KICKER ® Joins the MasterTech Expo in Arizona

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STILLWATER, USA – KICKER ® will attend its first MasterTech Expo at the Mesa (Ariz.) Convention Center, March 6-8. KICKER will be in booths 201 and 202, located by the concession area on the show floor. In a one-time offer, KICKER dealers and associates can log onto the company’s KNET portal and find a code to save money on registration fees to attend the Expo.

The entire KICKER product line will be on display, including the new PXA Waterproof Amplifiers, ST-Series P.A.-style Speakers, Competition Gold Subwoofers and award-winning KMXL Horn-Loaded Marine Speakers.

The KICKER Tech Force training group will join Joe Hobart, KICKER’s Director of Electrical Engineering, to host a manufacturers training focusing on modern audio integration techniques, aimed at the quick identification of acoustic and electrical challenges that installers face when adding amplifiers. The class will also discuss the equipment needed to diagnose the issue.

A completely unique event in the aftermarket industry, the MasterTech Expo consists of industry experts training builders and enthusiasts in several vital aspects of aftermarket production and business operations. Each attendee can choose one of several educational “tracks”, including fabrication, audio integration, upholstery, advanced design concepts and more. This year, legendary designer Chip Foose will take attendees through a live sketch session.

For more details and to register, industry enthusiasts can visit http://www.mastertechexpo.com.

Another US Patent For D’Amore Engineering!

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CAMARILLO CA (03.02.23) “On February 28th we were awarded a 2nd US Patent for our Current Averaging Technology for Audio Amplifiers…It’s US Patent 11,594,955.The first patent is 11,204,955” Tony D’Amore stated.

Tony D’Amore holds the new US Patent in the company’s facility in front of the Polaris RZR that will be demoed, with D’Amore Engineering products, at the MasterTech Expo.

Continuing D’Amore offered “The idea of these 2 patents is that it enables the installation of big amplifiers into things that don’t normally have a beefy enough electrical system to support big amplifiers.”

To demo the technology D’Amore Engineering will be exhibiting at MasterTech Expo in Mesa, AZ next week March 5th-8th.

11,594,955 pg1Download

“We are putting 2700 Watts RMS into a Polaris side by side….complete with 18 inch subwoofer!! All of this on the stock electrical system which consists of 2 very small motorcycle batteries only. The Polaris is under construction at our facility and will be be showcasing our patented technology in Mesa AZ next week” D’Amore concluded.

For more see damoreengineering.com

DEI Mazda Miata Transmission Tunnel Thermal Shields for 2006-2015 NC Models

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AVON LAKE, OH – With Design Engineering Inc.’s new custom-designed transmission tunnel heat shields, Miata drivers can feel as cool as they look whether on the racetrack or cruising down the highway.

Designed for the 2006-2015 Mazda Miata NC models, the DEI Miata heat-shield kits greatly reduce the heat entering the driver and passenger area from the transmission tunnel. This kit is a direct replacement for a missing or damaged factory heat shield.

“We’re excited to introduce yet another custom heat shield kit,” said Mike Buca, of DEI. “Our customers experience a significant in-cabin heat reduction when installing these shields, allowing both the driver and passenger a longer, more comfortable and enjoyable ride.”

Each heat-shield kit is precision cut for a precise fit and easy installation. A highly reflective and durable outer layer that can withstand temperatures up to 1750°F (954°C) is bonded to a finely woven glass fiber composite, making them lightweight but durable. They are tough enough to withstand harsh road conditions and won’t wear down from exposure to water, wind, dirt or debris.

These Miata kits (#10950) are in stock now, along with DEI’s complete line of transmission tunnel thermal shields. For more information about DEI’s complete line of performance heat and sound control products, visit https://www.designengineering.com/.

The KICKER Marine Training Roadshow With Celsus UK Across The Pond

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NANTES FRANCE (03.01.23) KICKER distributor Celsus UK is getting a head start on the Marine season on the European continent. A 3-City training roadshow has been planned and KICKER’s David Glasgow, International Sales Manager, and Aaron Malin, Tech Force Global Training Manager, have traveled to Europe. They landed in France on Saturday, February 25th.

12VoltNews Attachments 3:32 PM (13 minutes ago) to me Mike Keenan, CelsusUK Sales Representative, is flanked by KICKER’s David Glasgow (L) and Aaron Malin. The trio is pictured in Nantes France during the weekend preceding the KICKER Marine CelsusUK product training roadshow in France, Italy and Germany.

“It was a long flight from the U.S.and cold when we arrived in France. We had dinner Saturday night and prepared on Sunday for the tour. Mike Keenan, Celsus UK representative, will guide us as the three of us take the KICKER Marine training roadshow to sessions in France, Italy and Germany” Glasgow related.

Following the training session at Kent Marine Equipment in Nantes the group gathered for an image in the meeting room. Five Kent Marine staff members hold their training certificates. KICKER’s Aaron Malin, 3rd from L, gives a big Thumb’s Up. David Glasgow is pictured 3rd from R.

“Mike Keenan is joined this week by Aaron Malin and David Glasgow from Kicker to tour three major countries on a dedicated Marine products training roadshow. Starting in the south of France with our distributor Kent Marine, then on to visit Indemar in Italy and finally Bukh-Bremen in Germany for what we expect to be a trio of engaging staff and dealer training sessions” Mark Baker, Celsus Director, stating the plan for the roadshow from Celsus UK Poole England HQ.

The Day-1 KICKER product training roadshow took place at Kent Marine Equipments location in Nantes France on Monday, February 27th. “It was an incredible first day of the training roadshow. There were 5 Kent Marine staff members in the meeting room. Aaron conducted a very informative meeting. David and Mike worked to set up all the gear in the meeting rooms. Kent Marine staff members received their training certificates and are ready to go overboard with Kicker Marine in their marketplace” Baker related.

After the Kent Marine training Glasgow, Keenan and Malin (LtoR) enjoyed refreshments at a local establishment.

“KICKER is an amazing partner and Aaron is one of the most entertaining and enthusiastic trainers in the industry. Giving our distribution partners the right tools for success is a major part of what sets KICKER and Celsus apart from the crowd” Baker concluded.

KICKER Marine arrived well prepared with gear to conduct the 3 training sessions on the products training roadshow.

Tuesday was a travel day from France to Italy for the Wednesday training with Indemar. Thursday is a travel day from Italy to Germany for the final KICKER Marine CelsusUK roadshow training stop with Bukh-Bremen. Stay tuned for more from the KICKER Marine product training roadshow in Italy and Germany.

DOW Technologies Wins Distributor of The Year

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TAMPA, Fla. (February 29, 2023) – DOW Technologies, the leading independently owned technology distributor, was recently awarded Distributor of the Year at the Mobile Electronics Association Industry Awards. DOW has won the award seven times since first winning the award in 2014.

The Mobile Electronics association presents the awards annually to recognize and honor those in the mobile electronics industry. The Industry Awards are voted on by the retailers and vendors working in the 12Volt industry nationwide.

This award caps off a year of expansion and growth in the 12Volt industry. Over the past year, DOW has expanded the territory it serves for vendor partners Sony and Alpine. DOW now distributes Sony in 14 states plus Puerto Rico and supports Alpine as a fulfillment partner in 15 states plus Washington, DC. Alpine’s announcement last week of DOW as the fulfillment partner for the Mid-Atlantic marks DOW’s initial entrance into the region for its 12Volt business. As part of the expansion in the Mid-Atlantic, DOW’s Montgomeryville, PA location was renovated to increase warehouse space by 70%.

In addition to expanding territories, DOW brought on new vendor partners to further their effort to be a one-stop shop for their customers. DOW added distribution of Kicker and JVC in September 2022. Last month DOW brought on Wallbox electrical vehicle chargers to help dealers prepare for the future of electric vehicles.

“We are so proud of the team’s effort to provide the best customer support and their commitment to staying up to date with their product knowledge,” stated Mike Hurwitz, 12volt strategic sales manager. “Year after year, the team strives to be the best.”

(LtoR) Mike Barcia-Account Manager South Florida, Josh Eatherly-Director of Purchasing 12volt, Dallas Williams-Account Manager Southwest, Mike Hurwitz -Strategic Sales Manager 12volt and Dave Elkin-Senior-Vice President, Sales and Product Management.

“This award is a recognition of the great team we have at DOW, not just the account managers but all of the departments that support our customers,” added senior vice president Dave Elkin. “Recognition like this leads to more opportunities for DOW, which ultimately means more opportunity for our dealers.”

To learn more about DOW Technologies, please visit http://www.dowtechnologies.com or call 1.800.627.2900. To read more about the Mobile Electronics Awards, please visit https://meindustryawards.com/what-are-the-industry-awards/

DAS In Your Studio…With The 12volt STP Tool From The 12volt Central Studios

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SHREVEPORT LA (03.01.23) Creating the 12voltSTP Tool was another example of making it easy for industry members to deliver their company’s brand’s message and activities to the 12volt industry… all from the 12volt Central Studios with just a smartphone.

Ken Litten, DAS Sales and Marketing Manager, recently sent an image of Ben Mootz holding PowerBass OE Direct Fit Series Speakers. Mootz held the products in a hallway at the DAS facility in Palmyra PA. A fellow DAS staff member snapped and image and sent it along to the 12volt Central Studios.

Ben Mootz with the PowerBass OE Direct Fit speakers in the DAS facility in Palmyra PA.

12volt Central staff members developed a studio setting. The image of Mootz, and info supplied by DAS, was placed on the graphic. The completed graphic was posted @12voltnews Instagram and Facebook pages. The graphic can also be utilized by DAS in their internal outreach to their dealers in the DAS territory.

Erik Harbour, PowerBass VP Product Development and Global Marketing,, related “Our OE Direct Fit Series is a great solution-based product that every dealer should have in stock… making plug and play installation a breeze for quick upgrades for customer’s rides. The key is letting the industry know about the product. DAS did that with the post from the 12volt Central Studios.”

In today’s marketplace delivering fresh, positive information is vital…more important than ever. In Your Studio is definitely an avenue for companies to showcase their products and messages to the 12volt industry…all with just a smartphone and utilizing the 12voltSTP Tool. Snap an image and Txt to 318 465 0844. PRESTO it can happen!

For more email mike@12voltnews.com

KICKER Returned to the Lone Star Throwdown with XRV and Award-Winning Rides

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CONROE, TX (02.28.23) – KICKER was on site in Conroe and sponsored the Lone Star Throwdown (LST) for the sixth straight year, with its 83-foot rolling showroom – the XRV (Xtreme Recreational Vehicle). The XRV displayed the complete line of KICKER audio gear and houses the “Boom Room” with an entire wall full of 15-inch, Solo-Baric L7S subwoofers and 40,000 watts. The show was held Feb. 24-26 at the Lone Star Expo Center in Conroe, Texas.

The KICKER XRV set up for the event to get underway.
Once the event got underway the KICKER XRV was in the center of the action.

KICKER conducted two consumer contests simultaneously during the show as part of the brand’s marketing plan. One included a 1,200-watt bass package giveaway consisting of a pair of CompRT 10-inch subwoofers with a 1,200-watt mono amplifier. KICKER also also partner with MTI Acoustics to give away a pair of MTI’s new universal sub enclosures with new KICKER Competition Gold™ subwoofers pre-installed.

Members of the crowd check out the Boom Room in the XRV with 40,000 watts of power driving the wall of 15” subs.
A custom KICKER Trophy for once again being a LST sponsor.

“KICKER Team members on site included Tim Smith, John Myers, Bill Braun, Josh Fletcher and myself, along with Pete Daley from Marketing Pros the area KICKER rep firm, Jeremy Wynn KICKER Events and Promotions Manager related.

Three demo vehicles accompanied the XRV – all loaded with KICKER gear. KICKER’s Special Projects manager Tim Smith showed his custom 1994 Chevy C1500, which included a KICKER KEY200.4 Smart Amplifier, KS midranges and the KSMT “Snowman” pods for the front stage. A pair of Solo-Baric L7T thin square subwoofers delivered the bass. In addition to the C1500, a 2002 Lightning and 1956 Chevy wagon were parked under the XRV’s awning.

Many on site registered for contests to win gear so their rides could be Livin’Loud with KICKER.

More than 2,000 show cars were pre-registered, and LST officials reported attendance exceeded 15,000 people. Top 100 and best-of-show awards were presented, along with several cash prizes.

For more information on LST, visit www.lonestarthrowdown.com and www.kickeraudio.com.

Alpine to Attend the 2023 Master Tech Expo in Mesa, AZ

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AUBURN HILLS, MI (02.28.23) – Alps Alpine North America, Inc. (“Alpine”) will attend the upcoming 2023 Master Tech Expo hosted in the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, Arizona from Sunday, March 5 to Wednesday, March 8. This is Alpine’s first time attending the event as an exhibitor.

“Alpine is excited to attend the 2023 Master Tech Expo and connect with those in our industry who are committed to furthering their education and mastering their craft,” said Mike Anderson, Executive Director at Alps Alpine North America, Inc. “We’re looking forward to showcasing our 2023 Product Line and providing valuable education and training to support our Alpine Authorized Dealers.”

Alpine will be in exhibit #402 where staff will demo new event displays with High-Resolution sound and display audio family systems from the 2023 Alpine Product Line, including the High-Resolution Alpine Status line, High-Resolution head unit line, and the new Alpine Optim8™ 8-Channel Hi-Res Sound Processor and Amplifier with Automatic Sound Tuning.

Featuring the Ultra High-Resolution AlpineF#1Status system, a Tesla Model S demo vehicle will also be available in the Alpine booth so attendees can experience the first premium car audio system that can achieve 384kHz/32bit High-Resolution Audio Playback, the highest recording spec possible in a car audio system.

Alpine will host a training session during Master Tech that will focus on the 2023 Product Line:

Tuesday, March 7 from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. in Superstition South
2023 Alpine Product Line and a New Faster Way to Tune with Optim8 DSP
Learn about the next generation of High-Resolution sound, display audio family, and the new Alpine “Optim8” automatic sound tuner and processor.

All Master Tech attendees are welcome to visit the Alpine booth, join the training sessions, and meet with Alpine staff from the sales, marketing, and product planning teams. Attendees are encouraged to visit https://www.mastertechexpo.com/ and use the “Workshops” link to register for the Alpine training sessions.

Visit mastertechexpo.com and alpine-usa.com for more.

Sundown Audio Welcomes Vice President of Sales Accelerating Its Growth and Expansion Plans

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(02.28.23) – Sundown Audio, a Systemic Group brand, is very pleased to announce that industry veteran, Shawn Simpson, joins as Sundown Audio’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

Shawn brings over 33 years of sales and leadership experience to Sundown Audio, He is an experienced sales professional, with extensive expertise in strategic growth partnerships and sales management. His industry background includes many years in sales across all sections of the industry from retail to manufacturing. With the last 7 years of those years as a manufacturer’s representative with Momentum Marketing in the TX, LA, MS markets.

“We are excited to welcome Shawn to the Sundown Audio team and look forward to supporting his plans to strategically develop sales and significantly expand our market share,” said Scottie Johnson CEO of Systematic. “His in-depth knowledge of sales in all different fields from retail, distribution, and OEM will be a real asset to our sales channel and our customers.”

For more information or to become an authorized Sundown retailer, email Sundown at info@sundownaudio.com

Visit sundownaudio.com for more.

CLASSIFIED: Business to Business Sales Account Manager 12Volt – Dallas, TX

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FULL Time Sales w/ Benefits-Medical, Dental, Basic Life Insurance, 401k with company match
Annual Salary paid Bi-Weekly w/ monthly commission and monthly bonuses.

The Account Manager position for DOW Technologies is primarily responsible for developing and increasing business in their designated territory and pillar. You will be responsible for managing and strengthening existing accounts, as well as finding and growing new points of business, developed directly by you, or developed from leads provided by any of our external partners.
Requirements

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Manage, plan and execute growth strategies for accounts within your designated territory.
  • Responsible for increasing the profitability of DOW’s territories and footprint.
  • Find and develop new relationships, along with maintaining existing relationships with customers.
  • Ability to travel for short or extended periods including overnight travel as requested.
  • Maintain sufficient customer communication and assistance through phone, e-mail, online presentations, screen share and in- person meetings.
  • Responsible for cooperating and interacting in a team environment that allows the professional growth of all employees.
  • Communicate effectively with DOW Management, other Account Managers, and other internal departmental teams.
  • Create a monthly in-depth analysis of the territory, significant account changes, and any new competitive information.
  • Resolve customer conflicts and provide solutions in a timely manner.
  • Enhance Sales and DOW’s reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
  • Excellent organizational, time management and project management skills.
  • Strive to exceed projected Key Performance Indicators.
  • Regularly meet with DOW Management to develop and shape the DOW Technologies vision.

Required Qualifications:

  • Highly focused and proactive to handle simultaneous deadlines.
  • Extremely motivated, self-starter with a passion to succeed.
  • Drive to learn new technologies and products.
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and work well under pressure.
  • Knowledge of computer programs including Microsoft Office Suite, word processing, spreadsheets and databases; media storage.
  • Valid driver’s license with reliable transportation.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Physical Demands:

  • Able to sit and work at a computer keyboard and using the telephone for extended amounts of time.
  • Able to perform general office administrative activities.
  • Able to stoop, kneel, bend at the waist and reach on a daily basis.
  • Ability to safely, frequently and independently move and handle up to 75 lbs.
  • Ability to drive 3-5 days a week for up to and exceeding 8-10 hours a day
  • Ability to travel via airplane as required
  • Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner.

Please visit https://www.dowtechnologies.com/apply to apply.