Happ Controls and Suzo International Merge

[RetroBorg]

Just thought some of you might find this interesting.

Happ Controls and Suzo International Merge 09 Jan, 2005

Pfingsten Partners has announced the merger of Happ Controls and Suzo International to create a combined company which will be a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of gaming and amusement parts and accessories, with nearly 400 employees in 12 locations serving customers in over 70 countries. Pfingsten Partners is the majority shareholder. Both companies will continue to do business under their original names. In North America, the organisation will trade as Happ Controls, under the leadership of President Tom Happ, and Suzo International will be responsible for the international operations under its current Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Suverein. Jim Norton of Pfingsten Partners will remain as Chairman of the combined companies. "This is a strong strategic move for both companies," said Tom Happ. "We will have the ability to broaden our product lines, streamline our global distribution capabilities and create value added solutions for our increased customer base." Patrick Suverein said, "We couldn't be more excited about this opportunity to add resources to our organisation, providing better service to customers and a world-class platform for research and development activity."
 

[Hurray Banana]

Will this mean that their lines will be streamlined or will it allow them to expand their lines?

[paigeoliver]

Will this mean that their lines will be streamlined or will it allow them to expand their lines?

Well, when you say expand I can only assume you are talking about joysticks.

Don't expect any new joysticks ever. 2005 will probably be the last year any joystick based arcade games are ever made, and with no new joystick based games there are no reasons to make new joysticks.

[menace]

well this can either of a few ways..

combining the good: great coverage of suzo with decent service of happs

or really really bad:  lousy service of suzo with horrendous shipping of happs

reminds me of the simpson's where bart made the cat and dog into one creature with two heads--but then as a by product he had a creature with two business ends as well--this merger could go either way 

[paigeoliver]

Or if it goes like other mergers then we won't notice anything at all other than higher prices, since they are still going to stay separate.

[RacerX]

Well, when you say expand I can only assume you are talking about joysticks.

Don't expect any new joysticks ever. 2005 will probably be the last year any joystick based arcade games are ever made, and with no new joystick based games there are no reasons to make new joysticks.

Forever is a long time.  Who is to say that at some point in the future somebody doesn't come up with a really fun and hip game that uses a joystick and that is perfectly suited for a bar type atmosphere.  10 years ago, I never would have thought that a game like Golden Tee would have become as popular as it has been in the last 5 years or so.

I agree that things don't look good for the immediate future, though.

Although I have heard rumors (on engadget.com) that the Xbox 2 may *start* in the $400 range, and if that is the case, the console manufacturers may make the same mistake that they did back in the "dark ages" before Nintendo came along.  They may price themselves out of existance.  Time will tell.

[Sephroth57]

::impatiently waits for virtual reality to come out, crushing consoles and becoming a mass addiction::

[Ken Layton]

I think this is good news. Suzo manufactures some parts (like old Stern pinball drop targets) that are simply not available anywhere else. This will now allow Suzo parts to be widely available in the USA.

[RayB]

I expect this merger will help sink another nail into Wico's coffin. Wico sells alot of Suzo parts, yes? They might not be permitted to any longer after this merger.

[krick]

Ultimarc sells Suzo trackballs.  I hope they don't raise the prices and make them as expensive as Happ trackballs.