will continue its successful track record and strengthen its market leadership together with Thomson Broadcast."
For more than 100 years, Thomson Broadcast has forged extensive experience in the fields of digital terrestrial transmission (DTV) and AM radio, including DRM. Thomson Broadcast is a well-known French international company in the broadcasting sector. Over the past two years, Thomson Broadcast has received awards for providing exceptional turnkey DTT solutions for large-scale digital migration projects in Africa.
