Deluxe Entertainment Acquires Swedish IP-Tech Outfit Vericom AB

Deluxe Entertainment Services Group has acquired Karlstad, Sweden-based technology firm Vericom AB, an innovator in the IP technology space enabling the transport of crisp, uninterrupted video including rich video formats such as 4K. Deluxe has been working with Vericom AB on this technology exclusively for the last four years, integrating it into Deluxe’s MediaCloud linear playout service and Deluxe’s Broadcast Delivery Network (BDN) for live events and sports. With Vericom joining the Company, Deluxe continues its recent investments in technology that supports global, digital delivery of video content of all types and sizes providing a reliable, highly secure, and efficient platform from production through distribution.

With more content production and distribution demands in the market than ever before, the entertainment and broadcast industries require more efficient and sophisticated solutions to handle this work. Using IP to move large video files through production, post, and delivery of everything from feature films to VR is now a realistic possibility. The addition of Vericom AB will boost the capabilities of Deluxe’s technical infrastructure, enabling the Company to provide new and innovative solutions to more efficiently address the exploding global demand for video.

Vericom’s core technology connects edge-based catcher/pitcher appliances that provide secure and high quality transmissions and receipts of up to 16 encoded high-resolution IP video streams, per appliance pair, across any type of wide area data network. The technology encompasses a data center aggregation platform for all edge-based and locally originated IP streams that performs multiplexing functions to ensure that platform-compliant streams can be originated; and software h.264 encoder and decoder functionality that supports low latency encoding of SDI video signals and decoding of IP-based video signals out to SDI.

Deluxe integrated this technology initially to handle the demands of top rights holders like MP & Silva to deliver NFL content across Europe, and broadcasters like SBS in Australia which leverage it to deliver channels over IP across Australia. Deluxe now has over 40 IP-based client installations supporting 61 IP-based channel playouts for top content aggregators and rights holders, including major European broadcasters.

As part of this acquisition, Deluxe will use the Vericom technology to expand its global BDN, which provides a low cost distribution service for occasional use customers such as broadcasters, news and sports organizations. The technology will be a critical part of Deluxe’s technical roadmap for OTT and theatrical distribution in addition to its applications in digital production and post processes connecting Deluxe’s global creative teams.

Deluxe CEO John Wallace said, “Deluxe, combined with Vericom’s software, has proven incredibly powerful in delivering high quality video streams over IP. It is a viable alternative to traditional delivery via satellite or fiber with low latency and high security, and has enabled us to pioneer international 4K delivery and remote production using the public internet. We have enjoyed a highly successful partnership with Vericom helping clients get their live events, sports, and video content out to audiences and users worldwide, on any platform.”

Wallace added, “As with our recent acquisition of Sfera, bringing Vericom into the Deluxe fold continues our strategy of investing in innovative technology that we can build on to provide efficient tools and services that help our clients thrive in the highly competitive global entertainment market. We believe we are just touching the surface of how IP transport’s efficiency can be adopted to the emerging demands of the market through production, post, and delivery.”