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Rigging / Staging

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UK - Southampton-based lighting rental specialist Liteup supplied lighting, video server and control plus rigging equipment for all technical departments for the recent UK and European leg of Björk’s Cornucopia tour, for which the dramatic lighting was a co-design by Bruno Poet and Richard White.
Bruno is well known as a theatre and opera LD and for his creative lighting for bands like avant-rockers Sigur Ros, also from Iceland. Richard White has worked for Björk as a programmer and lighting director on the road for the last six years, and together the two enjoyed a fan

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UK - Bristol-based specialist hire and events business SLX has completed the move to a new warehouse as a result of planned growth and continued investment.
The business, which has heritage dating back more than 40 years and serves the live events, hire and broadcast markets throughout the UK and Europe, remains in a Bristol location, moving from its warehouse on Third Way, Avonmouth, to another nearby Avonmouth location.
SLX CEO Alastair Currie comments: “After only four years since our previous warehouse upgrade, we are moving again to allow for further expansion. We’r
Leeds - Main Banner - Apr24

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Germany - The Area Four Industries Direct Germany office organised an EXE Technology training session.
Held in Emsdetten and led by sales and marketing manager, Carsten Pfeiffer (Area Four Industries Direct Germany), and EXE Technology automation manager, Gianluca Ferrari, the training provided the attendees with a complete overview of EXE Technology’s range of chain hoists, load cells, controllers, and DSTs (Dynamic Stack Tracks). The session then moved on to specific facts and detailed information about models within the EXE Rise and Vario chain hoist ranges, which included

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UK - Marking the finale to the flat racing season, QIPCO British Champions Day is renowned within the horse racing community. Bringing together leading jockeys, horses, trainers and owners from Europe and beyond to compete in six top class races, this event has become a key fixture in the UK sporting calendar.
The 2019 Champions Day concluded with a lively musical celebration for over 500 guests housed in a giant Igloo domed roof structure, provided by Fews Marquees, built directly adjacent to the Ascot Racecourse Main Grandstand.
Returning to Ascot for the second year runn

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USA - The 2020 New World Rigging Symposium will take place 31 March - 1 April in Houston, Texas, in conjunction with the USITT Conference and Stage Expo.
The event provides an opportunity to learn from those at the top of their field, to network with their peers, and discuss current issues and new technologies. A complete schedule, session descriptions and a link to register are available at www.esta.org/nwrs.
Jeanette Farmer kicks off the symposium with the keynote address. Her career spans more than three decades of professional theatre technical support, show production,

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Switzerland - Prolyte has appointed DJP Diffusion as its official distributor in Switzerland. DJP Diffusion becomes a Prolyte distributor after joining forces with Prolyte's most experienced ambassador, Rose Oberer.
"Together we will keep Prolyte as the number one in Switzerland. In Prolyte you can trust” said Oberer.
Oberer has more than 25 years of partnership with Prolyte and the Swiss market. "No matter what happens, Prolyte is the standard in quality and safety. After more than 25 years of collaboration, I know what I am talking about," she adds.
"We are so pr

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Europe - Next Truss has appointed AED Group as its European master distributor for the complete product range.
The AED Group will make the complete Next trussing and staging catalogue available at competitive pricing and with optimal stock levels. A professional discount structure aligned with AED Group’s rental department “will benefit every professional customer”. Besides the popular 30cm and 40cm truss ranges, Next will also offer ladder, rectangular (36/100) and 52cm square truss, ground supports, towers and stage decks.
Glenn Roggeman, CEO of AED Group, comments:

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UK - After enjoying an informal relationship with Backstage Academy stretching back many years, Manchester-based STS Touring Productions has now put the relationship on a formal basis.
The Academy’s industry partnerships director, Miles Marsden, confirms that the rental company has been supplying a vast range of equipment, including Litedeck staging, PA, lighting and backline as required, virtually since the Academy set out its stall a decade ago. “But my relationship with [director] Pete Dutton goes back to the late ‘80s,” he adds. “They are an established supplier and

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Europe - The Eurotruss Group has launched NEXT Truss, a new company that will operate under the group’s umbrella.
NEXT Truss already offers a variety of truss systems and decks. In addition to the 30 and 40 multi-purpose truss systems, there are rectangular 36cm and 100cm heavy/ pre-rig trusses, plus a 52cm square truss. Also available are ground support towers and Stage Deck series with accessories.
Ralph Stockley, who leads the new operation, comments: “NEXT Truss allows entertainment industry professionals to have access to purchase truss the way, they want it. I am

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USA - Kinesys has relocated its US sales office, warehouse and training facility from Lithia Springs to TAIT’s HQ in Lititz.
The move completes Kinesys’ transition to the TAIT group of companies. The new address is: Kinesys USA c/o TAIT, 401 West Lincoln Ave.,Lititz, PA, 17543.
David Bond, Kinesys COO and head of sales, comments: “We’re very excited for our base of operations to be moving and after joining the TAIT family it just makes sense for us to take advantage of their enormous headquarters. Lititz has long been the very centre of entertainment technology in t

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Europe - Area Four Industries Direct UK has issued a clarification statement in respect to the continuation of supply of Lightspace deck & truss products supplied via Impact Products (Europe) Ltd, who were placed into voluntary liquidation procedures at the end of last year.
“Contrary to recent reports, these products have not been discontinued,” says Area Four in a statement. “Milos, which is part of Area Four Industries, has exclusively manufactured Impact OEM brands Spacedeck and Lightspace for the past five years from their production facilities in the Czech Republi

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Saudi Arabia - A Swedish House Mafia show staged by Live Nation Middle East at the Diriyah Festival in Riyadh featured a specially designed touring stage. It was created by SHM show designer Samuel Tozer, working under the Vision Factory brand, recreated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Gabriel (Gabe) Fraboni, founder and creative director of LA-based design studio PHNTM LABS.
Full technical production - audio, video, lighting, rigging, trussing - for the Diriyah Season Stage, the Festival’s headline stage and international music venue, was supplied by Dubai-headquartered media

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Europe - Litec’s Litecad truss configuration software now supports French and German languages.
The software is now available in four languages – English, French, German and Italian.
Litecad is a design programme for technicians who need to quickly and easily put together structures with Litec products and present them to their clients or product managers.
The software instantly creates a list of all materials used in a structure, including component data, such as weights and volumes. It also allows for the uploading of DXF files, such as theatre drawings and tec

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UK - When Peter Daffarn, MD of Photon Beard was contracted to design, supply and install some studios at YouTube London, he brought Doughty Engineering on board to provide a range of kit.
“Dave Errock of Wave Science Technology first got in touch with Photon Beard - initially just for some consultancy and to prepare the tender documents,” explains Daffarn. “However, it wasn’t long before we were asked to manage the entire fit-out. For a company like YouTube, we needed a solution that not only performed well, but looked great too. And that’s why Doughty were my first port

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UK - Women in Data, the UK’s largest female data professional event, pulls in over 1,000 attendees from around the world. Held within the surroundings of the InterContinental, London O2 on the banks of the River Thames, WiD features keynote presentations from a host of guest speakers.
Having worked with Light Fantastic Production Services on a succession of previous events, WiD once again called upon the team to provide a complete technical, equipment and logistics production solution, custom designed to cover all aspects of the prestigious conference.
Branding for 2019 Wo

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France - For a major project in France, several hundred meters of Milos M290 Quatro truss took on a strong supporting role. It took on a total of seven supporting roles, for seven TV studios, in four buildings, on the Altice Media Group campus in the French district of Porte de Versailles, Paris. The Altice Media Group campus hosts a total of up to 6,000 students per day and supports the activities of the news organizations Libération, L'Express, and 01 Net.
In 2016, the Altice Media Group needed to expand the number of studios on its campus and held a national tender for the con

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Malaysia - Prolyte Asia Pacific (PAP) has joined forces with Doughty and Sixty82 to form Sixty82 Doughty Asia (SDA).
The move appears to be linked with the 2019 bankruptcy filling by Prolyte Group and the company's subsequent acquisition by Area Four Industries.
“For the past 15 years we have operated under the name PAP, however, due to recent events in the industry, PAP has decided to take a step forward and start a fresh chapter with new partners,” comments Menze

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Hungary - Sixty82 has appointed DP Music Kft. as its new representative in Hungary. The company will offer guidance on a wide range of possibilities, advising customers on the most suitable Sixty82 solution for their particular needs.
Based in Budaörs near Budapest, DP Music offers a wide range of trussing and staging equipment, as well as pro audio solutions. The company is also increasingly focusing on developing its web store and serving the needs of hobbyists, smaller bands, and theatres.
Date Jonkman, Sixty82’s executive account manager, comments: “We look forwar

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Europe - Swiss electric chain hoist manufacturer GIS AG has launched two new D8 products, of 500kg and 1,000kg capacity, for mobile use in the entertainment sector.
The LPML and higher capacity LPL chain hoists are both capable of lifting over 40 times their own weight. The LPML weighs a modest 12kg (20kg with 18m lifting height) and delivers a lifting capacity of half a ton. The LPL meanwhile lifts 1,000kg, and when fully equipped for an 18m lifting height weighs in at just 39kg (23kg net weight).
The hoists will be introduced as a supplement to the popular GIS D8+ motors, u

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UK - Lighting and video specialist Colour Sound Experiment supplied lighting equipment, LED screen, rigging and crew to the most recent UK leg of Respect: The Aretha Franklin Songbook tour which has just finished.
The vibrant and animated two-hour live concert was created by Adrian Grant (producer of Thriller Live) and directed / choreographed by Tiffany King, celebrates the huge success and songs of Aretha Franklin - the Queen of Soul. It was delivered by three leading vocalists - Stacy Francis, Tanya Edwards and Cleo Stewart - together with a live band, a gospel ch

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UK - The team behind the ground-breaking Blackout installation have released the results of the UK Backstage Entertainment Industry’s Evaluation on Mental Health Awareness.
This pioneering study was launched alongside the acclaimed 6-minute immersive experience at September’s PLASA Show, held at London Olympia. Funded by leading industry associations PLASA, the ALD, the ASD, the ABTT and the PSA, the academic analysis was conducted by Dr Paul Hanna, research director in clinical psychology at the University of Surrey. Hanna has worked closely with Blackout

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Europe - After 40 years on the market, the General Purpose (GP) truss series from JTE is still one of the world’s most popular multi-purpose systems. Quality performance for medium-sized projects is delivered via its safe and stable plated connection system and classic bracing pattern.
This type of truss is also the industry standard for film productions, which use it to build huge “lanterns” or “reflective panels” for indoor/outdoor applications.
The General Purpose truss series consists of two sizes, the 30.5 x 30.5 cm (12” x 12”) GP30 and 52 x 52cm (20.5”

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Germany - Trussing, staging and rigging solutions manufacturer and distributor HOF has expanded its premises by 5,000sq.m, adding over 650 storing positions and increasing the size of its production site.
HOF has also improved the exterior landscaping by installing a heavy-duty pavement that can withstand the weight of cranes for up to 120 tonnes. Trial installations for stages and constructions of up to 36 x 22m can also take place on the new surface. There is also an apartment on the new premises, which can be used by clients and installation staff during the trial installation

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The Netherlands - Prolyte has announced the appointment of Fons van Teijn as CEO, effective 12 December 2019.
“Fons’ connections in the industry, hard work and experience will lead Prolyte to greatness in no time,” comments Frantisek Zykan, CEO of Area Four Industries, which recently acquired the Prolyte brand.
Van Teijn has a 34-year career in the professional photographic scene. He started as a sales manager at Capi-Lux-Vak, a then photography store which has since started offering a full assortment of electronics and today has branches in 40 airports across Europe,
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  3. Ralph Stockley named Eurotruss Group CCO
  4. Broadweigh Bluetooth scoops LDI Award
  5. Fast track autumn for Triple E
  6. Unusual Rigging's first foray into Royal Academy
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