UK - Logistik managed the biggest event in the Lloyds TSB calendar at the NEC in Birmingham from the 7-10 January, whilst keeping the impact on the environment to a minimum.

The Lloyds TSB commercial conference is the annual gathering of the commercial team to focus on business strategies they are working to achieve from now until 2012 and beyond. After winning a place on Lloyds TSB's events roster in April 2007, Logistik have worked closely with Lloyds TSB on a number of events and conferences which include a further large scale conference and the Lloyds TSB Marketing Conference planned for 2008.

Logistik and Lloyds TSB worked together to reduce waste throughout the conference such as: recycling the carpet into polypropylene pellets, re-using the bespoke set including the vinyl and panels for future Lloyds TSB conferences, using biodegradable packaging for food and drink, and

USA - Klark Teknik has added a third model to its Square One range - the Square One Splitter. Packaged in a 2U steel chassis, the Square One Splitter combines a simple eight-channel solution with a high-performance, Midas XL8-inspired pre-amp design, making it suitable for applications ranging from concert sound to recording. The new unit was unveiled at the Anaheim Convention Centre during Winter NAMM 2008 this week.

"This new unit reflects the fact that the analogue audio splitter remains the most versatile and cost effective way to distribute audio signals to multiple locations, says Midas and Klark Teknik brand development manager Richard Ferriday. "This is especially relevant where digital and analogue consoles are paired in front of house and monitor configurations, and digital consoles employ different audio transport protocols."

The Square ONE Splitter f

Germany - Klotz Digital has upgraded its Aeon digital OnAir mixing console and added two new features.

For integration into the studio environment and interfacing with third party equipment, Klotz Digital now offers MADI inferface cards for the Aeon. The MADI cards can be configured to 56 or 64 channel mode.

The second feature is the audio networking of Aeons via OCTO-BUS. This feature provides the opportunity to link several Aeon consoles or connect the console to the Main Control Room (MCR) via simple Cat 5 cabling providing eight bidirectional channels per bus.

(Jim Evans)

USA - Harman International Industries has announced that Ken Yasuda, president of Harman Japan, is expanding his responsibilities with immediate effect to assume the newly created position of country manager of Harman Japan. In his new assignment, Yasuda will report directly to Harman International chief executive officer, Dinesh Paliwal.

"The successful implementation of Harman's new best practices management programme will play an important role in driving our long-term growth in Japan and throughout Asia," said Yasuda. "I am honoured to have been selected to lead this initiative for Harman International, as I am convinced this approach will produce results that will directly benefit Harman customers in all professional, consumer, and automotive market segments."

In addition to serving as president of Harman Japan, Ken Yasuda is also chairman of the Inter

USA - Gibson Guitar, a leader in music technology and one of the world's premier musical instrument manufacturers and TC Group, a leading professional audio company, have announced that they are planning to merge. The announcement was made at the NAMM 2008 show in Anaheim, California by both Gibson Guitar chairman and CEO Henry Juszkiewicz, and CEO of TC Group, Anders Fauerskov.

The TC Group, headquartered in Risskov, Denmark, has a number of premium brands of pro audio technology and produces amplifiers, speakers, digital processors, guitar pedals and other pro audio and MI products. TC Group's customers include top musical artists, recording studios, television and radio/TV stations, prominent theatres, commercial installations, and home entertainment.

"This merger will revolutionise the music industry for many years to come," said Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and C

UK - Having recently invested in an ETC Congo, Matt Rogerson, chief technician at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff has organised a day of training with help from ETC's associate regional manager for UK and Ireland Jeremy Roberts.

Rogerson comments: "Jeremy offered us the training session when we bought the desk, and to maximise the experience for our students, he also brought along the new ETC Eos and Ion desks. We've also offered our facilities to ETC for future training sessions to other groups."

The two days of training - for which the students took a day out of their Christmas holiday - were conducted by ETC's Luke Delwiche and freelance programmer Florian Baeumler.

Jeremy Roberts says: "A day's training is never going to cover everything there is to know about the desk, but it can raise someone from starter to the point at which they

USA - Element Labs has relocated to new premises in Austin, Texas. With over 30,000sq.ft of space, the company's new offices mean it is now even better positioned to serve its growing customer base, says the company.

The Austin office boasts a team of 40, including sales and marketing, service and support, R&D and production professionals. The office also features a fully equipped demonstration area, as well as R&D and production facilities.

Nils Thorjussen, CEO of Element Labs explains the expansion: "We have seen significant growth in our customer base and the level of interest in our products and solutions throughout North America. The relocation to our new Texas office thus forms part of Element Labs' continued investment in its growth and expansion strategy. The Austin office and its multi-disciplinary team will allow us to continue to keep our promise of delivering

UK - Metway Electrical Industries has recently secured the order to supply a pre-fabricated wiring system for a state-of-the-art scientific research centre in Antarctica.

Being built to house up to 52 members of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Halley VI is the latest in the series of Halley stations that have been operating since 1956. Designed by Faber Maunsell and Hugh Broughton Architects, the new station incorporates seven 60-tonne laboratory, energy and sleeping modules raised on giant legs and booted with skis.

There is also a separate large module, which houses all the administrative and living facilities. The elevated modular configuration lifts Halley VI above accumulating surface snow (up to 1.5m per year) and enables it to be moved periodically to accommodate shifts and cracks in its location on the Brunt Ice Shelf.

Working with M&E supply contractor Merit Mer

USA - USITT and The ESTA Foundation are in the process of coordinating their efforts to offer the entertainment industry seminars and training across the United States.

To service this goal, a position has been identified for a workshop coordinator. The individual or firm will be responsible for all facets of events such as, but not limited to; the securing of venues, promotion in conjunction with the two organisations, coordinating the events, and working with the joint Advisory Board.

Work will commence on or about 1 March, 2008. A request for proposal has been created to outline in greater detail all aspects of the position and the qualifications necessary. The RFP may be downloaded at the web address below.

(Jim Evans)

UK - SAE Institute is set to open the "world's biggest technology school" in Oxford. The campus will be the largest SAE Institute to date - more than 14,200sq.m - and will also become the global headquarters of the SAE operation, which has 50 SAE Institutes worldwide.

SAE founder Tom Misner, who has recently relocated to the UK in order to oversee the development of the new HQ, comments, "For over 30 years now SAE Institute has consistently raised the standard, and this shows that we have no intention of resting on our laurels when it comes to delivering excellence to our students, no matter what field of study they pursue. And with the Oxford campus we're moving the very heart of SAE to what many consider to be the homeland of global academic excellence."

SAE is spending £12million updating the old Littlemore hospital for the new campus (a further &p

USA - Symetrix has appointed Dimension AV to represent all of its Symetrix and SymNet lines in France.

"Symetrix is a manufacturer of high-quality pro audio equipment and is known as a serious company in the industry," said Dimension's Stephane Morillon. "Their new contractor series products are a perfect fit for the market demand. They are easy to install and configure, deliver pristine sound, are priced competitively, and boast a clever assortment of user interfaces. We are looking forward to giving Symetrix and its associated brands the positioning they deserve in the French market."

"In contrast to some reps who have a tendency to merely foist products on their clients, Dimension AV has a well-deserved reputation for partnering with their clients to find the best solution for their needs at the best price," said Paul Roberts, director of sales

France - Zero 88 has appointed Axente as its exclusive exclusive French dealer. The appointment follows Zero 88's recent incorporation into Cooper Lighting and a restructuring of their distribution in France for 2008.

Axente combines lighting, sound and structure to supply an integrated solution to the marketplace. "There is a lot of synergy between the two organizations," says Zero 88's Western Europe market manager, Grant Bales-Smith. "Zero 88 and Axente both have a similar operating philosophy which places great emphasis on supporting customers in the marketplace. I am delighted to partner with such a pro-active and forward thinking company in France, and look forward to developing this important market together."

Axente has kicked off the new partnership with an order for over 30 consoles as well as a range of dimming, DMX and visualisation products.

UK - PerformTech, Scotland's recently launched show for sound, light, stage and AV technologies, reports that it has has secured "numerous prestigious exhibitors for its inaugural event" which is a collaboration between Black Light, Northern Light and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

The exhibition, to be held on 28 and 29 May 2008 at the RSAMD in Glasgow, has confirmed Christie Digital, Doughty Engineering, ETC, Hall Stage, Le Maitre, Lift Turn Move, MA Lighting, MGC, Selecon, Strand, Triple E and Zero 88 as exhibitors.

Gavin Stewart, managing director at Black Light, said: "Our plans for PerformTech really are coming on at quite a pace. The majority of industry players will be represented and will enable our visitors to view equipment that provides lighting control and effects, pyrotechnics, audio control and kit, projection, rigging, hoists, pai

Italy - The organisers of Show-Way, the new, international trade fair for professional show technology and services which takes place in Bergamo later this month, have announced details of a three-day programme of Workshops and Forums.

During the three-day exhibition, from 24 to 26 February 2008, internationally renowned speakers and associations will talk on a variety of topical subjects, say the organisers.

24 February 2008
11:30 a.m.
LIGHT & SHADE IN CARAVAGGIO
The winner of three Best Photography Oscars, Vittorio Storaro, shares his reflections on an extraordinary career.
2:00 p.m.

LIGHT & CULTURAL HERITAGE
Reflections on the relationship between the use of light and Italy's artistic heritage.
Speakers (ACCADEMIA DELLA LUCE): Marina Vio and Francesca Storaro.

2:00 p.m.
ASSOMUSICA
A discussion on the problems of "live" shows

UK - Stage Electrics is hosting a series of Product Overview Sessions at their branches this spring. During these free sessions, manufacturers Strand, Yamaha, ETC and RSS by Roland will be showcasing their new products, providing technical information, giving demonstrations and answering questions.

ETC will be introducing the Ion console, launched at LDI 2007. Like its big sister Eos, Ion is designed for today's multimedia lighting rigs and with a convenient small footprint is a compact solution for space-starved venues, says the company.

The first series of sessions featuring Strand and Yamaha commence in Bristol on 5 February and will also take place in London, Cambridge, Exeter, Birmingham and Tyneside.

Stage Electrics' training manager Sara Alarabi comments: "These are excellent opportunities for our customers to learn more about the latest products in a relaxed atm

The Netherlands - Pixlvision, the Netherlands-based centre for professional video distribution, sales, solutions, support and training, has been appointed as Dutch distributor for two more of the industry's leading technology brands - Element Labs and Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU).

Pixlvision has also moved to new, larger premises in Utrecht, to accommodate its successful growth since the company's launch at ISE in 2007.

Element Labs and MOTU join PiXLVISION's existing brands - Altinex, Analog Way, Christie, Doremi and JL Cooper in the company's distribution portfolio.

Managing director Marc Kocks comments: "We are very excited that these two well respected and very diverse industry brands have made this commitment to PiXLVISION to help drive forward their growth in the Netherlands."

Pixlvision is headed by video industry specialists Hans Denekamp (sales manager) an

This year's ISE in Amsterdam had a vibrant atmosphere and was very well attended. Next year's event - also in the Dutch capital city - will be even bigger, say the organisers. All these factors, together with the release of a raft of new products, reflects the buoyant state of the fixed installation sector.

On the live music front, the strangest gig we have reported on in recent times must be Queens of the Stone Age performing down a salt mine in East Germany. Iron Maiden are about to tour the world again and next summer's festivals are selling out as soon as the tickets become available. And the move to digital in live music production continues with this week's official London launch of Cadac's new digital desk.

Manufacturers are now gearing up for Frankfurt, while end-users are still trying to digest the wealth of product developments, company announcements and mergers unveiled at

UK - Navigator Systems Ltd. experts in rental management software design have released a significant update for their low cost, easy to use, software package, RentalDesk NX, which continues to sell in high volume to audio visual rental companies world-wide.

The software is now 100% Microsoft Vista compatible and has been designed with a new and improved user interface making RentalDesk NX even easier to operate, says the company.

RentalDesk NX is a complete software package and solution to help small to medium sized companies process bookings, schedule and bill equipment rentals. It includes many of the functionalities normally only present in larger packages and is available from a single user to five concurrent users.

As RentalDesk NX gains market dominance, the product is now more affordable than ever, says the company. For less than £200.00 (price of single user sy

The Netherlands - Lumin AG presented its new Multitouch Terminal at this year's Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) in Amsterdam. The Multitouch Terminal is billed as a revolutionary new solution for human-computer interaction. The user controls the device with simple and intuitive movements directly on the screen.

Similar to the Apple iPhone, no keyboard or mouse is needed. The Plug and Play device is now available for purchase and can display presentations in conference rooms or at trade shows. The Lumin Multitouch can also be used to implement intelligent information systems in office building reception areas, museums, or point-of-sale locations. The included standard software allows customers to quickly adapt the device to their own applications.

The Lumin Multitouch standard terminal includes a 42-inch display and an integrated computer. It is operated with simple and intuiti

UK - Show Support (part of the XL Group of companies) has announced the appointment of Nick Hart as business development manager. Hart brings plenty of experience at the sharp end of the live events and video rental markets through working with Blitz for the last year.

MD Rich Rowley says: "I have known Nick for some time and am delighted he accepted our offer. His energy and enthusiasm fits perfectly with the tight teamwork and personal management style we encourage at Show Support. I am expecting great things."

(Jim Evans)

Europe - Customers at selected Tommy Hilfiger Denim stores can now join the Hilfiger Hall of Fame, by adding their pictures via a pioneering interactive storefront campaign.

Hilfiger stores in (London, Amsterdam, Cologne, Antwerp and Dublin) now feature through-window touch screen technology, providing an interface for passing shoppers to capture, stylise and submit their image as part of a collage of images being shown on digital screens in the shop windows.

The digital storefronts enable customers to interact with the Hilfiger brand even outside of business hours. At the end of the campaign, customers will be able to return to the store and have their own T-shirt specially printed using the image they created as the design.

This is the first time a global fashion brand has embraced an interactive out-of-the-home format to create a unique channel for 24/7 dynamic relationsh

UK - Stage Electrics has invested in 22,000sq.ft of additional storage space due to the increasing popularity of the company's temporary ice rinks.

The new storage facility is situated in Croespenmaen, near Blackwood in Caerphilly which is situated close to the M4 just 40 minutes drive from the company's head office in Avonmouth. The storage facility is situated on a large mixed usage estate and potentially another half million square feet is available if required in the future.

This year Stage Electrics supplied 13 temporary ice rinks in the UK and Ireland including rinks of 850m2 in Manchester, 810sq.m in Brighton, 600sq.m in Cambridge, 450sq.m in Huddersfield, 325sq.m at Marwell Zoo and for the third year Gloucester's rink, two rinks in Bristol, a 600sq.m rink in Tralee, Ireland and an artificial rink at Earls Court at the Boat Show.

Gordon Wells, head of finance at Stage

UK - Funktion One has added a new rental company to its UK Rental Network. The newly formed partnership between Steven Ward and David "Steedsy" Stevenson took delivery of their first Resolution 4 Touring system last week. Powered by the MC2 amplifiers and XTA loudspeaker management system, the rig was out on hire for the first time on Saturday night for a local charity event.

Steven Ward comments: "Steedsy and I had worked together 20 years ago, before both going on to having successful businesses within the entertainment industry. However, we had both been dabbling in sound hire and kept up with developments in technology. Following on from a meeting over a year ago we decided to form a professional sound & light hire company.

"After a trip to PLASA, we set our sights on a Funktion One system. There was an obvious gap in the market for Funktion One in Cent

There's more evidence that we are working in a global village: Glastonbury UK based Serious Stages shipped 10 containers with two of their new Solar Roofs to Australia for a busy summer festival season there, including Elton John's The Captain and The Kid tour. And still on the live music front, our list of unusual and different concert venues got another addition this week when Deep Purple and Tina Turner played at a party in The Kremlin for Dimitry Medvedev, widely tipped to be Russia's next president.

Popular television series are providing an unexpected and welcome bonus for all involved in the touring business. The latest to go out on the road is Strictly Come Dancing which is proving an excellent showcase for the industry's creative teams and products.

In the events diary, The ARC Show, the RIBA-accredited business event for those involved in architectural, retai

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