business news

Lighthouse Technologies Announces Expansion Plans

Following a year of strong growth, leading LED display developer, manufacturer and supplier Lighthouse Technologies Limited continues to forge new ground with several major global wins in the first quarter of 2010 and has announced major expansion plans.

Lighthouse scored two huge sports contacts in early 2010, starting with the historic Rose Bowl, home of one of the United States' biggest college football championships. This year's matchup between the two top-rated undefeated teams, the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Texas Long Horns, was brought to life with a gigantic 10.16m (w) x 8.38 (h) R7-ER LED screen, which displayed game-speed, slow-motion and stop-action replay with stunning lifelike clarity.

A month later Lighthouse screens were in the spotlight again at the American Airlines Center, where Lighthouse installed the first ever true 1080p LED display to appear in an NBA or NHL facility. Along with 25 other Lighthouse screens, the 1920x1080 display added drama and excitement to the NBA's annual Slam Dunk Contest, delivering instant replays, real-time stats and scores, and dynamic advertising in lustrous colour and rich detail.

Lighthouse has also seen big gains in Europe and the Asia-Pacific. In January, installation was completed on a new Lighthouse screen at Ippodromo San Rossore, one of Italy's most progressive horse racing venues, while in the UK Lighthouse has installed screens at several new London locations for Ocean Outdoor. In Asia, Lighthouse added screens to iSquare, one of Hong Kong's most luxurious shopping and entertainment destinations, and will supply screens to a Tseung Kwan O property estate in Hong Kong, Sagar Catering in India, and is rapidly expanding into Korea as well. Lighthouse is also participating in several upcoming global events, including the World Cup 2010 in South Africa, Shanghai World Expo 2010, and the Asian Games.

As a result of its consistent growth and success during the past months, Lighthouse has announced plans for a massive expansion of its factory base to ensure it can continue to meet rapidly growing demand.

"By pursuing an aggressive growth strategy, we have managed to grow rapidly yet stably," said Peter Chan, general manager of Lighthouse. "This growth has enabled us to initiate plans for dramatic expansion in our supply capacity, so we're confident that we'll be able to go on providing world-class products, service and expertise as demand continues to rise. And, with the outstanding customer and partner relationships and trust we've built over more than a decade, we are extremely optimistic about the road ahead."

SIA Acoustics Establishes Local Office in India

SIA Acoustics, a leading acoustical design and facility planning firm with offices in New York City and Hollywood, CA, is opening an office in Mumbai, India. Operating locally and offering the advantage of shared resources from three offices, SIA Acoustics now also serves Indian customers in all aspects of acoustics, technical systems, and facility design.

"Supporting the growing number of sound critical facilities being built here in India truly requires meeting with people face to face," says SIA Acoustics partner Steve Sockey. "And this means it is essential to have local staff who understand both acoustics and the specific way that work is done in India."

Collaborating with architects, developers, facility owners and operators, SIA Acoustics works closely with the project team at the local level to properly address sound critical concerns of both new and existing facilities. SIA Acoustics is widely credited with a wide range of successful projects including production and broadcast studios, recording and multimedia facilities, musical performance venues, theatres, clubs and hospitality and conference facilities. SIA Acoustics demonstrates its commitment to a projects success by building deep long lasting relationships.

In announcing the openings, founding partner Sam Berkow said: "We are thrilled to be opening an office in India. Having traveled here many times through the years, it is a place we enjoy greatly. We are excited to be a part of the current development of important facilities and venues that India is building helping establish it as a leader on the worldwide stage."

ADB Lighting Announces New Malaysia and Brunei Distribution

ADB Lighting has announced the appointment of Acoustic and Lighting System, which has offices in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, as its new distributor for Malaysia and Brunei.

The company, which is headed by CEO Yeo Kim San, executive director Tai Quek Kee, senior general manager Allen Chan and Eugene Yeo, assistant business development manager, is one of the region's leading suppliers of audio visual, lighting and staging equipment, representing over 30 international brands.

Among its key installations are the City Hall Theatre, Kuala Lumpur, the Johore Convention Centre, and the Convention Centres in Kebudayaan, Kuching, Seremban and Sabah.

Eugene Yeo comments: "The appointment of Acoustic and Lighting System by ADB is very good fit for the brand, as it brings together ADB's strong track record in Asia, with references such as the Malaysian National Theatre and the National Theatre in Beijing, with our position as market leader in stage and TV studio entertainment lighting. Malaysia is a big emerging market with a population of over 80m people, and we are very confident that we can develop the ADB brand in theatre, television studio, university and convention centre markets in our territories."

Acoustic and Lighting System is also the top lighting system integrator company in Malaysia for studio, theatre, entertainment and stage.

www.adblighting.com

J&C Joel Win UK Exporter of the Year Award

J&C Joel had good reason to celebrate Chinese New Year last month as they won the prestigious 48 Group Club (The Ice Breakers) UK Exporter of the Year award at the annual Chinese New Year Dinner and Chinese Business Awards. The event at London's Dorchester Hotel incorporates a series of awards for businesses that have made outstanding contributions to developing and maintaining Sino-UK business relations, bilateral trade and cultural links.

Keynote speakers included Lord Mandelson, secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat shadow chancellor and leading business CEOs.

The 48 Group Club was formed in the early 1950's when the founders were the first westerners to break the international trade embargo on China (The Icebreakers). The original 48 companies involved went on to establish mutually beneficial trade relations with the newly formed People's Republic of China. Today the club has over 500 British and Chinese members, mostly senior executives from corporate organisations as well as high-level politicians, diplomats and academics.

J&C Joel Limited is renowned as one of the world's leading theatrical drape manufacturers, and one of the few remaining manufacturers in Yorkshire to proudly promote quality British workmanship and craft overseas. The region has always been integral to J&C Joel's worldwide distribution of theatrical products .The company's long relationship with China started some 20 years ago and has recently been reinforced by the opening of an office in Hong Kong.

CEO James Wheelwright and managing director Andrew Walsh attended and accepted the award.

"We are very honoured to receive this award and understand just how important this is for the continuing growth of J&C Joel not only in China but the rest of the world. It is great recognition for the entire team at J&C Joel and also enforces our commitment to the region," says James.

"We were so proud to be nominated and to win was just wonderful. We see it as a major achievement to be exporting to China when most UK companies import from the region," added Andrew.

The company now supplies its drapes and fabrics to numerous illustrious theatres in China including The Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai Oriental Arts Centre, National Ballet of China and the new landmark dome in Beijing the National Centre for the Performing Arts (pictured).

In the last 12 months J&C Joel's profile has grown even further with projects for the newly completed CCTV Studios in Beijing which is the largest TV station facility in China and Beijing TV (pictured).

As J&C Joel move into the Year of the Tiger, they do so with the confidence that their products are world class and that their commitment and service to China has been recognised by this award.

"This award allows us to build relationships with the Chinese people based on the knowledge that they can purchase from us and know that they will be receiving the best the world has to offer." concluded James.

In picture: James Wheelwright and Andrew Walsh with the award.

www.jcjoel.com

Lectrosonics Lands Back in the UK

MTA Audio Ltd is the UK's newest start-up business specialising in the sales and distribution of RF audio for broadcast, film and live work. Focusing initially on Lectrosonics products, founder members Rob Piddington and Paul Hodsman will be concentrating on reintroducing this top global brand back into the UK marketplace. The company will also provide the high levels of professional technology support demanded by today's audio professionals.

Piddington is well known within the pro-audio community having held long-term senior sales and marketing positions at companies such as Sennheiser and Harman. His in-depth knowledge and years of experience means he is ideally positioned to meet these demands. Piddington says: "Lectrosonics have long been recognised as a global leader in wireless systems and now that Ofcom have allocated Channel 38 for PMSE users in the UK, it means 2010 presents an exciting opportunity for Lectrosonics' comprehensive product line."

Hodsman, who formerly ran his own advertising and marketing agency in the City, is also delighted to be involved with the company. "We are the first significant post-recessionary dealership to come into the UK market," claimed Hodsman. "And we will provide a service that is a mix of proven products and high-end consultancy advice combined with a lower cost base. We are also currently in talks with other equipment manufacturers and expect to make further announcements shortly."

Lectrosonics has been first to market with many innovations, and is known in several industries as the undisputed leader in wireless audio technology. By the mid-1990s, nearly every major motion picture, most US television productions and news broadcasts relied on Lectrosonics wireless systems. At the 2004 Academy Awards, the top five picture nominees and the top two winners, including Lord of the Rings, used Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems for film production. More recently, the Academy Award-winning 2006 film Dreamgirls also benefited from Lectrosonics wireless technology when it won an Oscar for Sound Mixing.
At the same time, Lectrosonics continued creating innovative products for theatres, corporate boardrooms and multimedia production.

Gordon Moore, Vice President of Sales for Lectrosonics, says: "When Lectrosonics pulled out of the European market a few years ago due to the RoHS regulations, there was an outcry from users and dealers alike. The plan for re-entry took some time to formulate and consisted of implementing lead-free manufacturing. In addition, we knew that we wanted to take a different and better approach to marketing and sales, and we are now pleased to welcome MTA Audio to the team."

Lectrosonics now remains at the cutting edge of audio system development, with heavy investments in engineering research and high-tech manufacturing capability. Many unique technologies are incorporated into the various product lines to enhance the ease of use and quality of sound for the user.

MTA's Australian based director Murray Tregonning, CEO of Australia's eponymous leading sales and hire company, said: "One of MTA Audio's fundamental strengths is its flexibility to address the diverse demands of a vibrant pro-audio community. I have been working with Rob and Paul for several years now, supplying comms to many sporting fixtures throughout the UK. We have several offices throughout Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada, and I am really excited by this new opportunity that I believe will be a significant milestone in our UK development."

In picture: Setting up shop at MTA Audio are Paul Hodsman, Rob Piddington and Murray Tregonning.

Robe Restructures For the Future

Czech Republic based moving light manufacturer Robe lighting has announced a series of new appointments in a planned management restructuring exercise designed to position the company for a new decade of growth and expansion.

Robe lighting has a new operations director and sales director, while LED manufacturer and sister company Anolis gets a new sales director.

"This will help take Robe and Anolis to new levels of quality and excellence, and continue the trends of innovation and service that has made both companies so successful," states Robe lighting owner/founder and CEO Josef Valchar.

Harry von den Stemmen takes the position of sales director at Robe lighting. Von den Stemmen has been an integral part of the Robe management team for the last seven years as International Sales Manager, and has been instrumental in developing the worldwide distributor network which now spans 120 countries.

John Saunders becomes sales director of Anolis. Saunders has been business development manager for Anolis since its launch in 2005. With the massive increase in demand for environmentally conscious and sustainable products, Anolis has always been at the forefront of the LED revolution.

As dedicated sales directors for each company, von den Stemmen and Saunders bring their energy, experience and enthusiasm for their respective industries to the top of the management structure. They will focus directly on moving the two companies forward globally, continuing to 'push the envelope' of innovation and retaining their positions as market leaders.

Adrien Trecek joins the Robe management team as operations director. He will be based at Robe's HQ in Roznov p.R., and be involved in overseeing the efficient and smooth running of all Robe's day-to-day operations including logistics, the production process and the factory. Prior to the appointment, Trecek has been working for Robe as a consultant for two years and brings fresh ideas and insight.

This will enable Robe and Anolis founders and owners Josef Valchar and Ladislav Petrek to concentrate on major objectives including future strategic planning and product development, creative engineering and R&D, plus key initiatives like consolidating the Robe and Anolis patent portfolios. They will also continue the lively programme of research into future technologies - seen as a central inspiration to the future of both companies.

The restructuring follows the recent physical expansion of Robe during the latter half of 2009. This included a 3.5 million Euro investment in constructing a completely new Logistics Centre and doubling the warehouse space to nearly 4000 square metres, together with the creation of a purpose-built Plastics Moulding Centre equipped with all necessary state-of-the-art machinery. Robe also acquired PCB production company Dioflex, previously a long term electronic parts supplier.

In picture: The Robe management line up: Adrien Trecek (operations director), Josef Valchar (owner-founder/CEO). Harry von den Stemmen (sales director) and Ladislav Petrek (owner/founder)

www.robe.cz

TC Group Announces Creation of TC Group International

The TC Group has announced a restructuring that has resulted in the formation of a new organization known as TC Group International which will operate out of Aarhus in Denmark and Coatbridge, Scotland. The new organisation, which comes into being today, February 1st, will offer a new and revitalised sales and support structure based on vertical markets across all TCGI-owned brands, namely Tannoy, TC Electronic, TC Helicon, Lab.gruppen and Lake, as well as the distributed brands Dynaudio Acoustics and Blue Microphones.

All sales activity that was previously handled at individual brand level, such as order processing, and account management will now be centralized and handled at group level out of the offices in Aarhus and Coatbridge. In addition to this, all sales force and sales support activity will be organized by market segment, of which there are five in total - Installed Sound; Touring; Residential; MI; and HD (High Definition - covering broadcast, recording and post production facilities). The business model has already been adopted with great success in North America following the creation of TC Group Americas in 2009.

According to TC Group's CEO Anders Fauerskov, the resulting benefit of implementing this strategy in America has been the inspiration for change for the rest of the world. "Clearly, our main aim in initiating such a change is to increase sales and profitability through an increase in service level to our customers, and we wouldn't have done it without clear and irrefutable proof that the strategy works," he commented. "I would also like to welcome Peter Bager as the CEO of TC Group International. Peter has an excellent track record with TC stretching over the past 9 years, and I am convinced that TC Group International will be highly successful under his leadership".

"This structure has been hugely beneficial for us and our partners in the US." concurred Bager. "We aim to offer the same fruits of success to all of our brands in all other territories, and of course to our valued sales partners who represent them. We believe that by acting as one team that forms a cohesive unit, we will be better able to maximise our performance than as disparate sales operations."

"There will be a number of clear benefits to our customers emerging from this initiative," he continued. "The fact of addressing vertical markets with all brands within the group will enable greater opportunities for offering turnkey solutions, and make us better able to address the specific needs of the markets we are in, as well as the specific needs of each customer. I am extremely excited about the prospects for the future that will be opened up by this new structure."

MA in Style at Merchandise Shop

MA Lighting has launched its brand new MA Merchandise Shop which is now online. The shop offers a range of MA Lighting merchandise items, such as caps, polo shirts, jackets and a selection of professional workwear etc. - all branded with the famous MA logo. All articles are made to the highest quality standards and offer all the comfort and durability you would expect.

www.ma-merchandising.com

Bandit Lites Goes Green

Effective immediately, Bandit Lites is going Green! Bandit is practicing all of the known environmentally friendly actions that are possible in its offices around the world. A large amount of what was once printed material is now alive in only an electronic version. Task lighting in all of the facilities is being converted to energy efficient sources and all waste is being sorted for recycling.

Bandit is further educating staff on Green thinking and urging all team members, all vendors and all clients to consider the environment first in all decisions. A bold new look is on the Bandit website reaffirming the commitment to eco-friendly actions. The greening of Bandit is a process and not a single action. Bandit will work toward every possible action that is environmentally friendly and saves energy.

The staff at Bandit has quietly spent the last year working with GRNLite to develop a full range of rugged, bright and affordable LED fixtures that are truly the next generation of LED products. Bandit is proud to announce a full range of luminaries such that it is possible to have a high quality event illuminated entirely by energy efficient LED fixtures. All of this can also be done at a cost in line with today's current lighting products. No heat on stage, 90% less electricity used, 85% less cable used, no generator needed, less crew, less truck space and hence less fuel and emissions are but a few of the advantages an all LED solution offers to the client and the Earth!

Bandit's stated goal is to be 80% LED by December 2011. "The technology is with us and Bandit is committed to being a global leader in this effort!" says a company statement.

DiGiCo Announces Strategic Alliance with Waves Audio

Waves Audio, a leading provider of digital signal processing software and hardware solutions, and DiGiCo, the UK-based manufacturer of some of the world's most popular, successful and groundbreaking digital mixing consoles, have announced a technology agreement which sees the development of breakthrough products for the live sound industry.

The joint announcement was made at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, by Mick Olesh, Waves Executive VP, sales and marketing, DiGiCo managing director James Gordon and DiGiCo marketing director David Webster. Waves and DiGiCo have agreed to work together to integrate Waves new SoundGrid technology into DiGiCo's single FPGA Stealth Digital Processing products for the live sound industry. Further details about this strategic alliance are to be unveiled during 2010.

Commenting on the agreement, Olesh stated: "DiGiCo has always been at the forefront of digital mixing technology. Its consoles have been acknowledged as an industry leader, and everyone at Waves is extremely excited to be able to work with its R&D team. We look forward to a close working relationship."

"The arrival of Waves SoundGrid is a big step in the plug in world. Its impressive lack of latency and access to existing plug ins made it the only choice for DiGiCo," added Gordon. "When you think of plug ins, you think of Waves. In the future, we hope that DiGiCo control will be the next name that comes to mind."

In picture: James Gordon, Mick Olesh and David Webster.

www.digico.org

New Look for Stage Technologies Online

Stage Technologies recently launched their all-new, content-rich website for the start of 2010. The site has a sleek look-and-feel that reflects both the trademark technology behind their core design and automation business and the vibrant energy of the entertainment world.

Stagetech.com builds on the wide Products information that was previously available to users, adding more technical information and easily downloadable product images. A cross section of detailed project case studies can also be found in the Projects area of the site, which illustrates the main market sectors of the company's expertise in stage engineering, power flying and performer flying. The brand new Showreel and Articles areas allow users to browse videos and published articles of interest.

John Hastie, Operations Director commented: ‘The site is aimed to reflect what theatre automation should be all about - it's easy-to-use, visually exciting, dynamic and we wonder how we ever managed with the old, static site!'

Stagetech.com was developed using feedback from Stage Technologies staff, clients and existing site users and continued input is encouraged. The content has been carefully geared to be relevant whatever the user's background; whether an automation amateur, artistic director or consultant, a professional automation operator or a seasoned technical director, the site has plenty to offer. This follows on from the principle of Automation in the Entertainment Industry, a book published in June 2009 by Mark Ager and John Hastie, two Stage Technologies directors, which is aimed at broadening knowledge in the field of entertainment automation. The principle of the site is to remain fresh and functional and updates are made every day, with additional new pages and features planned over the next year.

Anyone can register to view and download literature in one easy-to-access area. Simply go to the log-in page and fill in a registration form to gain instant access to the Resources pages. The site also complements the support department's services with a dedicated, user-customised area for clients with maintenance contracts. Registered News & Press users can also request additional access to the press gallery, where they can download press releases and images for use in publications.

You can also follow Stage Technologies on Twitter (stagetechworld) and keep an eye on YouTube (StagetechGroup) for new postings. Happy browsing!

www.stagetech.com

Electro-Voice Launches All-New Website

Electro-Voice is launching an all-new website to coincide with its first major trade show appearance of the year at Winter NAMM 2010. The new online destination for all things EV has a host of new features and a strong emphasis on social networking and dynamic content.

"We set out to create the pro audio industry's best website," says EV web developer Zack Kahn, "rebuilding the site from the ground up to provide an easier-to-navigate, more personalized online experience for our customers around the world."

"Not only does the site have a completely new look, it's also radically different in terms of navigation," Kahn adds. "A new product filtering system allows more intuitive and precise product and content searches - it's extremely quick and easy to use." Product pages also feature a dealer locator and ‘Buy It Now!' buttons. The site is also automatically customized according to each visitor's global region.

"EV is big into social networking," Kahn continues, "and the ‘EV in Action' section serves as a portal to EV's presence on all the key sites, as well as being a one-stop source for EV news, endorser updates, and video content."

The "Knowledge" section houses a wide range of articles on EV technology, along with "how-to" pieces. "That's where visitors can find everything from the latest feature articles on our state-of-the-art signal processing to the PA Bible," Kahn explains. "The new site really captures the broad scope of the brand and serves as a worthy destination for our passionate customers."

New Kling & Freitag Website

The new Kling & Freitag website is now online, and it highlights the change that has been initiated by the company since the successful launch of the Sequenza 10 Line Array in 2008.

The web site has been entirely redesigned and is based on completely new programming. The modern, concise design is greatly improved by slick navigation and its use has been considerably simplified. Visitors who have not yet been in touch with Kling & Freitag will learn more quickly the background to the different loudspeaker series. News articles are designed more clearly, permitting a rapid overview of the contents. Equally, the search facility for documentation and technical drawings for Kling & Freitag users is quicker and more comprehensive.

Allen & Heath Appoints Dedicated DJ Distributor in Australia

Allen & Heath has appointed a dedicated distributor in Australia for the sales and promotion of its leading Xone range of DJ products. Based in Sydney, Major Music Wholesale (MMW) represents a range of hi-tech DJ and musical equipment brands.

MMW offers Allen & Heath the specialist skills and experience to represent the Xone range, whilst Allen Heath's existing Australian distributor, Technical Audio Group (TAG), will continue to represent the manufacturer's growing pro audio lines, focussing on the iLive digital range and small-format ZED series.

"We chose Major Music Wholesale because of their track record with high tech brands and their commitment to a technical sales rep model," explains Allen & Heath's regional sales manager, Bardy Hayes. "With the increasing complexity of software controller based DJ products, we were looking for a partner that had intimate knowledge of the Australian DJ culture and an understanding of this evolving segment. Greg Cato and his staff are focused, technically competent and a great match to increase the presence of Allen & Heath Xone products in the sophisticated Australian DJ market."

Season's Greetings: the Last News for 2009!

With this news item etnow closes down its news service for 2009 and in the process of doing we wish all our readers a very happy Christmas and Prosperous 2010. Thank you for your support throughout the past year.

First news of 2010 will be posted on line on Monday 4th January.

XL Technologies Launched

XL-Technologies is a new, Belgium-based LED sales and solutions company, launched to offer innovative solutions for anyone interested in utilising LED technologies for their shows, events, displays, art and installations of all types.

Grown out of the XL Video Group's expertise, XL-Technologies is an independent company well placed to maximise the enormous amount of expertise and knowledge held within the Group, thus offering its clients a wide range of LED products and design solutions for purchase.

All major and currently specified LED brands will be available through XL Technologies. Not being tied to any specific range or brand, the company can offer a fully integrated service to fit the exact requirements of its clients.

There is the flexibility to offer standard LED solutions from the wide product range and also 'second-hand' sales from large projects that are now finished, plus completely new custom projects designed from scratch and tailored specifically for an application.

XL-Technologies is also the worldwide distributor of the Pixled LED brand - available in a wide range of resolutions and formats - known for its extreme brightness, super lightweight and easy rigging capabilities.

XL-Technologies has a number of LED Labs dedicated to bring all possible LED solutions together on one place. Here, the latest products from all manufacturers are brought together, with the aim of offering lighting, video, scenic and visual designers the widest possible choice and the most creative options and possibilities for their work.

Recent XL-Technologies projects have included supplying the "Light of the Angels" Christmas tree in Los Angeles, California, USA - a silver metal frame featuring 11,000 colour changing LED spheres. Another is a showroom installation for Mercedes Benz in Berlin, Germany. Here the creative LED screens form an effects back wall to a large plasma screen. There has also been a recent fixed LED screen installation at the new Dow Jones building on 48th street in New York City.

XL-Technologies is headed up by Koen Bossuyt, who says: " It is great to develop our work further backed by XL Video's knowledge, which allows us to focus on customer needs by being independent with product choice. We can supply a dynamic rang going, from quality second hand material to all the big brands."

XL-Technologies works out of offices in New York, Miami, Atlanta, London, Hamburg, Paris and Ostend, Belgium.

In picture: Light of the Angels in Los Angeles.

MILOS Expands with New Building

Czech Republic based trussing, roofing and staging systems manufacturer MILOS is in the final stages of completing a new 60,000 square foot building at its already extensive premises near Prague. This will be fully operational from the start of 2010 and will be utilised to expand and streamline the current manufacturing process.

The new building has become necessary to meet the huge demand for products and orders that has continued throughout 2009, and this expansion has been financed entirely from existing cashflow.

MILOS is known for its fast turnarounds. The additional space will ensure that even more efficiency and speed can be applied to deliveries, and it will also create more space for the construction of special and custom projects

MILOS' facility is designed to provide the space and the latest technologies to deal with all manufacturing needs in-house. This guarantees quality control and maintenance of the high standards for which the company is renowned

It includes a large cutting workshop and automatic welding of the full ranges of trussing and roofing, the production of circles and other bespoke shapes, special projects, stock control, packaging and dispatch of the finished products. It also includes the MILOS Design Centre, which is at the core of the company's worldwide operation

Coemar Plans New Development

Renato Molinari, CEO of Coemar states: "Our company is the oldest in the lighting industry and is known worldwide for its excellent products which have been used to light shows such as AC/DC and the MTV Music Awards.

"Our plans for development highlight our desire to extend our unbeatable know-how. 2009 was a bad year for everybody and the companies worst affected by the crisis were those working in show business and entertainment industry. However, we decided to take the opportunity to review our marketing strategy, reorganize manufacturing as well as give new impetus to our R&D department and strengthen our sales organisation. We are now more than ready for the challenges 2010 will bring."

Following the total reorganization of Coemar during the latter half of the year it was decided to bring on board top international level managers such as Roberto Bertossi, new technical manager with many years' experience in the automotive industry, and Bruno Beccaria, the new sales manager for Italy. With his background dedicated to creating and managing national and international sales channels in large Italian companies, he was called in by Coemar to develop the domestic market. Adriano Sanson is the new sales executive for the Italian market. Having made a name for himself in the industry by working as a lighting designer and salesman he now reflects the company's desire to provide support in more complex negotiations.

Coemar participated in a series of International trade-fairs and exhibitions in September and November which acted as the showcase for Coemar's new patented products. At PLASA 2009 in London, the Castel Goffredo based company presented the new StageLite Led FX and at LDI in Orlando, Florida, the Infinity M series was introduced to complete the moving-head lighting range, the flagship of the entire collection.

"And that's not all," says Renato Molinari. "We have new projects and new products in the pipeline. We are currently working together with Milan Polytechnic and other light research Institutions to find new innovative lighting solutions. We are working with drive and determination for the future."

Production Resource Group Acquires Procon

Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG) has acquired Procon MultiMedia Aktiengesellschaft AG (Procon), the major Europe-based entertainment technology company. PRG chairman and CEO Jeremiah "Jere" Harris and Procon CEO Morten Carlsson have jointly announced the acquisition, which was made by MHG Media Holdings (MHG), an indirect subsidiary of PRG.

PRG and Procon will continue to serve their current clients from their existing locations without interruptions. As of January 1st, Procon will begin operating under the name Production Resource Group (PRG). Cinegate, Procon's film lighting and camera company, will continue to operate under its existing brand.

PRG's worldwide presence will extend into significant territories now served by Procon, including Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, China and South Africa. These will join PRG's existing facilities in key cities in the US and abroad, including New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago, London and Tokyo, among others. There are no plans to consolidate any locations of either company, so clients of PRG and Procon will now have access to the deepest inventory of entertainment technology resources and the highest level of service offered by any supplier at the widest range of locations around the world.

"PRG has become a truly global brand," said Harris. "By acquiring Procon we will be able to offer our customers access to resources anywhere in the world, customised to their needs with local support. PRG and Procon have similar philosophies - both companies provide a multi-discipline, integrated product to our clients. And both companies share a passion to be the very best. With the joining of these two service-oriented companies, PRG is responding to our clients' desire to have a single source solution with experts knowledgeable across the market sectors, such as concert touring, corporate events and television. And we will continue to service clients with both bundled and individual services"

Morten Carlsson stated: "I am confident that this acquisition will create a great opportunity for both PRG and Procon as well as our customers. Like PRG, Procon has built its reputation on offering the very highest level of customer support combined with providing the latest cutting edge technology. Our two companies have enjoyed a long standing productive relationship, having previously combined forces on several high profile projects including the Special Olympics in Shanghai and The Eurovision Song Contest, to name but a few."

Midas and Klark Teknik Distribution Remains Unchanged Under New Ownership

Yesterday's announcement that the Music Group has acquired the Midas and Klark Teknik brands has attracted a phenomenal response from the industry. While there are many questions regarding this exciting new chapter for the company, demonstrating the high esteem in which the industry holds both brands, Midas & Klark Teknik say they would like to stress that their carefully chosen and highly focused distribution companies worldwide will remain in place, and that the brands will not be available through any other channels.

"Over the last five years we have secured the industry's leading professional audio distribution channels to ensure that Midas and Klark Teknik customers in each territory get the same standard of support that our award-winning team provides in the UK, says David Cooper, sales and marketing director for Midas. "It's a great time to be a Midas customer. This deal ensures that our long term distribution partnerships will get stronger and the investment of Midas' customers is not only protected but enhanced."

Cooper has been instrumental in forging many new partnerships with the absolute best distributors to support Midas' large and exacting customer base worldwide. Both Midas & Klark Teknik and new owners The Music Group are confident the present, carefully established distribution channels are the best possible to represent and support the brands in this new era.

www.midasconsoles.com

Midas and Klark Teknik Join the Music Group

Midas and Klark Teknik, business lines within Bosch Communications Systems, has announced that the Music Group has been selected as their new long-term investment partner. The Music Group owns the Behringer brand as well as a number of other associated companies and is managed by Uli Behringer and Michael Deeb.

The sale of Midas and Klark Teknik is part of an asset deal and an agreement to this effect was signed on 8th of December 2009. The sale is subject to regulatory approval. Acquisition price and terms have not been disclosed.

Currently 106 associates work for Midas and Klark Teknik. All of them will be transferred to the Music Group. The Midas and Klark Teknik brands will be continued.

Robert Mulatz, senior vice president of Bosch Communications Systems, states: "Midas and Klark Teknik have always epitomized the highest possible performance and reliability in the mixing console and signal processing markets. Within the professional audio business of Bosch this niche market has not been defined as a core business area due to its size and specific requirements. We believe that in the Music Group we have found both the passion and the financial ability needed to grow Midas and Klark Teknik. Among all potential buyers that have been screened, we have selected the Music Group as the best fit."

Uli Behringer, chairman of the Music Group comments: "I am thrilled and honoured to join with John Oakley and his team in taking these legendary brands forward. I have immense respect for the dedication to quality, performance and customer service that this team has shown consistently over the years. While we plan to invest considerable resources and support to these brands, we also look forward to learning from the achievements of their engineers and working with them to get Behringer to a new level."

Music Group CEO Michael Deeb adds: "Midas and Klark Teknik are at the very pinnacle of their market segment. They address a very unique client base and fulfilment requirement and have a very different sales channel from our current core business. They will continue to operate autonomously under the leadership of John Oakley. However, Midas and Klark Teknik will have full access to the group's extensive resources and advanced automated system platforms in areas such as product development and lifecycle management, supply chain, logistics, decision support and finance.

The final word comes from Alex Cooper, Midas director of console engineering, who said: "For over twenty years I have devoted my life to designing the finest quality audio products possible. It has always been a challenge to achieve the very best performance at a price that the market can afford. The temptation is to cut corners, but that has never been, and will never be the Midas way. I am convinced that working with the Music Group will provide us with advantages that will help us maintain our high standards for the long term."

In picture: director of console development Alex Cooper; managing director John Oakley; sales and marketing director David Cooper.

Robert Juliat Japan Opens in Tokyo

Robert Juliat has announced the opening of a new branch in the Far East, Robert Juliat Japan.

Based in Tokyo, the new branch aims to promote Robert Juliat profiles, Fresnels, PCs and followspots in this culturally rich region, placing special emphasis on theatres and concert halls, television studios and lighting companies.

Robert Juliat Japan is supported by the Sogo Butai Co. Ltd group which has provided the Japanese entertainment industry with the most experienced staff and the latest equipment since 1972. Sogo Butai Co. Ltd specialises in the rental of lighting and sound equipment to all areas of production, including lighting and sound design, and in planning concerts, events, theatrical and television programs.

President of the newly formed Robert Juliat Japan, Mr Masaaki Segawa, says: "We noticed that the reputation of RJ products was very high when they were introduced into the New National Theatre in Tokyo. It is time their benefits were given greater attention.  We intend to develop Robert Juliat's position further in the Japanese industry."

"The Japanese market is a very positive one for Robert Juliat," explains sales director Lionel Garraud. "The installation at Tokyo's New National Theatre back in 1998 was our largest ever quantity of HMI profiles (92 units) and interest in our tungsten profiles is growing.

"Currently, like the rest of the world, the Japanese market is becoming increasingly interested in HMI followspots, instead of the more traditional Xenon sources, and we believe our portfolio of products is ideal for this region."

Robert Juliat managing director, Francois Juliat, agrees: "It is a good time to consolidate our position in Japan. We have the right products, the highest quality and the right people in Robert Juliat Japan to present and support our products in a way which will develop the brand strongly."

For enquiries at Robert Juliat Japan contact Mr Shinji Okuda Tel: +81 3 3984 9006 Email: okuda-rj@sogobutai.co.jp.

In picture: Robert Juliat Japan inaugural Open Day and demo of RJ products; Mr Toshi Ando and Mr Masaaki Segawa (President of Robert Juliat Japan).

www.robertjuliat.com

ASL Intercom Appoints New Distributor in India

As one of the world's leading manufacturers of intercom systems for the live performance industry, ASL Intercom is always looking at ways of improving the company's service and support to its customers across the globe. A recent result of this policy has seen Setron India Private Ltd appointed as an ASL distributor in India.

ASL offers two different ranges of intercom products, Analogue and Digital, which between them provide systems suitable for any venue or event where clear communication is crucial. The company's analogue systems have been an essential part of many live productions for over 20 years, and grace many of the world's most famous venues and festivals.

More recently, the introduction of ASL's digital range has taken full advantage of the latest high speed digital communication technologies to provide systems with more configuration options, faster set-up and superior voice clarity. Exclusive features of the Digital range include Advanced Intercom Matrixing, text messaging, person-to-person communication from any user station, and belt packs with touch-sensitive volume controls.

Now in its 15th year of trading and with offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, Setron India Private Ltd is one of the leading importers an distributors of broadcast and pro-audio equipment in India. Offering turnkey solutions to a wide variety of live and broadcast audio requirements, the company focuses on bringing the very latest equipment to the Indian market.

"Setron India Private Ltd is a very forward-looking company and we have been very impressed with the way that the company has embraced India's rapidly expanding and technically improving broadcast and live entertainment industries," says ASL sales and marketing director Susan McLohon.

"Setron has an excellent reputation for customer support and so, as a forward-looking company ourselves, we believe that it is the ideal partner to help expand our interests in the region. We are sure that it will prove to be a very rewarding relationship for both companies."

In picture: Susan McLohon with Setron's managing director, Naresh Dhawan

Horizon Control & Engineering Arts Enter Into Technology Development Alliance

Horizon Control Inc. and Engineering Arts have entered into a strategic alliance for the specification, design and implementation of hardware and software technology. Building on their informal collaboration over the past six years, they are pooling resources and developing technological building blocks for license to third parties for use in their products. With shrinking R & D budgets, these technological building blocks can be used to both jump-start new products and refresh current product offerings.

Among the components under development are two hardware platforms that are designed for efficient customization and adaptation by licensees. The first hardware platform is a networked processor component that supports Ethernet, ACN, real-time

clock, removable memory, LCD touchscreen and numerous interfaces capable of handling proprietary protocols in addition to standards like DMX and RDM. The optional LCD display / touchscreen with graphical interface component supports sophisticated visuals familiar to users of consumer smartphones. The flexibility and large feature set of this platform makes it ideal for a wide variety of applications including: ACN / Ethernet / DMX / RDM Gateway; · Embedded ACN / Networking Communications; Architectural Touchscreen Interface / Controller; Adaptive DMX Playback with Multiple Trigger / Synchronization Sources; Retail / Hospitality Lighting & Environment Controller; Networked Energy Management / Monitoring Processor.

The second hardware platform is a sophisticated LED component that is scalable and capable of direct control of high density configurations of RGB LED's for applications including accent lighting, area illumination, lighting environment enhancement, digital signage, advertising and image / video display.

All technologies are available for license through Horizon Control on a non-exclusive, royalty-free basis.

Consultation services are available for customers who need assistance developing products using these technologies or integrating these technologies into their current products. Anyone attending LDI should visit Horizon Control at Booth 820 and discuss their application with Dr. Alan Martello, president of Horizon Control or Dr. Philip Nye, principal of Engineering Arts.

Element Labs Secures New Financing Linked to Cobra Momentum

Last week Element Labs closed a round of financing, led by Expansion Capital, a top tier Clean Technology venture firm. Based on the momentum developing in the new Cobra line of products, Expansion Capital provided additional funding to Element Labs to allow the company to take full advantage of new market opportunities. Leveraging off the existing products of Cobra V8 and C11, Element Labs will be developing and launching additional products off the same Cobra platform, in the near-term.

After Element Labs completed the 274 square metre City of Dreams casino project in Macau in June, Cobra has sold into numerous other applications around the world, including Times Square in New York. In addition, Element Labs has experienced increased demand for its industry standard products such as Stealth and Versa Tubes. A few examples where Element Labs products have recently been deployed include: Britney Spears Circus tour, Bay Adelaide Centre in Toronto, Eurovision Song Contest Moscow 2009, Hard Rock Café in Orlando, New Orleans Essence Music Festival 2009 and the 2009 Grammy Awards.

Total revenue in Q3 quadrupled compared to Q2, and bookings for the first month of Q4 exceeded those for all of Q3. New business in the last couple months has come from rental agencies in the US, Canada, Belgium, UK, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Japan and Mexico. To extend its market channels the company has signed distribution agreements in the US, Canada and Australia with LEDSource, SF Marketing and Bytecraft, respectively. Fixed installation projects include corporate headquarters, theaters, casinos, cruise ships, sports stadiums, restaurants, mobile trailers and retail store fronts. A popular segment around the world is TV studios, where Element Labs has seen a wide range of its products being deployed.

"We've seen a great response to Cobra. As the lightest, thinnest and easiest to deploy video platform in the market, it is extremely well-suited to many applications in rental, architecture and digital media. The fact that it consumes a fraction of the power of any competitive product and eliminates the need for fans or air conditioning is extremely important in fixed installations and achieves customers' commitments to green alternatives," says Marc van Eekeren, VP of sales and business development. "Cobra's V8 virtual pixelization gives customers the benefit of superior video quality.

Complemented by Cobra C11, customers have a choice if they want the higher resolution - both at very competitive prices," he adds. "C11 has gotten a strong response in the entertainment market where we're starting to book very large orders," said Barbara Nelson, president and CEO. "We're also seeing an increased demand for our Helix product especially in architectural installations, such as the voestalpine AG Headquarters, where customers want the creative lighting flexibility combined with powerful pixel-level mapping. The strong market acceptance of our new products was an important consideration in Expansion Capital's continued financial support."

Bernardo Llovera, general partner of Expansion Capital comments: "The launch of the Cobra V8 and C11 products has positioned Element Labs better than at any time in its history to take advantage of new market opportunities. It has been gratifying to see such strong market acceptance. The new funding will allow Element Labs the opportunity to continue the Cobra rollout and develop new line extensions. We're very excited by the possibilities."

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