UK - Suppliers to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games can now champion their involvement in the sporting spectacular, after a landmark deal reached by the Government, British Olympic Association (BOA) and International Olympic Committee (IOC). The new Scheme - the first of its kind - provides eligible suppliers recognition for the part they played in the success of the London 2012 Games.

Le Mark have been awarded a specific licence due to the incredible contribution they played in the opening ceremonies and in recognition of the work and services provided and can now le

UK - Entertainment industry training centre Backstage Academy has announced a new two-year BA Visual Production course, which will launch at its Wakefield facility in January 2014 (subject to validation).

Developed in conjunction with a range of industry partners including d3 and Fix8, the course is the first of its kind dedicated to the emerging convergence of visuals and lighting. It's designed to meet the demand for skilled visual professionals that can take a project through from the concept and design stage to the final application, using the right tools for the job.

Based on a

Finland - Genelec is reaffirming its environmentally conscious philosophy by dedicating itself to a renewed long-term green initiative, which will see the introduction of new products and revised, more energy-efficient versions of the existing product line, in addition to other company policies.

Genelec management has always strived to adhere to efficient manufacturing and shipping methods, and in fact the very concept of active monitors is at its core more energy-efficient than passive monitor/amplifier combination setups. Environmental consciousness is also a large part of the cultu

UK - Yorkshire-based Stage One has received the Queen's Award for Enterprise. Given annually to outstanding British companies, this award is made specifically for continuous innovation. Stage One excels in the field of event and stage spectaculars - not least the realisation of Thomas Heatherwick's design for the Olympic Flame at the 2012 London Olympics.

Stage One employs over one hundred people; designers, developers, electrical and mechanical engineers, motion control experts and materials technologists.

Founded over 20 years ago, Stage One output is varied, from the British Pavi

UK - Software provider Stardraw.com has announced a significant enhancement to their most sophisticated design/documentation product yet, the award-winning Stardraw Design 7 software package. The upgrade follows a period of intense beta testing by a select group of Stardraw Design 7 'Power Users'.

The principal object of the beta was to test a new version of SD7 with optimized memory handling for a noticeably faster, smoother and better overall experience, particularly when working with very large project files. The new version offers all the same features and functionality as before

Juno Awards - Carly Rae Jepsen has won three Junos at the annual Canadian music awards, including album of the year, pop album of the year and single of the year for her hit Call Me Maybe. The 27-year-old's album Kiss beat Justin Bieber and Celine Dion. Bieber took home his fourth Juno in the fan choice category with Mumford & Sons winning best international album. k.d. Lang was inducted into the Canadian music hall of fame. Leonard Cohen, who started his music career in the 1960s, won two Junos for songwriter of the year for the album Old Ideas and artist of the ye

UK - Firefly Solar, market-leading experts in the design and manufacture of solar-powered generators, has announced the launch of its Cygnus Hybrid Power Generator (HPG). Similar to hybrid car technology, the Cygnus HPG connects to diesel generators cutting fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent, says the company. It manages base loads using power from its batteries before automatically switching to diesel as power requirements increase. This innovation reduces the costs and environmental footprint of off-grid power generation for the event, broadcast production and construction industri

UK - With just a week left until the doors of the Royal Armouries Museum open for the fifth annual PLASA Focus: Leeds trade show, taking place on Tuesday 30 April and Wednesday 1 May, PLASA Events can confirm that visitor pre-registration figures have reached 3000: an all-time high for this event. Now firmly established as the leading industry event for the North, visitors will have access to stands from 133 different companies that represent each and every sector of the live entertainment and installation market.

Sponsoring the event are leading lighting innovators Chauvet Profession

USA - Industry veteran Laura Hoepker has joined PLASA as an events sales executive working with the North American team on the PLASA Focus NA regional events.

Hoepker joins PLASA from Electronic Theatre Controls after 19 years where she oversaw ETC's trade shows and events.

PLASA CEO Matthew Griffiths comments: "Laura is a respected and highly regarded industry peer and we are so pleased to welcome her to help us grow our regional events in North America."

PLASA director of media, sales, and marketing Jackie Tien added: "We look forward to our long-time and respecte

UK - Alchemea College and Britannia Row Productions Training have announced a new collaboration to offer the delivery of live sound training at the highest level. With Alchemea's facilities located on Britannia Row in Islington (the original HQ for Britannia Row Productions), both parties have enjoyed friendly relations for many years.

As part of this collaboration, Britannia Row Productions Training will deliver training for all students currently enrolled on Alchemea's full time Live Sound course.

Alchemea's marketing and sales director Mike Sinnott says, "Brit Row is a house

The Netherlands - Duran Audio will be running a two day training course at Duran Audio BV's R&D facility, Zaltbommel, The Netherlands on 14-15 May 2013.

These two days are aimed at consultants, sound system designers, installers and users who wish to learn more about AXYS products and software. Both days involve a combination of presentations, demonstrations and practical activities. There will also be some 'free time' set aside for attendees to experiment with the products.

Day one will focus on the highly successful AXYS Intellivox range. The Intellivox range, first introduced in

Olympic Honours - The London 2012 Olympic Games have taken three awards at this year's British Academy of Film and Television Arts Craft Awards. The Olympics opening ceremony picked up a best director award while Super Saturday - when team GB scooped six gold medals - won for best sound. The Paralympics, broadcast on Channel Four, took best digital creativity.

Hamish Hamilton who directed the TV broadcasts of the London 2012 opening and closing ceremonies, was also honoured on the night with a special award in recognition of his "outstanding creative contribution to the industry

UK - PLASA Focus Leeds starts today, with a great seminar programme lined up for visitors over both days. Among a busy programme of pro audio sessions, tomorrow sees a presentation by Focusrite Audio Engineering, looking at their RedNet flexible recording platform.

For years the Dante Ethernet-based system has been used to provide a low latency, high-channel count audio transportation system for live sound reinforcement. Now Focusrite's RedNet system brings this rock-solid technology to the recording world, with high-quality digital conversion and state-of-the-art remote-controlled mi

Denmark - Martin Professional's compact Jem AF-1 fan has been a touring industry staple for well over a decade. Now improvements in digital electronics have made this industry-standard fan more responsive and even more versatile.

With the new Jem AF-1 Mkll, advances in control, rotation, speed range and increment adjustment have raised the bar for quality, performance and durability. Speed control response is instantaneous, minimum fan speed has been lowered and motor noise at low speeds has also been reduced.

Fully DMX controllable or via a hand-held remote, the AF-1 Mkll is the id

UK - The opening day of PLASA Focus: Leeds 2013 was tremendously busy, with packed aisles, full seminars, and dozens of new products to see on the show floor.

Here are 10 reasons to join us today:

* Audio legend Tony Andrews delivers his Keynote Speech What is Good Audio?

* Martin Audio debuts the MLA Mini

* Ambersphere presents Clay Paky and the Laws of Physics

* Award winning sound designer Gareth Fry gives his seminar Creative Manipulation of Sound

* d&b audiotechnik tell you Why Size Matters

* The ABTT discuss qualifications and competence i

The Netherlands - Penn Elcom GmbH has acquired Netherlands-based flightcase manufacturer Flightware BV in an amicable agreement which will "strengthen and diversify The Penn Elcom Group's flight case product design capabilities and ranges yet further".

The agreement was reached between Thomas Mostert CEO of Penn Elcom GmbH, the distribution arm of the Penn Elcom Group in Continental Europe, and Marcel Vlot, MD of Flightware, who is now planning to leave the industry to pursue other interests.

Roger Willems, chairman of the Penn Elcom Group comments, "Marcel is delight

South Africa - Celebrating the best South African companies, their products and services as well as the people behind them, the South African Premier Business Awards was hosted in The Pavilion venue at the Sandton Convention Centre in March this year.

Keystone Productions were asked by their client Outlaw, to design the set and provide the technical for this lavish black-tie affair. MGG Productions assisted with the supply of lighting gear, while the set was constructed by Stage Works. Mark West was the Choreographer and Cap Events the creative director.

With a distinct African flav

UAE - Celebrating 25 years in the Middle East, Nicolas Kyvernitis Electronics Enterprises has recently established a new free zone entity under the title NMK Middle East FZCO. The mission of the new entity is to "continue the success of the professional audio, video and communications distributor across the Middle East and surrounding region". NMK Middle East FZCO will continue to maintain and build relationships with system integrators, rental companies, broadcast integrators and broadcasters for a wide range of manufacturers.

The free zone entity will facilitate the new di

Grand Opera - Russia's Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg has opened a new ballet and opera house with a gala ceremony attended by 2,000 guests. The new building sits beside the historic 19th-Century Mariinsky Theatre, the birthplace of ballets such as Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty.

At $700m (£450.5m), it has divided opinion, with some criticising the modernist architecture and cost. President Vladimir Putin said it had "everything you need for a theatre". Addressing guests, Mr Putin paid tribute to the "boundless energy" of the theatre's ambitious

UK - PLASA returns to 195 Piccadilly - the iconic home of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) - on Thursday 30 May for its 2013 European AGM. Over 200 members and guests are anticipated at the event, which will include a review of the achievements of the last 12 months and an outline of PLASA's aims for future development.

The AGM is of great significance to the Association and the ideal occasion for every member to ensure that his or her voice is heard. It is this feedback that enables PLASA to react positively to the changes and challenges that members face in or

UK - Stage Electrics has announced a management buy-out (MBO) of the business from the estate of David Whitehead. The MBO was fully supported and agreed by David Whitehead prior to his stepping down from the role of managing director in May 2012 as a way to position Stage Electrics for future growth and security, the company says. David Whitehead sadly passed away in February 2013 after a courageous fight against cancer.

The new shareholders - Trevor Smallwood, Dan Aldridge, Bob Smith, James Irvine, Anna Western, Adam Blaxill, Adrian Searle and Ian Tregaskis - combine considerable bus

UK - As an industry leader in advanced technology flooring for dance, the performing arts and display, Harlequin also offers a range of accessories including portable, freestanding or wall-mounted ballet barres to suit every client's budget and demands.

The ballet barre is essential for warm-up and stretching exercises and plays a crucial part in a dancer's fitness regime. Both professional and amateurs can minimise the risk of injury by stretching properly to increase blood-flow to the muscles and improve flexibility whilst achieving an elegant stance.

"Whether you choose Harl

UK - IAG UK - parent company of Wharfedale Pro and SurgeX as well as a range of quality British HiFi brands including Audiolab, Castle, Mission , Quad and Wharfedale - is relocating its separate sales and service centres from their current buildings in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, to an all-new, purpose-built complex, incorporating UK operations, to be combined under one roof for the first time. Warehousing and distribution will continue to operate from the existing 59,000sq ft Bradford premises.

Wholly owned by IAG, the new facility is almost twice the size of the existing office and

USA - Besides their corporate headquarters in southern California, MannKind Pharmaceuticals maintains two other campuses, including their technical operations team, located in Danbury, CT. It's a busy campus, hosting several hundred employees involved in the company's manufacturing, engineering, and quality assurance divisions.

The campus' central meeting point is a large, multipurpose room used for everything from lunches to corporate meetings and all types of presentations. It's a bright, airy, and welcoming space, but as Richard Trombitas of New York-based Cardone, Solomon and Asso

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