UK - Audiologic has secured the exclusive UK distribution for Swedish-based manufacturer SONAB which manufactures System 9, a premium wireless sound system, principally designed for use in the retail, office and hospitality sectors. Using the power available from existing track lighting systems, SONAB System 9 delivers an easy-to-set-up, highly flexible system that connects via a transmitter to any available sound source to deliver a high-quality audio experience. Changing speaker positions within a room or even moving the system to an entirely new location is as easy as clipping and unclipping speakers from the track. SONAB is firmly established in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, where the company's products can be found in a host of applications from prestige car showrooms and hotels to department stores and art galleries. This partnership with Audiologic wil
The Netherlands - Martin Audio has extended its long relationship with De Oosterpoort concert hall in the northern Dutch university city of Groningen, by upgrading the W8LC compact line array, that had served it so well for 14 years, with a new MLA Compact. The installation was again carried out by Ampco Flashlight Sales (AFS), and the man responsible for commissioning the earlier Martin Audio compact line array, Oosterpoort technical manager, Pieter Stove, was again responsible for the upgrade. Known for its vibrant cultural and musical nightlife, Groningen is also the city where one of the largest European music festivals is held every year, called Eurosonic Noorderslag. During this festival the venue hosts up to 3,500 visitors of which 1,850 are packed into the large room. And it was with this event in mind that Pieter Stove decided it was time for the old
Diversity Programme - Improving diversity and protecting local authority funding are at the forefront of UK Theatre’s business plan for the next four years. The plan from the membership organisation, which sets out its objectives for 2017-2021, describes its aim to improve the diversity of theatre and the performing arts as “a significant priority”. The organisation commits to working with Tonic Theatre, Equity and other stakeholders to publish a planning tool for the casting process in order to improve diversity on stage. It will also establish a ‘board bank’ of professionals from black, Asian and minority ethnic, disabled and low socio-economic backgrounds to assist organisations in addressing the diversity of their boards. Another focus in the business plan is addressing the increase in live-to-digital theatre. The industry body promises to negotiate a st
USA - Chauvet & Sons LLC has announced the completion of the acquisition of ChamSys Ltd, the Southampton, UK-based designer and manufacturer of lighting controllers. ChamSys provides Chauvet a strong presence in the controller market that complements its Chauvet Professional lighting fixtures and LED video panels. “We are very excited about the opportunity to join forces with ChamSys,” said Albert Chauvet, CEO of Chauvet & Sons LLC. “ChamSys has a well-deserved reputation for innovation, quality and value, the same principles that are at the heart of our own Chauvet brands. Together ChamSys and Chauvet are now in a position to better cover and serve worldwide markets.” ChamSys will continue to operate as an independent business unit from its facility in Southampton, UK. ChamSys founders Chris Kennedy and George McDuff will remain as managing directors
Germany / China - EZPro International Technology Limited has been appointed as the Hong Kong, China and Macau distributor for Pan Acoustics, the advanced steerable audio specialist from Wolfenbüttel in Germany. Alan Ho, senior VP business development of EZPro explained their choice of Pan Beam, “With many column speakers available in the market over more than 15 years, many companies have engineered their own solutions as part of an existing range of products in an attempt to tap into the growing market. “We have been looking at the various solutions available in the market and all had their strengths and weaknesses - heavy, big, difficult to set up - so we were looking for a company that was specialised in steerable products but also offering a slim line of passive speakers, that had leading technology and the feature set that the market needed. “W
Spain / Portugal - Earpro has been appointed Visual Productions’ distributor for Spain and Portugal. The agreement was concluded during ISE earlier this year. Earpro, established in 1988 is a distribution company specialising in leading technology namely for the systems integration, retail, audio-visual, rental, installation, broadcast and commercial lighting markets in Spain and Portugal. Earpro has continued to develop and adapt their strategy to stay ahead in their field. Recognising the need to supply the latest technology for utilisation within their customers markets they saw a gap in their distribution product range for a high-end standalone / solid-state lighting controller. A gap that is perfectly filled by the Visual Productions lighting control range. Visual Productions is a Netherlands based lighting control manufacturer. They specialise in intuitiv
UK - Technical production and rental specialist Central Presentations Limited (CPL) has launched a new division – CPL Technical Sales - to focus on the sales of selected product lines, all of which CPL carries in its rental inventory. CPL Technical Sales will be based at CPL’s facility in West Midlands, UK, headed by Sam Thomas. The aim is to cross-rent only to other professional AV / rental companies and organisations, in the process supporting the selected brands through CPL’s extensive working knowledge of them, providing fully comprehensive backup. So far, the list includes Analog Way, Avolites, Connex, Denon Professional, DPA Microphones, ETC, Extron, Fiberfox, Interspace Industries, Kramer, Lightware, Marantz, Panasonic Business, Sennheiser, Shure and Unicol. More will be added as CPL Technical Sales develops its business. CPL Technical Sales will als
UK - PLASA Focus Leeds is back with a stellar line-up of seminar sessions and speakers for this year’s event on 9-10 May at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. The free to attend exhibition is a leading platform for the entertainment industry, offering an opportunity to discover the very latest technology including products from recent international launches. Speakers this year include James Simpson, lighting visualiser at the Royal Opera House, who will be discussing the latest technologies in use at the Royal Opera House, with a look at how some recent projects have been technically achieved. Simpson will also be talking for the first time about an exciting new R&D project being developed at the ROH which uses Augmented Reality technology to create new opportunities for design teams to visualise their ideas – the talk will include a live demonstration. The f
USA - For nearly two decades, ETC’s LDI Student Sponsorship has given students a unique way to gain experience, make connections and launch a career, and to attend the LDI tradeshow with all expenses paid. Applications for this year’s Sponsorship are now available at www.etcconnect.com/LDISponsorship, and due by 9 June 2017. ETC’s LDI Student Sponsorship includes a round trip airfare to the LDI tradeshow, which will be 17-19 November this year, along with hotel accommodation, all meals, a full conference pass, a student reception to meet people in the industry, and exclusive ETC swag. Students in their final year of undergraduate study, graduate students, and students from outside of North America who are studying at equivalent university levels at the time of the LDI show, and who are studying lighting design, theatre technology, stage machinery, or closely related fi
UK – Supporters and trustees of Backup - The Technical Entertainment Charity - gathered in London on Monday evening to help raise the profile of the charity’s new name and logo in entertainment industry. Around 80 guests attended the event, which included live entertainment from Jay Johnson. Backup exists to provide financial support to technical professionals working in live events, theatre, TV and film, helping them to get back on their feet when their lives are disrupted by illness or injury to themselves or to family members. Previously known as Behind The Scenes UK, the charity changed its name to Backup in 2016. Backup’s chairman, John Simpson, welcomed guests to The Hospital Club in London’s Covent Garden, which generously sponsored the event. He reiterated the purpose of the charity by highlighting some of its achievements to date. “We have helped a n
Ireland - Coinciding with the company’s 50th anniversary, Irish broadcast, AV and video conferencing experts, Eurotek have taken delivery of BlackTrax real-time motion tracking system. The purchase meets the exponential requirement for clients within the broadcast technology, Audio Visual, VFX and communications industry requiring real-time motion tracking throughout Ireland. “Eurotek has made a commitment to focus on growth, and new projects in our home country are central to this expansion. The projects we work on are getting much more complex, and systems like BlackTrax will enable us to deliver impactful and compelling presentations to clients,” said Noel McMahon, technical sales & business development at Eurotek. “The BlackTrax system is already used by our sister company AVtek for live event projects, so we’ve invested in a further system. “
Japan - AV Stumpfl, the Austrian AV technology manufacturer, recently announced the Japanese company Mix Wave, Inc. as their exclusive media server and show control distributor for Japan. Mix Wave is well known for professional AV product distribution and related services in Japan. AV Stumpfl’s global business development manager Horst Damoser commented on the announcement, which was made public for the first time at this year’s ISE exhibition in Amsterdam: “Japan is without doubt a country with very discerning AV technology customers, for whom superior product quality is of great importance. We have a very successful and constructive relationship with our projection screen customers in Japan and are looking forward to growing the media server and show control side of things with the help of Mix Wave. Their great reputation and their experience with media server relate
Canada / Philippines - Stage Craft International has cemented its status as one of the top production technology distribution firms in the Philippines with the recent addition of Adamson Systems Engineering to its line card. Based in Mandaluyong City, Stage Craft represents some of the world’s top audio brands throughout the Philippines and built their reputation on the philosophy of delivering only premium, high-performance products for their customers. Marc Paraiso, the company’s head of sales and marketing, says that philosophy is what drove the decision to adopt the Adamson brand. “While there is a plethora of loudspeaker manufacturers out there, with most of them represented in the Philippines, we feel Adamson has a big advantage in terms of technological advancement, making it a cut above the rest,” Paraiso comments. “We love the idea of Adamson c
Switzerland - As part of its commitment to its professional customer base, DPA Microphones has appointed two new distributors in Switzerland with immediate effect. Z-Audio and MusicNetwork AG are now responsible for the company's entire range of high quality microphones, which includes products aimed at the recording and pro audio markets, live sound, installation and broadcast. Established 25 years ago, and with office and warehouse facilities in Russikon and Pully, Z-Audio handles distribution for a wide range of professional audio and lighting brands. The company offers free project consulting and technical support, and has an extensive network of installation partners and resellers. "We are very excited to be representing such a great microphone brand - one that is already well known and respected in Switzerland," says Remo Zollinger, managing director of Z-Audio
UK / USA - Christie Lites is ‘crossing the pond’ with the opening of Christie Lites Coventry in the UK. This new office is Christie’s first expansion outside of North America. The North American lighting and rigging rental company is bringing its successful business model from its network of 12 office warehouse locations across the US and Canada to further serve client demand into the UK and Europe - and vice versa. Christie Lites CEO Huntly Christie says: “We have always expanded to places where we can best support our long-standing client partners. We’ve had inquiries for years about expansion overseas from various genres of clientele, including touring, theatre, auto and trade shows, corporate - the full gamut of our business. The time is finally right, with a great alignment of eager new staff, solid equipment support and motivated customers. Our first overseas
UK - Tamworth-based AV specialists TechPro Events recently invested in beyerdynamic's TG 1000 24-bit digital wireless microphone system. Having consulted with POLAR, TechPro purchased the system to address growing demand for its event support services. TechPro operates inside and outside the UK, with more than half its event support services being delivered in mainland Europe. Rob Stokes, director at TechPro reports: "The TG1000 exactly meets our needs. The frequency range is very important given that a large proportion of our work is carried out across Europe and being able to cascade six dual receivers allows us to operate 12 channels of wireless microphones without the need for additional splitters. This is perfect for the scale of events we regularly support. “The TG1000 system was our first order with POLAR and the support from Dave Ball was fantastic. Having g
Sweden - Danmon Group Sweden has been appointed distributor for Optocore and BroaMan fibre solutions, having been representing the brands in Denmark for a number of years. With business units across Scandinavia, and more than 25 years of experience behind them, Danmon Group has evolved to become one of the leading suppliers to professional users of equipment for broadcast, television, film and commercial productions, originally in its native Denmark. Back in 2001, Danmon Sweden managing director, Marcus Lundahl, started to build the Group’s audio division, Soundware, after which they began representing Optocore. While Soundware will continue to service the professional audio and video industry generally, Danmon will focus on addressing the broadcast video sectors with the German manufacturer’s scalable fibre interfaces, seeing huge potential in these segment
Mexico - Martin Audio has appointed Pro Active Latin America as the company’s sales representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. Based in Mexico City and guided by owner/director Berenice Gutierrez, Pro Active LATAM has already represents Allen & Heath, Ashly Audio and UDG in addition to Martin Audio. With 20 years of experience and success in live sound, commercial installation and music products, Berenice has developed a well-earned reputation for her knowledge and insights about building brands and sales in Latin America. Asked about the appointment, she said: “Of course, I’ve known about Martin Audio for many years because it’s a well-known brand with a reputation for quality and excellence. It’s an honour for me and our team to work with an important company that has such huge potential in Latin America, both for the live sound and integration marke
USA / Germany - LMP Lichttechnik Vertriebs GmbH, a pioneer in the distribution of moving lights in Europe for over 30 years, will begin to distribute Elation Professional products in Germany effective 15 March. With LMP as its distribution partner, Elation opens a wider market for its products while moving closer to its German customers and guaranteeing swifter, higher-quality service, the company says. In LMP, Elation has chosen a company that has been well-respected and highly successful in the market for over 37 years. Beyond moving lights, LMP is also well positioned in the field of static LEDs. The company is also known for its systematic brand development and has had success over the years in the positioning of young brands, including its own. Elation says: “Major German companies such as satis&fy and Amptown System Company (ASC) have been relying
UK - inspHire has introduced its new global website. Cementing inspHire’s position as a leading promoter of hire software globally, with offices in UK, USA, Netherlands and Australia, the user-friendly site provides a hub of information about the hire management software provider; from innovative products and customer case studies to company news and values. The new website features customer case studies, as well as inspHire’s latest software updates and product developments. Over 2200 hire companies are already utilising inspHire software, the company says.
Germany - JoeCo has announced Starpoint Distribution as its new exclusive sales representative in Germany and Austria. The agreement, expected to significantly raise the company’s profile in both territories, will have its first public outing at the forthcoming Prolight+Sound exhibition in Frankfurt, when JoeCo will take pride of place on the Starpoint booth (located in Hall 3.1, booth H82). Headquartered in Hamburg with more than 20 years’ experience of bringing premium brands into Europe’s German speaking markets, Starpoint is one of the largest distribution specialists in Germany. Widely considered a leader in its field, the company spans a wide variety of markets, from AV installs to broadcast and live sound. Also included in its portfolio of brands are Midas and Klark Teknik. JoeCo is the award-winning British manufacturer behind the renowned BLACKBOX range
South Korea / USA - Samsung Electronics has announced the completion of acquisition of Harman International Industries Inc. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Harman stockholders will receive $112.00 per share in cash. The completion follows the satisfaction of all conditions to the closing of the transaction, including approval of the transaction by Harman stockholders and receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions, the company says. (LSiOnline)
Turkey - Audio-Technica has confirmed the appointment of Ertekin Elektronik as its new distributor for professional audio products in Turkey. Established in 1967, the company is based in Istanbul and has operated as a distributor for international brands in the pro-audio, lighting, hi-fi and consumer electronics industries since 1990. Ertekin Electronik currently distributes more than 50 brands including Yamaha, Panasonic, Celestion and Denon in the territory. Yurder Ertekin, sales and marketing manager for Ertekin Elecktronik said, “We are proud to have signed a distribution agreement with Audio-Technica to bring its high quality, technically innovative products to our domestic market. We look forward to developing a strong co-operative relationship with the brand and strengthening Audio-Technica’s profile in Turkey.” Matthias Exner, Audio-Technica directo
South Africa - DWR Distribution has been appointed Littlite agents. Littlite was represented in South Africa for many years by Tadco’s Simon Oates, who recently made the decision to pass the brand on to DWR. A large stock order is coming soon, and DWR is running a competition where three people will have opportunity to win the Littlite Anser Lampset 18 “Goosneck and Dimmer integrated into chassis. Littlite products are made in Michigan, America, and the range of task lamps are not only suitable for sound and lighting consoles, but can be used as map lights, desk lights, lectern lights, microscope lights, inspection lights and reading lights. “We initially wanted to order Littlite task lights from Tadco for our DiGiCo console users,” explained Duncan Riley of DWR. “In true Simon Oates fashion, he opted to rather make a phone call to Littlite and ask if the b
