Think Tank Photo Inc. (“Think Tank”) and MindShift Gear LLC (“MindShift”), innovators in premium camera bag design, today announced the merger of the two companies, creating an integrated product suite for professional and advanced photographers. The merger is effective today, and the companies have immediately combined their business operations.
The combined company will be privately held and operate under the Think Tank brand. MindShift will continue as a distinct product line for outdoor photography bags and accessories. Doug Murdoch, Think Tank's founder, president, and lead designer, will continue as Chairman of the Board and president of the combined company. Corporate headquarters will remain in Santa Rosa, CA.
“We celebrate a milestone today as we formally join two of the top brands in camera bags and photo accessories, Think Tank and MindShift,” said Doug Murdoch. “Combined under the Think Tank umbrella, and with MindShift's powerful position in the outdoor photography market, we will draw on our decades of experience to push the boundaries of carrying solutions and enhance our reputation as The Choice of Working Professionals.”
Over the past 15 years, Think Tank and MindShift have delivered some of the most innovative and successful carrying solutions addressing the needs of professional and serious photographers and videographers. These solutions cover the full spectrum of a photographer’s needs including genre-specific features, transportation needs and rapid access to camera gear – enabling them to “Be ready before the moment.”™
Murdoch continued, “Both Think Tank and MindShift are growth companies focused on chasing an enormous opportunity ahead of them. By combining operations for both companies, we can streamline access to our complete product line, making it easier for our international distributors and retail partners to do business with us.”
Combined, Think Tank and MindShift products can be efficiently distributed throughout the world and in hundreds of retailers in the United States.
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quite a concentration process going on in the imaging accessory industry.
800 pound gorilla is UK-based Vitec group plc (formerly Vinten). like a vacuum cleaner they gobbled up imaging accessory products companies since the late 1980s, including well known names for tripods/support and carrying/bags.
eg:
1989 Manfrotto (italian photo accessory maker);
1992 Gitzo (French premium tripod maker);
1993 Bogen (USA);
1995 Sachtler Group (germany, premium tripod/support and carrying/bags)
2005 Kata (Israeli maker of military and photo bags)
2011 Lastolite (UK, backgrounds, light formers)
2017 Joby (USA, GorillaPod etc.)
2017 LowePro (USA, bags)
https://www.vitecgroup.com/about-us/our-history/acquisitions-disposals/
i expect more imaging accessory and bag producers to end up as brand of Vitec Group over time. Tamrac/Gura, Billingham, ThinkTank/Mindshift all look like potential acquisition targets to me.
personally i use a Kata sling/backpack (not often) and more often a ThinkTank Retrospective 20 shoulder bag since many years. Very well designed and durable bag and still one of the most compact solutions to carry a full gear set like 1 fullsize DSLR with attached 70-200/2.8 (or 100-400) plus 24-70/2.8 plus 16-35/2.8 (or 11-24) plus speedlite and all accessories. only improvements i would wish for would be a more wet/dirt resistant material on underside (eg PU-coating) and some weight reduction (eg lighter, neoprene shoulder strap).
unfortunately not convinced by their or any other makers' bags for a compact mirrorless gear set yet. currently using a small "no name" bag for my EOS M plus 3 lenses set.
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