Stillwater Designs began export operations in 1987, seven years after company founder Steve Irby created the original KICKER, the first full-range high-performance speaker system designed for automotive use. From two employees and that single initial product, the company has grown to more than 180 people building and marketing more than 200 products plus a full complement of parts and accessories.

Stillwater Designs/KICKER car audio speakers, amplifiers, and signal processors are recognized around the world for quality, value, and performance. Recently nine products were selected as Products of the Year by a leading trade publication.

Today "America’s Music Machines" are sold throughout the United States and in another 42 countries world-wide. Exports constituted more than 18 percent of sales in 1999. The firm’s top four export markets are Japan, Venezuela, Australia, and Canada.

In addition to supplying its normal offering of products to its export markets, Stillwater Designs has over the years created a number of market-specific products and services to better meet the needs of its international trade partners. For example, when gray market imports/sales of KICKER subwoofers threatened the existence of its Japanese distributor, the firm created a line of speakers available only through the authorized distributor. This prevented disreputable Japanese dealers from purchasing products in other countries and representing themselves as authorized KICKER outlets. In another case, specially-sized speakers were created to meet the specific requirements of Australian customers.

According to director of international sales Joe Akin, "Programs like these and numerous others attuned to the special needs of our export markets will keep Stillwater Designs at the forefront of the global car audio market."

Link for more info: www.kicker.com