Amped: Maurice van Heerden on building Planetworld

Planetworld, a distributor of audio gear from brands such as Sonos and Shure, has proven that there is still strong demand among South African consumers for specialist audio. The company, which was founded by four brothers, has built a strong niche in the audio market, led by Sonos, but also representing brands such as JVC, Kenwood, Cambridge Audio, Alpine, Pioneer, Onkyo and Savant. Planetworld co-founder, director and CEO Maurice van Heerden – one of the four Van Heerden brothers – joins Duncan McLeod on the TechCentral Show (TCS) to chat about the history of the company, including: • The 2008 acquisition of Planet Electronics, which formed the basis on what became Planetworld. • The 2017 acquisition of Audiotronic, which brought the Sonos, Polk Audio, Onkyo and Dali brands to the stable. • What it’s like going into business with siblings – and why it worked so well for Planetworld. • Why Sonos has changed the world of audio, and why Planetworld believes there is still a huge market opportunity for the brand in South Africa. In the TCS interview, Van Heerden also chats about the state of the economy and the impact – or not – that this has had on high-end audio sales. Lastly, he unveils details about Planetworld’s new initiative, Rockstar Studios. Don’t miss a great discussion!