DW acquires KAT Percussion (& more)

[Hellfire]

DW has acquired a number of Drum Companies including Gibraltar hardware and you can buy direct.If out of stock check with Sweetwater etc.
DW has also been overhauling the website with all new photos and videos and it's looking great..

News and Events
Drum Workshop Purchases Latin Percussion, Toca Percussion, Gretsch Drums, Gibraltar Hardware, and KAT Percussion from Fender's KMC Subsidiary

Wait, what? I missed that one. 

DW has wanted to get into edrums for a while now. I wonder if they will do anything with the KAT brand? KAT has struggled when it comes to edrums in the last few years. I really thought they had good potential. Maybe this means KAT will now have the money to compete a little more. I will be keeping my eye on this one.

[Chaser]

DW has acquired a number of Drum Companies including Gibraltar hardware and you can buy direct.If out of stock check with Sweetwater etc.
DW has also been overhauling the website with all new photos and videos and it's looking great..

News and Events
Drum Workshop Purchases Latin Percussion, Toca Percussion, Gretsch Drums, Gibraltar Hardware, and KAT Percussion from Fender's KMC Subsidiary

Wait, what? I missed that one. 

DW has wanted to get into edrums for a while now. I wonder if they will do anything with the KAT brand? KAT has struggled when it comes to edrums in the last few years. I really thought they had good potential. Maybe this means KAT will now have the money to compete a little more. I will be keeping my eye on this one.

DW acquired all those back in 2015 ..then DW sold the KAT Percussion license to Hal Leonard in 2017...probably why KAT has struggled as you mentioned..I think the announcement went under everyone's Radar.
Gibraltar was sold (around 2018) to a Music company in Taiwan RELIANCE INTERNATIONAL CORP that also has the Rogers and Dixon Drum Brands and Fernandez Guitars (now closed in USA) as I seen the Trademark for Gibraltar change hands in 2018..
DW also acquired Slingerland in 2019.

I don't know the entire story with Alternate Mode (Mario DeCiutiis..Founder KAT Percussion)..I know they licensed the KAT name in 2013 and apparently even after all the ownership/license changes they still do as everything is still on their site including a New Module the KAT KT-M1 Sound Module..which is another Licensed/Private Labeled 2Box Drumit 3 Module..similar to the less featured FAME Sound Module  also a Licensed/Private Label 2Box..So I guess there is 2 product lines when it comes to KAT....The main company..KAT Percussion and the licensed Alternate Mode KAT which has all the FSR Tech (HybriPADS  MalletKAT  TrapKAT XL  etc)...It's hard to keep track ...

KAT has a long history and put out 3 new kits in 2021..KT100   KT200  KT300  .
The Kits from KAT Percussion look like re-branded Medeli and they include the Hal Leonard Drumset Method lessons and all the contact info etc on the Kat Percussion site goes to Hal Leonard

The DWe product Line was supposed to start in the US in Fall 2018..

"DW's mission has always been to solve problems for drummers, so they can focus on their craft and be free to concentrate on what really matters - the music," said DW Founder and Chief Product Officer, Don Lombardi.

"DW Electronics is an extension of our philosophy.  Electronic drums should be reliable, effortless and deliver a seamless playing experience. We're incredibly proud to make our entry into the world of electronic drums with the debut of the DWe product line which has been years in the making.

DWe  all-wood trigger shells feature Design Series  mini turret lugs and are available in Carbon Fiber Finishply  and Exotic Walnut finishes. They also feature True-Rebound mesh heads by Remo USA and modular Trigger Zone  playing surfaces. The complete line of newly designed DWe  stands, pedals and rack systems includes a host of DW drummer-friendly features tailored for the electronic player.

DW started DWe in 2018 with collaboration with GEWA....then dropped out (supposedly).I see kits with all the DWe products being offered at some EU Stores ...

GEWA website shows a different story ...Gibraltar Individual stands, Gibraltar Racks.

DWe could be waiting until all those with DWe are sold ?..may be under contract ?..DWe Racks discontinued ?...hard to say.

DWe... "Coming Soon"..but that's about all I know..been that way for quite awhile.

DWe actually put out a plugin DW Drum Enhancer..it's being offered by Audified

I was expecting something for NAMM 2022 but that got moved to June..

EDIT:
Added multiple Links..attached pics I have of DWe products used for the GEWA Collaboration.... and a DWe snare.
The Kits show the DWe Racks and trademarked Carbon Fiber Finish ply....the snare has the exotic walnut..

EDIT #2:
I did a great job derailing this thread..

EDIT:
Updated old links.

[Hellfire]

I did a great job derailing this thread..

No, I did. I felt the info on DW acquiring KAT was a much larger piece of info so I commented on it. Thanks for the additional info. I have "fixed" the off topic problem. This is now its own topic.

I do know that in the early days of the 2BoxDrumit5 there was talk of DW being the USA distributor of that brand. That was the first time I found out that DW had an interest in electronic percussion (at least in modern times).

[latzanimal]

There was a guy in California still occasionally making the old KAT PoleKats. Henry I think his name was.

I bought new rubber for my poles as the original rubber turns to goo. He had them molded out of a newer rubber.

[ChrisK]

DW started DWe in 2018 with collaboration with GEWA....then dropped out (supposedly).I see kits with all the DWe products being offered at some EU Stores ...

GEWA website shows a different story ...Gibraltar Individual stands, Gibraltar Racks.

DWe could be waiting until all those with DWe are sold ?..may be under contract ?..DWe Racks discontinued ?...hard to say.

DWe... "Coming Soon"..but that's about all I know..been that way for quite awhile.

Gewa can't sell DW hardware in US, only Europe, they had to license Gibraltar hardware for Us market.

DW left Gewa team after the gewa announcement with DW lugs\shell, they build their own stuff since with different team, DW should release this year their stuff, but unknown what is all about.

Ps: The gewa product is not user friendly on triggering and overall workflow, according to Allan J from digital drummer magazine ( he tested all module\kit) is the most complicated to caliber on the market and that is with their own kit, their price are really to much high for what it deliver overall.