Thomas Riedel’s ARRI takeover brings camera, lighting, and live production closer together

ARRI is entering a new chapter after Thomas Riedel, founder and owner of Riedel Communications and the wider Riedel Group, acquired the Munich-based camera and lighting specialist in what is said to be the largest acquisition of his career to date.

Chosen through a competitive international process, Riedel’s vision for a new home for Arri signals a major moment not only for the company itself, but also for the wider motion picture and live production industries.

The deal brings together two highly respected German businesses with deep roots in professional production technology. While Arri has long been regarded as one of the most influential names in film equipment, Riedel Group has built its global reputation around advanced audio, video, and data infrastructure for some of the world’s biggest broadcast, live event, and sports productions. Together, the move creates a far broader technology offering that stretches across the production chain, from camera optics and image capture through to signal distribution.

Founded in 1917 and family-owned ever since, Arri remains one of the most decorated names in professional film technology, with 20 scientific and technical awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to its name. “For more than a century, Arri has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, and the highest quality. This success story will now continue and remain in German ownership,” said Dr. Walter Stahl, Managing Director of Arri GmbH and member of the founding family.

The strategic logic behind the acquisition is clear. Arri’s established ecosystem of camera, lighting, and systems technology sits naturally alongside Riedel’s strengths in live production infrastructure, opening the door to new technological and commercial opportunities for both sides. In particular, the partnership is expected to unlock growth in the live entertainment and sports sectors, where the two companies believe their combined expertise can create integrated solutions with new creative and technical possibilities for customers.

That collaboration will get an early public outing at one of the world’s most high-profile live events. Arri will debut its camera technology at the Eurovision Song Contest, where Riedel is serving as the technology provider, and NEP is overseeing production. It is a fitting stage for two companies looking to show how cinema-grade imaging and live broadcast infrastructure can work more closely together.

Despite the acquisition, Arri will continue to operate independently from its Munich headquarters, with its current management team staying in place to guide the company through its next phase. “Thomas Riedel has built a first-generation family business and stands for entrepreneurial continuity and long-term thinking,” said Chris Richter, Managing Director of Arri.

“We look forward to working with a successful entrepreneur and to the resulting market opportunities and access — both in existing and new markets.” “The Riedel Group brings highly complementary technologies and extensive expertise in live production to this partnership,” added David Bermbach, Managing Director of Arri. “This strengthens our strategic direction as a ‘Trusted Technology Leader for the Next Generation of Media & Entertainment.’”

For Thomas Riedel, the acquisition is clearly a deeply personal as well as strategic move.

“My entrepreneurial path has been closely tied to Arri for years, This acquisition represents the most significant personal milestone of my career so far. I have great respect for this exceptional brand, its outstanding products, and its strong team. At the same time, I see tremendous potential and am confident that, together, we can position Arri for longterm stability and future success.”

With Arri set to retain its identity while gaining access to broader infrastructure expertise, this looks less like a simple takeover and more like a serious attempt to shape the future of media and entertainment production from both ends of the workflow.