Thomas Riedel, founder and owner of Riedel Communications and the Riedel Group, has acquired ARRI, the Munich-based manufacturer of camera and lighting technology for motion picture and live entertainment.
He was chosen in a competitive international process with his concept for a new home for ARRI, marking the largest acquisition of his career to date.
Under the new ownership of Thomas Riedel, ARRI’s existing management team will continue to lead the company and further advance its ongoing transformation. The company will retain independent operations and remain headquartered in Munich.
Through the acquisition of ARRI, Thomas Riedel establishes a close strategic alignment between ARRI and the Riedel Group, expanding its expertise across the entire production chain from camera optics to distribution.
ARRI’s ecosystem of camera, lighting, and systems technology complements the Riedel Group’s existing portfolio and opens up new technological and strategic market opportunities for both companies.
Dr. Walter Stahl, managing director of ARRI and member of the founding family, said: “For more than a century, ARRI has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, and the highest quality. This success story will now continue and remain in German ownership.”
Through close collaboration, ARRI and Riedel aim to unlock new areas of growth, especially in live entertainment and sport. As the first joint milestone of this collaboration, ARRI will debut its camera technology at the Eurovision Song Contest, where Riedel serves as the technology provider and NEP oversees production.
Chris Richter, managing director of ARRI, commented: “Thomas Riedel has built a first-generation family business and stands for entrepreneurial continuity and long-term thinking. We look forward to working with a successful entrepreneur and to the resulting market opportunities and access — both in existing and new markets.”
David Bermbach, managing director of ARRI, said: “The Riedel Group brings highly complementary technologies and extensive expertise in live production to this partnership. This strengthens our strategic direction as a ‘Trusted Technology Leader for the Next Generation of Media & Entertainment’.”
Thomas Riedel commented: “My entrepreneurial path has been closely tied to ARRI for years. This acquisition represents the most significant personal milestone of my career so far. I have great respect for this exceptional brand, its outstanding products, and its strong team. At the same time, I see tremendous potential and am confident that, together, we can position ARRI for long-term stability and future success.”