The Forté-GPA separation will not only reshape global AV integration but also create new dynamics for digital signage vendors. As Forté builds its own global ecosystem, manufacturers and software providers will be keen to strengthen direct relationships with the industry heavyweight.
Forte: A New Power Player for Digital Signage Vendors
The separation of Forté and GPA is one of the most significant developments in the ProAV industry this year. While hardly unexpected, the move will reshape the competitive landscape for workplace technology providers from 2027 onwards. A standalone Forté will emerge with considerable scale, growing international reach and greater strategic flexibility. But what does the split mean for the digital signage ecosystem?
GPA is far more than a network of integrators with complementary geographic coverage. The organization also functions as a global procurement platform, allowing members to benefit from international supplier agreements and preferred vendor relationships. For manufacturers and technology providers, becoming a GPA-approved supplier is an investment, but one that offers access to some of the world’s leading enterprise communications specialists and multinational projects. Until now, that value proposition also included Forté’s substantial presence across North America and Europe.
With Forté’s departure, GPA’s procurement power will inevitably be reduced, but not diminished to the point of irrelevance. The alliance will continue to represent a significant volume of enterprise business and remain an attractive route to market for manufacturers and software providers. However, the combined purchasing influence of the organization is expected to decline materially once Forté exits the network. While GPA’s ecosystem has often been associated with annual revenues approaching USD 2 billion, estimating the post-separation impact is difficult due to limited public financial disclosure and the complexity of revenues generated through partner relationships.
For the digital signage industry, the implications extend well beyond procurement. Display manufacturers including Samsung, LG, Philips, Sony and Sharp will increasingly view Forté as a strategic global account in its own right rather than primarily through the GPA ecosystem. The same applies to digital signage software vendors, workplace experience platforms and remote device management providers, all of which are competing for a larger share of enterprise technology budgets. The timing is particularly relevant. Enterprise communications and workplace technology continue to rank among the fastest-growing vertical markets in 2025 and 2026, driven by hybrid work, employee experience initiatives and the growing convergence of AV, IT and managed services. As a result, both GPA and Forté are likely to remain highly attractive partners for digital signage vendors, albeit through increasingly different business models and go-to-market strategies.