Press Releases

25 January 2024

Impact Acoustic and Verium join forces

A group of investors represented by the multifamily office Verium AG has acquired a significant minority stake in Impact Acoustic AG. The founders, Sven Erni and Jeffrey Ibañez, together with their co-founding shareholders, will retain the majority and continue to be the driving forces behind the company. Further, key employees have acquired a stake and will continue to develop the business together with the founders and Verium.

The company has ambitious plans and intends to further expand its international footprint, broaden its product portfolio and continue to deliver bespoke acoustic solutions for its customers while making a positive impact on the environment.

In 2019, Sven Erni and Jeffrey Ibañez founded Impact Acoustic with a mission to make a real difference in the interior architecture and design industry by fighting plastic pollution. Impact Acoustic specializes in manufacturing highperformance acoustic products from postconsumer materials such as PET bottles and cotton waste. The company offers a wide range of products, from simple partitions to complex ceiling structures, as well as solution designs using algorithms to meet the exact specifications and creative requirements of its customers. Leading companies all over the world, including e.g. Amazon, Google or Microsoft, trust Impact Acoustic to create pleasant, functional and sustainable spaces that enhance productivity and well-being. With production facilities in Switzerland, the Philippines, and Italy, the company can produce more locally and with lower emissions. Impact Acoustic stands for digital manufacturing, Swiss quality and design as well as sustainability.

Sven Erni and Jeffrey Ibañez, founders of Impact Acoustic: “Since our establishment in 2019, we've experienced an incredible entrepreneurial journey. The investment by Verium represents another milestone for us, our team and the company. We are certain that, with Verium's backing, we can expedite our growth and are thus looking forward to embarking on this next development phase together with a strong partner.”

Verium’s investment in Impact Acoustic underscores the conviction in the company’s strong momentum, its highly skilled leadership and employee base as well as its positive impact on the environment. As an integral component of its growth strategy, Impact Acoustic is eyeing expansion into international markets, with a keen focus on the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia – a clear testament to Impact Acoustic's commitment to harnessing global opportunities and establishing itself as a key player on the international stage. In tandem with its geographic expansion, Impact Acoustic has successfully introduced an array of innovative new products, including ARCHISONIC® Cotton and ARCHISONIC® Textile. These innovations emphasize Impact Acoustic's dedication to pushing the limits of product design and acoustic technology to meet the needs of its diverse customer base, while simultaneously stay true to its commitment towards full circularity.

Verium's investment not only strengthens Impact Acoustic's investor base but also positions the company for continued success, underlining a shared vision for sustained growth, ongoing innovation, bespoke designs and making a positive impact.

“Knowing Impact Acoustic and its founders already for some years, we have been highly impressed with the company’s execution on its growth plan,” added George Merk at Verium. “Verium shares Impact Acoustic’s commitment to entrepreneurship and environmental awareness – we are excited to contribute to the future success of this dynamic company.”

About Impact Acoustic
Impact Acoustic is a Swiss company specializing in providing high-performance, recyclable, and circular acoustic solutions made from upcycled materials. The products embody an innovative, sustainable, and high-quality approach to interior design and room acoustics. With production facilities located in Lucerne (Switzerland), the Philippines, and Italy, Impact Acoustic ensures that all solutions are manufactured to the highest standards and environmental responsibility. The company collaborates with world-leading architects, designers, and developers to craft spaces that excel in both aesthetics and acoustics.

About Verium
Verium is an independent multi-family office in Zurich whose wide range of services is specifically geared towards families with an entrepreneurial mindset and whose goal is to secure and increase family wealth over the long term.

For its clients, Verium also manages direct investments in medium-sized companies in the DACH region. Latest investments include Home Instead, basefit.ch, Christ & Heiri, Toradex, Tavola Group, Quickmail/Quickpac, Mobil in Time Group, DSwiss, Zünd and Sequotech. Verium builds on its network and expertise to support its partners in both strategic and operational matters.

29 September 2023

Impact Acoustic is the most innovative company in Switzerland’s building industry 2024

The magazines Bilanz and PME, in collaboration with the market research company Statista, have selected the "Top Innovative Companies 2024". Impact Acoustic was ranked first among all companies in the construction industry, first among all companies in Central Switzerland and 11th among all companies in Switzerland.

The ranking is based on a multi-stage survey that takes into account three indicators: overall innovation, product innovation and the company's culture of innovation.

Sven Erni, co-founder of Impact Acoustic, is delighted with the award and emphasises the importance of innovation for the future of the industry, leading the way to circularity: "The latest example of our innovation-driven culture is the development of our just-launched ARCHISONIC® Cotton material - the first and only fully circular acoustic material ever produced. We're very proud of the work that has gone into bringing this material to life, proving that it is possible to achieve 100% circularity in our field and raising the bar not only for ourselves but for other companies in the future.”

In the four years since its foundation, Impact Acoustic has established itself as a pioneer in the field of sustainable room acoustics. As well as offering products made from recycled or discarded materials, the company promotes a collaborative culture of innovation, performance and Swiss engineering.

About Impact Acoustic
Since 2019, Swiss company Impact Acoustic has been driving innovation and conversations around circularity, sustainability and transparency, while providing bespoke acoustic solutions to businesses around the world. The company aims to disrupt the future of sustainable acoustic design, with a bold stance in favour of a global ban on PET bottles and a commitment to producing eco-friendly yet design-driven products that push the boundaries of design and challenge the way we think about the circular economy.

7 June 2023

Introducing ARCHISONIC® Textile – Our expanded colour collection for enhanced versatility and sustainability

Impact Acoustic, the European innovator in sustainable acoustic materials, is thrilled to announce the expansion of its popular ARCHISONIC® range with a recycled fabric. The new collection ARCHISONIC® Textile matches the popular Felt collection and offers a unique range of colours, catering to the diverse needs of designers, architects, and acoustic enthusiasts. Crafted in Italy to the highest quality standards, ARCHISONIC® Textile is made of 100% recycled PET.

ARCHISONIC® Textile was designed with the importance of colours in mind. With its 32 hues, this fabric opens a world of possibilities for creative expression. The colour collection is based on the ARCHISONIC® Felt range, allowing designers to experiment and integrate ARCHISONIC® Textile into a wide range of applications and combinations. From vibrant and bold tones to subtle and soothing shades, this fabric allows for personalized and impactful acoustic solutions that enhance the aesthetics of any space.

"We are thrilled to expand our ARCHISONIC® collection," said Jeffrey Ibañez, Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer at Impact Acoustic. "We aim to inspire designers to push the boundaries of creative expression while ensuring sustainability remains at the core of their designs. All our materials showcase our commitment to minimizing waste and creating a brighter future."

Crafted in Italy to the highest quality standards, ARCHISONIC® Textile is committed to delivering excellence in both aesthetics and sustainability. The fabric is created using 100% recycled PET materials, emphasizing the company's dedication to environmental responsibility. At the end of its life cycle, Textile can be returned, processed, and re-used in other acoustic products. This closed-loop system demonstrates ARCHISONIC® Textile's approach to a circular economy.

This fabric offers unparalleled versatility, allowing integration into a wide range of applications, such as the creation of effective acoustic curtains for room separation and as upholstery for furniture, including the renowned Vitra Grand Repos lounge chair that will be presented during Chicago Design Days from June 12 to14 2023.

Impact Acoustic invites designers, architects, and acoustic enthusiasts to explore the expanded ARCHISONIC® Textile collection and unleash their creativity with an environmentally conscious solution.

23 May 2023

Oloïd – a sustainable acoustic luminaire with character.

Impact Acoustic, provider of sustainable acoustic solutions, and renowned Swiss design studio atelier oï present Oloïd, a luminaire that combines acoustic excellence with intuitive design. The lighting solution will make its debut at Clerkenwell Design Week in London, where it will be on display at the Clerkenwell Dungeon from Tuesday 23rd to Thursday 25th May. An extended version of Oloïd will be unveiled at Chicago Design Days on 12 June.

Oloïd is the result of a successful collaboration between Impact Acoustic and atelier oï, combining their expertise in acoustic engineering, material research and design innovation. Harnessing the capabilities of ARCHISONIC® Felt, Impact Acoustic's proprietary high-performance acoustic absorber made from upcycled single-use plastic bottles, Oloïd delivers exceptional sound absorption properties while promoting sustainability and responsible material sourcing.

"At atelier oï, we often begin our creative process with an encounter with the material," says Aurel Aebi. "Our goal was to find a way to make the sustainable material speak in a new way." To create organic shapes, the designers had to push the limits of the material's stiffness and flatness. With the right tools and processes, the designers were able to test and give the panels a whole new character.

Oloïd's captivating design is enhanced by the carefully curated selection of all 32 colours in the ARCHISONIC® Felt range, allowing architects to personalise spaces and create immersive environments. The products will premiere during Clerkenwell Design Week in London, providing a unique opportunity for visitors to experience the aesthetic appeal of the luminaire first-hand at the Clerkenwell Dungeon from 23-25 May. An extended version of Oloïd will also be unveiled at Chicago Design Days on 12 June, showcasing its innovative design and acoustic performance on a larger scale.

"The collaboration fascinated us as we witnessed the metamorphosis of our material. This was made possible using a distinctive cutting technique at specific angles and the skillful folding of the panels. This creative approach seamlessly transformed the two-dimensional panels into fascinating three-dimensional entities, transcending surfaces to tangible bodies," said Sven Erni, co-founder of Impact Acoustic." With its sustainable design, this collaboration sets a new standard for sound-absorbing luminaires.

Oloïd offers a transformative lighting experience that seamlessly blends functionality and artistic expression. Its innovative design, coupled with outstanding sound absorption, redefines the way light and sound interact, enhancing the ambience of any space.

About Impact Acoustic
Impact Acoustic is a leading Swiss provider of innovative acoustic solutions dedicated to improving the acoustic environment of various spaces. With a commitment to sustainability and design excellence, Impact Acoustic combines acoustic expertise with responsible material sourcing to deliver exceptional acoustic performance.

About atelier oï
Founded by Aurel Aebi, Armand Louis and Patrick Reymond in 1991 in La Neuveville, Switzerland, atelier oï is a renowned design studio known for its multidisciplinary approach and visionary creativity. With expertise in architecture, interior design, product design and scenography, atelier oï pushes boundaries and embraces intuitive and emotional design to create transformative experiences.

17 April 2023

Introducing ARCHISONIC® Cotton - an innovative and fully circular solution that addresses the issue of sound absorption.

ARCHISONIC® Cotton is a completely new sustainable solution made in Italy from waste materials. The high-performance acoustic absorber can be returned to the production process, making the material completely circular. Available in a range of 24 curated colours, it not only absorbs sound, but also adds a natural aesthetic to any room.

ARCHISONIC® Cotton is an innovative solution that addresses the issue of sound absorption while being fully circular. Circularity is a concept that has gained traction in recent years and refers to the idea of designing products and processes that are inherently restorative and regenerative. This means that they aim to eliminate waste and pollution while creating a closed-loop system in which resources are used efficiently and sustainably.

ARCHISONIC® Cotton embodies this concept by using only natural and renewable materials in its production process. The main component of the material is cellulose derived from cotton linters, a by-product of the cotton industry that would otherwise be discarded. The production process is also designed to be circular, recycling, and reusing water and minimising waste.

The material is completely reusable, with 100% of the sound absorbers able to be returned to the production process at the end of their life cycle. This not only reduces waste, but also ensures that resources are used efficiently, and that the product can be used indefinitely by simply reshaping and adding no more than water without degrading the quality of the materials.

The revolutionary material offers a range of natural colours obtained without the use of chemical dyes or mordants. The range of 24 natural earth pigments matches the existing ARCHISONIC® Felt, based on upcycled PET, collection and has been curated by the trend scouts at Colour Hive. This attention to detail ensures that the product not only meets the functional requirements of sound absorption, but also offers a beautiful and natural aesthetic that is in line with current design trends.

The material is handmade in Italy, where skilled craftsmen take great care to ensure that each tile meets the highest standards of quality and beauty. In addition, ARCHISONIC® Cotton can absorb up to 60% of sound, making it a highly effective acoustic absorber. It has been designed to meet the most demanding professional requirements, making it a popular choice for a wide range of applications.

Overall, ARCHISONIC® Cotton is an innovative and sustainable solution that embodies the concept of circularity. By using natural and renewable materials, designing a closed-loop production process, and ensuring that the product is fully recyclable, it offers a restorative and regenerative solution to the problem of sound absorption.