AVMI to expand in US after 'coming out of stealth'

AV player continues international expansion with bolstered US presence

AVMI has appointed a new VP to oversee its expansion in the US after "coming out of stealth".

The AV player expanded into the market a few years ago, but has now appointed Craig Bonner to head up its US operation and has launched a recruitment drive.

The firm has also launched a new service centre in Manhattan and plans to add 20 members of staff to its existing 30-strong base this year.

AVMI said in a statement: "AVMI, which has been present in the US for several years already, has chosen to come out of stealth mode as it ramps up recruitment and looks to establish global procurement structures with US vendors and distributors.

"In the past 12 months the team has delivered 70 projects across several regions including Florida, Massachusetts, Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Arizona, and Illinois, with plans to triple that in 2019, with planned projects in Hawaii, California and Connecticut, to name just a few."

Bonner will now lead the US business, having joined AVMI in 2002 and previously acted as the firm's global head of operations.

The AV integrator has expanded into a number of regions over recent years, and now has bases in the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong and the US.

Speaking to CRN last year, Cook said that this expansion has been partly driven by existing customers wanting AVMI to handle their collaboration projects in countries outside the UK.

He also said that Brexit had played a part in its move into Ireland, with a number of its UK-based clients wanting their own base in the EU to mitigate any Brexit disruption.