Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. NASDAQ: GRMN, the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it is the exclusive navigation supplier to Kenwood’s new 2008 lineup of in-dash automotive electronics.
“We have been very pleased with Kenwood’s success in selling Garmin-equipped units since we started our partnership in 2006, and we’re expecting even greater things in 2008,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “We have developed an integrated marketing strategy with Kenwood that will benefit dealers and consumers.”
Garmin and Kenwood will work together on print, radio, and online advertising, as well as a dedicated internet site and point of purchase materials to inform customers. The program will extend through 2008.
“The alliance between Kenwood and Garmin is very unique to the consumer electronics industry,” said Keith Lehman, senior vice president of Kenwood USA Corporation. “The combination of Kenwood’s multimedia, in-car technologies and Garmin’s GPS navigation technologies has produced a remarkable line of advanced products that appeal to even the most demanding customers. With our joint promotional activity already underway, we expect 2008 to be a very successful year.”
These new Kenwood multimedia units feature either built-in or optional navigation by Garmin, the worldwide leader in GPS with more than 31 million automotive and recreational devices delivered to date. The navigation component features pre-loaded maps of North America or Europe, along with six million points of interest with an easy-to-use touchscreen interface for hassle-free driving. The Garmin system uses internal flash memory for driving the navigation software engine so there’s no need to swap navigation discs as with many competitive models. Other optional features available on these cutting-edge units include Satellite Radio, HD Radio, Bluetooth, high-speed iPod audio and video control, and more.
The new Kenwood units will be available globally through Kenwood dealers and their dealer option business. For more information on Kenwood’s new 2008 lineup, go to http://www.kenwoodusa.com. For more information on Garmin, visit http://www.garmin.com.
About Garmin
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. NASDAQ: GRMN, the global leader in satellite navigation. Since 1989, this group of companies has designed, manufactured, marketed and sold navigation, communication and information devices and applications — most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin’s products serve automotive, mobile, wireless, outdoor recreation, marine, aviation, and OEM applications. Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries.
About Kenwood
Kenwood Group is “Reaching out to discover, inspire and enhance the enjoyment of life” as part of its bold, new vision for the future. As a leader in “Mobile & Home Multimedia Systems,” Kenwood is comprised of three businesses (Car Electronics, Communications Equipment and Home Electronics), 11 domestic and 25 overseas subsidiaries around the world.
Kenwood USA Corporation, based in Long Beach, Calif., is the largest subsidiary of Kenwood Corporation (Japan). Offering more than 250 products, it is recognized as one of the largest selling brands of audio and video entertainment products in the United States by consumers and the consumer electronics industry for providing superior quality, reliability and value.
