South Africa - DWR Distribution hosted its first mini exhibition at its offices in Johannesburg on 29 and 30 July. The goal of the event was to provide an opportunity for industry professionals, system integrators, and students to meet with international suppliers, see the latest technology, and most importantly, network.
Exhibitors included: Barco, Chainmaster, DiGiCo, Doughty, DSpecialists, Fenix Stage, L-Acoustics, Layher, MA Lighting, Neutrik Group, Prolyte, Quest Engineering, RCF, Robe Lighting, Sennheiser Electronic SA, Sharp NEC, Theatrixx, RAM Mountaineering, Special Industrial Suppliers, and Visual Productions.
A new warehouse at DWR, recently secured as the new home for the DWR Workshop and Manufacturing departments, was quickly transformed into a venue to host the expo. Visitors could attend daily workshops, see demonstrations and discover new gear.
“Like a phoenix rising out of the ashes, we wanted to celebrate the live events industry coming back to life after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Bruce Riley of DWR. “And, Great Scott, what a time we had!”
It’s one thing building a stand for an expo, and quite another hosting an entire exhibition space! The company’s Robert Izzett adds: “The project became a team-building effort, and it was just incredible to watch everyone jump in and help! We built stands and bars, and liaised with our fantastic suppliers who were incredible, and everything worked out well. Thank you to everyone.”
The exhibition also coincided with DWR owner/director Duncan Riley’s 50th birthday, which was celebrated at a special Back to the Future themed party one evening during the event. DWR was privileged to once again welcome singer-songwriter Ross Learmonth to the stage at the party, joined by Luis Almeida.
“I was hoping we could create an event where people could get together again, and that’s exactly what happened,” said Duncan Riley. “I was blown away by our international suppliers and a few local ones too, who joined us and were willing to be part of the expo. Somehow, this industry always feels more like a family! Thank you to everyone who joined us, and I also want to thank my team. The main project was led by Debbie Buchanan and Jade Manicom, and they were just remarkable! Every person played a pivotal role, and I can’t thank them enough.”
The international suppliers also praised the event. Jeroen van Aalst from Robe felt the event was well organized: “We met a lot of nice customers and friends, and we hope to continue our relationship for many more happy years,” he said.
MA Lighting’s Bunty Raj, technical support for Asia Pacific, comments: “It was such a pleasure being part of such a great event. I love South Africa and would like to thank you for everything that DWR has done. I met some great people, some who have been in the industry since the beginning of the entertainment industry!”
Kris Hill from Theatrixx adds: “Tremendous amount of effort and meticulous planning went into orchestrating such a remarkable expo. DWR team's dedication and attention to detail did not go unnoticed, and I am certain that all attendees left with a positive impression.”
A word of thanks to everyone who made this possible, from vendors to suppliers. This included, amongst others, MGG who provided the technical and support crew, Lucidity, Gearhouse with their registration system, and the team at Eyethu Events.
Quoting the popular ‘80s movie, DWR concludes: “The future looks great. ‘Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads . . .’"
