VIA International Ceases Operations, Customers Left With Incomplete Home Integration Systems
October 15, 2015, Alameda, CA -- After two years of operations, Via International and their six home theater technology integrators have ceased operations and employees at all locations have been let go. After a new financing source withdrew their offer, Via International became unable to continue operations with the lack of sustainable funding. A receivership action has been filed in the Colorado state courts.
Via International conducted business across 19 locations in 8 states, and was even briefly listed as #4 on the CE Pro 100 list. Their ambition was to create a national business within high-end home theater systems integration.
Unfortunately, as the secession of operations is effective immediately and all employee's roles have been terminated, this leaves many Via International customers with incomplete home theater systems and the daunting questions of, "Who will finish this now?"
Audio Images (Tustin, CA) has partnered with other industry leading integration partners in order to assist home and business owners in what could be a potentially difficult transition out of Via Home / International projects.
"I'm concerned about homeowners with half-finished home theater or business projects. I'm concerned about businesses that require proper A/V integration that may have spent money and been left with only wires hanging from walls. And I'm also concerned about the reputation and integrity of our industry," said Audio Images Founder and CEO Mark Ontiveros. "That's why we've partnered with other industry leaders to offer discounts and rapid recovery services to help those harmed by Via's unfortunate collapse."
Audio Images creates high-quality audio/visual technology, automation and integration for both homes and businesses, from home theaters and sound systems, to professional recording rooms and more.
Audio Images specializes in complex project management and project recovery, and is considered among the top integrators in the nation, as evidenced by their many CEDIA awards, including the top award of Best Overall Home Theater award in 2013. In order to assist Via International / Via Home customers finish their home theaters, they are offering significant discounts and free consultations to anyone involved.
Contact Audio Images CEO Mark Ontiveros at info@audioimages.tv, or via phone during Pacific Coast business hours at (714) 258-7238.
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Via Employees: Please contact Audio Images CEO Mark Ontiveros at info@audioimages.tv or via phone at (714) 258-7238 for employment opportunities or connections to others within the home theater industry.
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VIA HOME UPDATES
4 November 2015 -- CEPro offers a new comprehensive update article on the status of Via International, offering information on the Receiver, industry support for former employees, and what some of the rolled up integrators may be doing in the future. Read more >
20 October 2015 – While information is still sparse, The Aspen Times has published an article on local job losses from the Via Home / Via International closure, which includes a small amount of new information on this home theater integrator's collapse.
NBC Montana has run a 2:00 segment on the Via Home closure, showing portions of the termination letter given to the home theater company's employees.
In addition, it appears that the ViaHome.com website has been disabled, with only a non-functional, grayed-out homepage remaining, and further links to the site returning an error.
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VIA HOME BACKGROUND
For background on the Via Home / Via International situation, please read this excellent article on CE PRO from January 2015. The signs of trouble, apparently, have been brewing for a time:
"In 2013, six leading integrators merged to form one international brand, VIA International. With combined revenues of roughly $70 million back then, the group was looking to achieve what has never been done before – a national aggregation of independent systems integrators. It’s been tried many times, but never successfully.
Now the founder and former CEO Randy Stearns is leaving the company, but remains a “major shareholder” with a seat on the board of directors, he tells CE Pro. [...]
They tell us that business is strong, up 18 percent last year, which jibes with word on the street from competitors.
At the same time, the company needs capital, having invested a huge chunk of money in the transition, which included erecting a rack-building operation in Utah.
“Getting the merger done was very expensive,” Stearns says. “Integrating the business is costly. Business is healthy but we’re pushing through our excess cash reserves.”
VIA is earnestly seeking capital.
Murmurings of VIA’s slow-paying subcontractors and manufacturers are not unfounded. [...]"
