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New-Look PLASA 'An Outstanding Success'
PLASA07, the first PLASA Show managed in-house by PLASA Events, has been judged an 'outstanding success' by exhibitors and visitors alike - with a record number of this year's exhibitors already confirming their intention to return to the show in 2008. The event featured over 500 new product launches and attracted over 50 new exhibitors.
With the show floor packed on Sunday morning, PLASA also announced its acquisition of the A.C. Lighting North trade show, bringing the PLASA Events' team's expertise and drive to this fast-growing event in Leeds.
PLASA07's radical new layout saw an easy-to-navigate, one-floor event occupy both Earls Court 1 and 2, where lower sound limits and a smoke-free atmosphere combined with exhibitors' determination to make the most of the new opportunities with brand new stand designs. The massive growth in innovative video, audio and lighting displays emphasised the show's embrace of the integrated technologies that are driving large sectors of the industry.
It all contributed, said event director Nicola Rowland, to "a fantastically vibrant feel wherever you looked - everybody really pulled out all the stops. It showed what we meant in promising this would be a show run by the industry for the industry."
There was some initial concern last year when the new layout was unveiled, however when visitors arrived at PLASA07 and found it visually impressive and much easier to navigate, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
Visitor figures (not counting multiple visits and pre the ABC audit) are estimated at 12,252, just under those of 2006, whilst visitors making the journey to London from overseas rose from 27 per cent to 30 per cent, with exhibitors reporting a very high level of visitor quality.
Numerous exhibitors commented that PLASA07 was a first class show and that both the refreshed look and layout provided the platform for their most successful PLASA ever.
Mode Lighting's James King commented: "PLASA07 has been an excellent show. It has been some years since we last exhibited at PLASA and it seemed a far better event."
Karen Cronin of Total Solutions Group, whose stand was located in Earls Court 2, said: "This year's PLASA was one of the best I can remember and I'm looking forward to PLASA08!"
Martin Audio's Rob Lingfield (PLASA chairman) added: "The new layout and reduction in overall noise level made it more conducive to conducting business on the stand, and the relocated Innovation Gallery and 'no smoking' policy has certainly given the show a new and more vibrant feel. The PLASA Central Bar and the show's soft close continue to enhance the social element of the exhibition, disproving the theory that business and pleasure don't make good bed-fellows."
Among the many other significant events was the official launch of the PLASA National Rigging Certificate, the new, nationally recognised certificate of competency for specialist entertainment industry riggers. Live demonstrations of the scheme in action were followed by presentations of the first Certificates to successful candidates at the PLASA Awards for Innovation on the Monday night.
The latter (for which there was a dramatic last-minute surge in nominations, taking the total to over 60) also saw eight companies scoop the Awards - beyerdynamic (GB) Ltd (Headzone); Electronic Theatre Controls (Eos); Fuzion plc (Coemar Infinity Wash XL); Litec Srl (EXE-Lodestar 650C1 + Datalogge); Marquee Audio (Revolabs Solo Executive); Protonic Software Corp (easyjob 4.0); Unusual Rigging (The Revolution Winch) and Vertigo Rigging (Vertex).
The inaugural Gottelier Award, presented by Tony Gottelier's son Jonathan and voted for by the industry, went to Funktion One's Tony Andrews for his 30 years at the forefront of loudspeaker design innovation.
Nicola Rowland summed up the event: "PLASA07 closed on a real high, with exhibitors reporting a positive show, leading to an exceptional level of re-bookings for next year. The effort that everyone put in has created a superb platform for the industry and for PLASA08."
PLASA08 runs from 7-10 September at Earls Court 1 and 2.
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