Robe - LEADERBOARD - Feb 2025
Doughty - Banner - from 6 June 2025

Rigging / Staging

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Although only launched late last year, InMotion the 3D motion control software from Cyberhoist/XLNT has a new addition in the form of RC-1; as the name implies, it's a hand-held remote controller that enables direct control of a Cyberhoist system - especially useful at load-in/out by obviating the need for computer control connection. Also on show, the Cyberhoist 250 is a variable speed hoist (zero to 40m/min) with a 250kg capacity, plus the one-ton Cyberhoist 1000, again vary-speed up to a more modest 10m/min.

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Some nice, simple, low-tech electric travel trolleys were shown by lifting specialists, Lift Turn Move (LTM). These are currently in use on the Robbie Williams tour and soon to be seen on George Michael. This company has a knowledge base that sidesteps the expensive process of developing machinery from scratch - rather they find, or assemble, solutions from existing industrial suppliers. Invaluable.
PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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Connect is a service support software package from Stage Technologies, tailored to analyse critical data from any of the myriad installations made by this innovative theatrical motion control specialist. Essentially,a London-based secure server network is linked over the web directly to installation control systems, e.g. Nomad. Data, cue updates, button pushes, every operation of the system is recorded within minutes of it happening. Thus when faults occur, the 24/7 coverage provided at the London office means a technical examination of the distant installation can be analysed immediately.

Complex show systems, even those onboard cruise ships, can be supported, the much larger preliminary data can be stored directly onto the server by the Stage Technologies personnel who physically install the system. Thereafter, update data, being relatively much smaller, can be transmitted via

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Baltic Stages were exhibiting their Stage Deck range. Designed for the professional market, Stage Deck is also suitable for schools, churches etc. The Stage Deck PRO range is designed for frequent use, and featuresanti-skid facing. Load capacity is 750kg/sq.m.

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Weifa Trussing from China illustrated their latest E Series trussing, designed for all sizes of exhibitions, shows and performance applications, plus their own tower systems and a selection of flightcases.

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Wango's were busy changing the face of staging. As UK distributor for American manufacturer Staging Concepts, Wango's can offer a range of staging that requires only one tool to put together. With no working under decks, risk of injury has been reduced; the system is quick to assemble and Wango's say they have saved on truck size. Their primary focus is sales, but Wango's do have some hire stock too.

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A powered line shaft winch (known as the RSSEM) from Dutch manufacturer Roden Staal is such an obvious idea, it's amazing no-one has thought of it sooner. With the growing pressure of Health and Safety legislation forcing many theatres to contemplate the cost of replacing their counterweight flying systems with motorised bars, the RSSEM offers a logical and more economical alternative. Based upon the premise that most shows require maybe 10 to 12 fly-bars, why not mount self-contained motorised fly-bars on beam trolleys that enable them to be flexibly repositioned up or down stage by tracking along a wall-mounted 'I' beam each side of stage?

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LiteStructures premiered Digitruss, a cable-free, modular truss system that incorporates live power circuits and data tails within a single structure. The data rail can carry both DMX and the architectural protocol DALI, so both conventional and intelligent lighting can be directly attached to the truss without the need for extension cables.

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Despite Total Solutions Group concentrating on stage sets for the production industry (George Michael was in rehearsal as PLASA took place), the company continues to sell from its traditional trussing and roofing range. A big 30m by 30m ground support system of Slick Super Beam has just departed for Israel, and another of identical dimension to Dubai, while similar-sized TFL roofs are on their way to the Esplanade in Singapore, and to Indian rental company Reynolds, based in Bangalore.

Also on the stand, and indeed sharing space with TSG at their base in Birmingham, was Specialz, the solution provider for the set build sector that requires innovation and 'new thinking' when it comes to interfacing electronics and scenic elements. Recent output has seen Specialz work appear on tour with Franz Ferdinand (animated full-size female manikin dancers) the Pet Shop Boys (an exten

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Canada-based stage engineering manufacturer Gala Systems exhibited its understage lift systems and overstage prop handling machinery. The company reports that over 500 locations around the world now use its Spiralift tubular thrust screw lifts and motorised rigging systems.

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Columbus McKinnon and the Lodestar motor needs no introduction to the industry. Their presence at the show illustrated the massive range of Lodestars available for all types of lifting, moving and rigging applications. Their stand had a choice location near to the Bandit Bar and was also close to many of the company's distributors.

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Available in the EU only, the SM25 from Verlinde/ Stagemaker is an electric hoist with double brake and a 10:1 safety factor. Its powerless secondary brake, a simple drop ratchet lock, makes this unit fully BGV D8+ compliant. Also new is the SM2, a hoist contained within the same sized tiny body of the SM1 but which will drive 250kg at 4m per min.

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The TX series trussing system from Litec now has a re-engineered end plate made from special alloy that increases overall payload by 30%. The new end plate fits to the old one, but obviously the lower load rating applies; and the plate is now available on both standard and heavy duty ranges.

Not new, but an addition to the Libera roofing system is AlusFera - basically a series of parts that enables Libera's standard trussing type components to be used to create curved roof structures, complete with Luff groove fittings for taut and secure fabric fitting. A specially engineered central boss to make quarter hemispherical structures - so popular with the outdoor summer orchestral event scene - is also available.

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Kinesys showed several new innovations this year including the Elevation Beam Trolley system - complementing the Elevation Chain Hoist system. Based around a standard 'off the shelf' motorised trolley, a simple electrical modification allows it to be plugged into the Kinesys Elevation 1+ controller, providing variable speed control and positioning. The controller can be used for trolleys and a range of hoists, making it one of the most flexible systems available. Two new communications distribution products were also on show - the Array IP, an 8-port 10/100 Ethernet switch, and the Array 485.

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The theme for Czech Republic-based trussing manufacturer Milos was 'scale' - large format, high capacity etc. Their M950 is a quick truss system designed for speed, ease of use and strength, and capable of a 40m clear span for concerts and events. New tower products from Milos this year included the large-scale MT3 tower and the MRT2 PA tower.

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Spain - The 07 Model Year Range Rover was launched recently with help from StageOne, who created a beautifully finished environment in a reception room of the La Florida GrandHotel, Barcelona for a series of launch presentations to motoring journalists fromEurope, Australia and Asia.

Working for communications agency, Cricket, to a high-class design from James Grey Design, the team at Stage One transformed the room. The work included trimming and cladding existing bookshelves and producing a number of graphic panels, which were then inserted amongst them. Several false walls were built, one to house two 50 inch plasma screens and one to create aproduction control room, both of which required trim detail, skirting etc. Finally a cable trough was built to run between the two new walls, which was designed to blend in with the existing hotel walls.

Ted Featonby, Stage One project

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UK - This year's Security Excellence Awards attracted over 700 of the security industry's key figureheads to the Park Lane Hilton, London.

Following speeches by John Saunders (retiring chief executive of the SIA) and Vernon Coaker (the Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for security, policing and community safety at the Home Office), Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine hosted the ceremony, where 14 awards given out to the key achievers over the previous year.

Showsec managing director Mark Harding collected the Event Security Team of the Year award, as the company was recognised for it's achievements in the event sector over the previous year. Harding says: "I'm delighted that the criteria was for the 'best team', and am proud to accept this award for every member of the Showsec team who have contributed to a great year. We are committed to the ongoing improvement of standar

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USA - Wybron announced the North American debut of its award-winning InfoTrace Control and Management System at LDI 2006 this week. InfoTrace (IT) is a new lighting design system that uses Remote Device Management (RDM) to control and manage DMX-controlled lighting devices.

"InfoTrace is a ground breaking lighting design system that garnered an extremely successful launch in Europe where we won the PLASA Award for Innovation during the PLASA 2006 show in London," said Larry Turner, CEO of Wybron. "We expect a similar reaction to the InfoTrace System at LDI and look forward to demonstrating the system for everyone attending the show."

The complete system consists of a number of main components. At the heart of the InfoTrace Control and Management System is InfoGate, specialised software and hardware.

InfoTrace features an InfoChip, which allows DMX devices

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UK - Flux Events staged and production managed the recent Secret Policeman's Ball at the Royal Albert Hall for Amnesty International, working in close collaboration with TV producers, Tiger Aspect.

The charity event featured Eddie Izzard, Russell Brand, Chevy Chase, Seth Green, Dylan Moran, The Mighty Boosh, Graham Norton, John Culshaw, Al Murray, Andrew Maxwell, plus live music from Natalie Imbruglia, The Magic Numbers and The Zutons.

"The design brief was to produce a simple and memorable set that effectively communicated the Amnesty message" says event producer John Farquhar- Smith. Two large LED screens flanked the organ; a satellite stage in the shape of amnesty's logo and large projection screen was added at gallery level for those sitting behind the satellite stage to see the faces of those performing on it.

The satellite stage at the centre of the au

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UK - Lift Turn Move (LTM) staged its first full course at base CM Lodestar Motor School this month, which was attended by 16 people representing many sectors of the industry. The course was presented by Dave Ward and John Jones.

Jones says, "There's a stronger demand than ever for Motor Schools from our clients, who want their staff and regular crews to be fully clued up on all the maintenance issues. We'd wanted to run Motor Schools for some time, but we had to wait until the current series of building modifications and expansion was completed before we had the space."

Numbers were deliberately limited to 16 places. Jones explained that their past experiences proved that this was the ideal number to allow a one or two person presentation team to give everyone sufficient individual attention. It was also a 'friendly' number that worked well in LTM's new training room

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UK - For the fourth year running, Summit Steel has been involved in rigging London's high profile and popular Frieze Arts Fair, staged in Regents Park, and featuring over 160 galleries of contemporary art.

Working for organisers Frieze Events, the Summit team of up to eight riggers led by Jay Call suspended over seven kilometres of steel wire rope in the ceilings of the four main tented venues. This consisted of catenary wires at two different heights, a lower one to accommodate the false ceiling and a higher one for suspending heating and air conditioning ducts and other elements of plant.

They did the same in six additional subsidiary tents - all supplied by Owen Brown. The work was completed over a two week period, with Summit going in after the construction of each of the tents was completed. The largest tent measured 200 metres long by 40 wide. Summit also installed truss

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UK - Following the popularity and professionalism of the last two annual shows, Stage Electrics once again worked with the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) to present the Stage Electrics Tradeshow in Cardiff in mid October 2006.

The company reports that 2006 again saw an increase in numbers attending the show, with visitors travelling from all parts of Wales and the surrounding English counties.

This year, the RWCMD Bute Theatre had a new look, with the central section occupied by Stage Electrics with four 50" plasma screens showcasing the company's product range. On the theatre seating block, which previously has been hidden behind drapes, a high level café area was constructed. Manufacturers occupied the stand positions around the end of the theatre space ensuring that they all had the maximum opportunity to interact with visitors.

Leading industr

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UK -Though it is still over ten months away, PLASA07 has got off to an amazing start with applications for space beating all previous records. To date, just six weeks after the 2006 event closed on a massive high, over 60% of the show space has been applied for and further applications for space are coming in daily.

On the back of the success of PLASA06, many companies have increased their stand size and several have literally doubled their space, setting PLASA07 on course to be the major event of next year.

Further new developments for PLASA07 will also bolster its appeal: the full management of the show has been taken on by PLASA - who recently launched an Events Division to support this move - making it one of the few shows actually owned and run by the industry.

Along with the change of management comes a change of look as the show is moving onto one level and expanding

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UK - Summit Steel, working for production company DWP (Dobson White Partnership), rigged a large moving set in the Arena at the NEC, Birmingham, for the annual Awards and motivational event for beauty, cosmetics and jewellery empire, Virgin Vie. This was attended by 3500 independent Virgin Vie consultants.

The set - constructed by Total Fabrications - featured a large elegant and distinctive flown circular truss as its centrepiece. Summit utilised 21 ways of their Kinesys K2 variable speed automation system to fly and move the structure.

The circular truss itself was rigged on eight double-braked variable speed LL Lodestar motors and was moved in and out at strategic points during the presentation by the K2 system, piloted by one of its designers, Dave Weatherhead of Kinesys, assisted by Summit's Jay Call.

The advantages of using a K2 system for this type of show is its abil

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