Roland Corporation and Drum Workshop Inc. have announced a definitive agreement for Roland to acquire all outstanding shares of Drum Workshop.

Roland is the leading global manufacturer of electronic musical instruments widely recognized for its  products in the electronic drum world under its V-Drums brand and more recently with its  V-Drums Acoustic Design ("VAD") series of products. Drum Workshop is widely recognized for its acoustic drums and percussion designs. It manufactures and sells a portfolio of brands that DW Drums and Hardware, Pacific Drums and Percussion (PDP), Latin Percussion (LP), Gretsch Drums, and Slingerland.

The two companies say that the combination of their expertise and reach will enable the next generation of breakthrough acoustic and electronic drums and percussion products, accelerate product development, and lead to more innovation for drummers. Drum Workshop CEO Chris Lombardi and co-founders Don Lombardi and John Good will continue to serve in their existing capacities at the company.

"In the world of acoustic drums, Drum Workshop stands distinctly apart," says Gordon Raison, CEO of Roland. "We have always been impressed and in awe of their products, their people and their craftsmanship in every dimension. Drum Workshop shares the same legacy and dedication to musical innovation that we have at Roland, and we are committed to supporting Drum Workshop in doing what they do best."

"Roland's philosophy in driving innovation across all forms of expression is complimentary with ours, and we are excited to join forces in this relationship that will benefit artists and musicians everywhere," adds Chris Lombardi.

"For the past 50 years our goal has always been to inspire, motivate and solve problems for drummers," says Don Lombardi. "I have always been a fan of the innovation coming from Roland, and we are thrilled to partner with them on inventing solutions for future generations."

John Good, also says, "I look forward to continuing to bring handcrafted, custom solutions to drummers with the partnership of Roland. Their reputation for driving product innovation is admirable, and we are looking forward to the additional support they will bring to our people, our artists and our industry partners."

"We have been deeply impressed by the people inside Drum Workshop and are excited to welcome Chris, Don, John and the entire Drum Workshop team to the Roland family," adds Masahiro Minowa, chief innovation officer of Roland. "A trailblazer in acoustic drums for the past 50 years, we've been equally blown away by the breakthrough innovation and new technology that Drum Workshop has been developing. We can't wait for the world to see what's in store that will benefit drummers everywhere."

For more information, go to www.roland.com.

Above photo, L-R: Drum Workshop Inc's John Good, Chris Lombardi & Don Lombardi