In a message posted on his personal social media accounts, Dirk Ulrich has announced that both Plugin Alliance and Brainworx are now back under his personal leadership. As of 15 July 2026, both brands are now officially owned by Ulrich, joining high-end hardware companies Manley and Apogee as part of the new RCKFRC audio group.
The announcement follows InMusic’s acquisition of Native Instruments and the news of iZotope’s departure to their new home at Boris FX, and will answer some important questions for users who were wondering what the latest move would mean for their Plugin Alliance & Brainworx licenses.
Dirk's Statement
Here’s what Dirk has to say about the decision, and what it means for both brands’ existing customers:
"This marks the beginning of the next chapter for all our companies, our teams, our partners, and you! Over the past few months, I have seen that many Plugin Alliance users were asking the same questions on social media: What will happen to my plugins? Will my licenses continue to work? What's the future for Brainworx & Plugin Alliance? Today, I can finally start to answer those questions!
This isn't a restart. It's a continuation — with renewed focus and renewed responsibility.
Our priorities are simple:
- Continue supporting the products you rely on.
- Invest in engineering and innovation.
- Keep what’s great and fix what may be broken.
- Build an exciting future for Brainworx & Plugin Alliance as part of the new RCKFRC universe (with Apogee and Manley!).
Over the next few weeks, I'll introduce the teams behind the next chapter and share our vision. Please give us a bit of time to adapt to the new situation — we will keep you posted every step of the way. For today, I simply wanted you to hear the news directly from me, and tell you that I am genuinely happy about this full-circle moment!
Thank you for your continued trust. I'm excited about the future for PA/BX!"
