Thomas Riedel, Founder and Owner of Riedel Communications and the Riedel Group, has acquired Arri, the Munich-based premium manufacturer of camera and lighting technology for motion picture and live entertainment.
Arri has been family-owned ever since it was founded in 1917. It has been recognised with 20 scientific and technical awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Through the acquisition of Arri, the executive has established a close strategic alignment between Arri and the Riedel Group, which is intended to expand its expertise across the entire production chain – from camera optics to distribution. According to the companies, Arri's ecosystem of camera, lighting, and systems technology perfectly complements the Riedel Group’s existing portfolio and opens up new technological and strategic market opportunities for both companies.
The entrepreneur from Wuppertal was chosen in a competitive international process with his idea to give Arri a new home, marking the largest acquisition of his career to date.
“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 and member of the founding family.
Through close collaboration, Arri and Riedel aim to unlock new areas of growth, especially in live entertainment and sports. By combining their respective technologies, the companies plan to develop integrated solutions that open new creative and technical possibilities for customers. As the first joint milestone of this collaboration, Arri will debut its camera technology at the Eurovision Song Contest, where Riedel serves as the technology provider and NEP oversees production.
Under the new ownership of Thomas Riedel, Arri's existing management team will continue to lead the company and further advance its ongoing transformation. The company will retain independent operations and remain headquartered in Munich.
“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 and Entertainment.’”
“My entrepreneurial path has been closely tied to Arri for years,” said Thomas Riedel. “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 long-term stability and future success.”
Arri Group began considering sale options, including a full or partial sale of its business, in August 2025. Discover more here.
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