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PALME India Success Mirrors Economic Boom

The second PALME India show in Mumbai consolidated last year’s inaugural event by registering a 25% increase in visitors at the Bombay Exhibition Center.

In addition to this significant rise in attendance, exhibitors also remarked that the show had managed to attract buyers nationwide — with real spending power — right across the three days.

So successful was PALME India, reflecting the rapid technological evolution in the sub-continent, that organisers IIR Exhibitions took the decision to extend the show for an additional two hours on the final day to maximise attendance, and were rewarded when several exhibitors reported a flurry of late business prior to close down. One of these was Arun Kalra, whose company RK International took a large order for a Martin Audio W8L ‘Longbow’ line array system — which will make it the first of its kind to be sold in the north of the country.

Another company who reaped the rewards was distributor/integrator ESCO Audio Visual India Pvt. Managing Director Sunil Mehan was able to match the sale of five Reversa World Clarity holographic screens to Indian leisure giant Sahara India Parivar on the opening day, with a final-day sale of the expandable 4 x 4 rear projection plasma display panel from Orion PDP to Satyam Computer Services’ Real Time Leadership Centre in Hyderabad. The 84in display will give them separate broadcast and presentation media.

Three line array speaker brands — Martin Audio, NEXO and Ohm Industries, all took full advantage of uniquely being able to power up their systems outdoors. Arun Kalva said, “The idea of having a Martin Audio W8L Mini Line Array demonstration outside is fantastic and has given us the opportunity to invite customers who wouldn’t normally get the chance to hear it operating in the open air.”

His comment was backed up by Neeraj Chandra, Director Operations of Sun Infonet Pvt, distributors of French company NEXO, who fielded two hangs of the GEO-T system. “It’s definitely been a success because a lot of people like to listen out of doors, and we have seen a lot of industry professionals.”

And Ohm Industries’ MD Jo Olenski welcomed the chance to further strengthen a brand that has a huge foothold in the Mumbai market, with its Lunaray. Ohm has already installed its TRS PA system in Poison — voted the best club in India — and can be seen in eight of the top ten nightclubs as voted by the Times of India. Ohm’s business is growing so fast in India that Lalit Chopra, their agent with Harness Overseas Pvt, has now set up a dedicated company.

Several companies used PALME India as a springboard for launching new products. Among them was Mike Gopal at AMX who gave a first showing (outside CEDIA) to five new control products including 5.2in wireless touch panel, which is video and VOIP active; integrated thermostat, integrated video entry management system and integrated touch dial with mini jog-dial LCD display. Another was the innovative Universe Laser System (combining laser and LED sources in lightweight, 3D displays) from Mystical Sound Productions (the show’s first ever Hawaiian-based distributor).

While one eye-catcher was the modular colour-changing LED-lit bar constructed by Dubai-based IBS Décor, elsewhere Modern Stage Service also created a real focal point by presenting regular shows by leading Mumbai choreographed Bollywood dancers, Shamak Dawar Group. Modern Stage Service also had the biggest stand to show its interactive portfolio of distributed products, including Philips, Pearl River, SGM, LDR and DTS.

Observing the increase in numbers this year, Director Varinder Wadhwa reported that Modern Stage Service had again enjoyed a fantastic show. “It’s been a real mixture of people — many coming for installation services, while the interest in LED products from SGM and DTS to rental companies servicing film studios had grown considerably.”

Varinder and Davinder Wadhwa were two of a number of professionals who proposed that after two years in Mumbai, PALME India should consider a location change to New Delhi in the north for 2008 — citing an improved exhibition infrastructure, and the enormous development opportunities offered by the fact the Commonwealth Games will be staged there in 2010.

As for this year, Dinesh Mandot of Vardhaman, the Harman Pro distributors, said the show had proved to be an excellent vehicle for them to reach the DJ and rental markets. This was echoed by Harman’s country head, Sushil S. John, who summarised the mood of the show when he said, “It is definitely busier and better organised than last year. The growth in the market generally has been phenomenal; Harman Pro has quadrupled its turnover here in the last two and a half years while the dealership base has increased in line with the economic boom in the country, particularly in malls and multiplexes.”

Florian van Hofen, head of German professional trade association VPLT, took up the theme, stating that last year German manufacturers had attended in search of distributors, and companies such as Kling & Freitag had been successful, appointing Rivera International. Like many others, he believes you ignore emerging markets such as India at your peril.

And that is the message handed out by IIR Exhibitions, as the country’s economic boom and technological infrastructure continue to accelerate exponentially. Said show organiser James Raffoul, “The fact that companies are choosing this show to launch new products, and globally-renowned manufacturers are exhibiting direct in the belief that PALME India will provide them with new marketing opportunities, speaks volumes for the speed with which the exhibition’s reputation has grown.”

In picture: Varinder and Davinder Wadhwa, Modern Stage Service; Mike Gopal with one of the new AMX products; Sushil S. John with Harman Pro products; the IBS Décor-built modular bar.

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PALME India Success Mirrors Economic Boom

10th October 2007

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