Tenba, Induro, Benro & MeFoto Join Forces in Global Brand Alliance
White Plains, NY, and Zhongshan, China Sept 14, 2012 – New York-based MAC Group and China-headquartered Benro have announced the formation of a major international design, manufacturing and distribution partnership. MAC Group is a leading supplier of professional photo, video and other imaging tools, and Benro is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing manufacturers of tripods and camera bags. The two will join forces in the new venture, MAC Group Global which will launch with a portfolio combining four well-known brands: Induro, Benro and MeFoto tripods, and Tenba professional photo/video bags.
Benro’s President, Liu Hao, says “we are very excited about this partnership, as it brings together unequalled design and manufacturing resources, and allows us to accelerate the already fast-growing international expansion of our brands.” According to MAC Group President Jan Lederman, MAC Group Global will be unique in its categories in that it will operate design studios, sourcing centers, factories, marketing offices and distribution hubs in both the United States and the Far East. “We will essentially be developing and manufacturing products and servicing customers worldwide, 24 hours a day” Lederman says.
Benro manufactures more than 100 different tripods, heads and accessories under the Benro, Induro and MeFoto brand names, ranging from ultra-compact styles for enthusiasts, to full-size photo and video studio models. Tenba has been making professional camera bags and shipping cases for over 35 years. With the formation of the new venture, production of all of the brands and products will be consolidated in the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing campus in Zhongshan, China. In addition, Tenba operates its own sewing factory in Brooklyn, New York for shipping cases and other specialized production.
MAC Group Global products will be designed and engineered by a collaborative development team of more than 20 professionals, based in both New York and Asia. Benro President Liu says “Our facilities and resources allow us to develop, test and manufacture products with a very fast time-to-market, cost-efficiency that passes through to consumer value, and provides each brand it’s own tightly controlled level of quality.”
MAC Group Global will be serving a network of distributors in over 30 countries, with plans for significant expansion. Lederman reports that the brands have experienced tremendous growth in the past 4 years, and that by ramping up development, production, marketing and fulfillment via the new venture, the company is forecasting dominant share in many of its product categories and markets within one or two years.
MAC Group Global will maintain dual headquarters and warehouses, with its recently-expanded corporate offices in White Plains, New York and a planned international sales office in Hong Kong.