NOV. 2 I ST. LOUIS MUSIC I ACQUISITION
SLM Acquires Hamilton Stands
St. Louis Music has acquired Hamilton Stands.

"I have known and sold Hamilton stands since I first started working in the music business," said Mark Ragin, president and CEO of St. Louis Music. "The Hamilton brand is synonymous with quality and has a long history of design innovation."

One of the oldest MI brands in the States, Hamilton Stands was founded in Hamilton, Ohio, in 1883. The company's KB400N is one of the longest continually made products in the MI industry, having sold more than 10 million units.

The stand company claims to be responsible inventing the first folding music stand and the first neck suspending guitar stand. Recent designs include the System X wind instrument stands and the System X keyboard stand, which combines the best features of a column stand and an X style stand.

"For some time I have sought a strategic buyer who would recognize the value of the Hamilton brand and be positioned to leverage our products into their deserved place in the industry," said Bill Carpenter, owner of Hamilton Stands since 2006. "I look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship with St. Louis Music and Mark Ragin."

"We are proud to be the new owners of Hamilton," Ragin said. "Our growing presence in the market and the strength of the Hamilton brand will work together to achieve greater global reach and growth for our company."

Carpenter will continue with Hamilton, leading strategic sourcing and product design initiatives.

stlouismusic.com