Spectrio Acquires Rival Digital Signage Solutions Provider Industry Weapon

September 25, 2020 by Dave Haynes

Tampa-based solutions provider Spectrio has acquired Industry Weapon, a digital signage solutions firm based in Pittsburgh.

“Industry Weapon has been a leader in the digital signage space throughout its history, and we are excited to blend their industry experience and strategic communications background with Spectrio’s,” says Dax Brady-Sheehan, Spectrio’s CEO, in PR. “As we continue to build and enhance Spectrio’s customer engagement technology, we know the Industry Weapon team will bring valuable technical knowledge and insight.”

The news does not make any mention of deal terms.

With the acquisition, Industry Weapon clients will be able to integrate their brand and messages seamlessly across additional customer touchpoints, using Spectrio’s customer engagement suite that includes Interactive Kiosks, On-Premise Messaging and Music, On-Hold Marketing, Wi-Fi Marketing, and Scent Marketing. Spectrio clients will gain additional enhancements for digital services, content, and strategic integrations.

“We are excited to join Spectrio on their mission to create best in class content and communication technology,” says David Wible, Industry Weapon founder. “With Spectrio’s full suite of solutions, our clients will be able to integrate their brand across additional touchpoints, adding value while creating a more cohesive experience for customers.”

Interesting, and probably a sign of things to come as more software and solutions shops look at their shaky bottom lines and the equally shaky road ahead, between a pandemic and a severe business downturn.

I am not saying Industry Weapon was in trouble, but I have spoken with very few executives who’ve said things are awesome right now. Very few companies are NOT for sale right now – not necessarily courting acquisition but more willing than ever to at least have a chat with a suitor.

Spectrio has been quietly building up its business for more than a decade. Like STRATACACHE, though not at that scale or ambition, the company has been growing via acquisition. The company has done so many it has a timeline page that lists them all, including the digital signage software and solutions firms Codigo (banking) and 10 Foot Wave. 

The company got its start many years ago in on-hold messaging for business telephone systems, and still does that. But they also do things like scent marketing and wifi logon marketing … and digital signage.

Spectrio says it serves more than 100,000 client locations, ranging from local businesses to global brands.

The Industry Weapon brand will stay intact for now but will likely roll over to Spectrio, which tends to operate under a single brand.