USA - In late 2016, Intelligent Lighting Creations (ILC) of Arlington Heights, Illinois, made a pivotal investment in Elation's first-generation Proteus series of IP-rated lighting. The acquisition of the IP65 Proteus Beam marked the beginning of a transformative journey.
Scott Falbe, who founded ILC over 30 years ago, recalls the early days when outdoor lighting meant wrapping indoor fixtures in rain gear. “Initially, it was all about covering indoor fixtures in domes or plastic so we could use them outdoors,” he says. “Eventually we invested in some of the early IP-rated fixtures like the Elation Level Q7IP PAR light. Then, when Proteus hit the market, it fundamentally changed the way we do outdoor shows.”
ILC became a shop known for its outdoor accoutrement and was the first to embrace the Proteus line, debuting it on the Lightswitch project Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, in 2016. "We had four beta versions of the Proteus Beam and collaborated with John Featherstone at Lightswitch to highlight a new section of the Illumination experience with them," Scott recalls, crediting Featherstone as the inspiration for putting them on the path to Proteus. "We ran them through the ringer in the harsh Chicago winter that first year, and they performed so well that we decided to invest in more units for the following year."
ILC and Elation learned a lot in those initial outings, with Scott and his team providing valuable input to Elation’s R&D department that would influence the Proteus line’s development. Unique challenges, such as the combination of cold temperatures and humidity typical of early winter in Chicago, led to minor hardware modifications, mainly to eliminate internal vapor.
“It was a fix that worked well and instead of sending retrofit replacement kits like many companies would do, Elation sent us all new improved fixtures!” Scott recalled. “That was an exceptional level of support.” After eight seasons of Illumination - which together adds up to nearly two years of solid outdoor use - the Proteus Beam fixtures have proven their durability with minimal issues despite the challenging weather conditions.
Over time, Illumination transitioned from using indoor-rated moving heads in protective domes to exclusively using Elation's outdoor-rated Proteus moving heads.
ILC's extensive use of Proteus fixtures extends beyond garden shows to year-round projects, making ILC one of the largest holders of Proteus fixtures in the US. "Proteus has been so reliable that it has fundamentally transformed our approach to outdoor shows," Scott says. "No longer are we dealing with fixtures that require a backing crew to support with coverings when the weather turns bad, and we no longer have to invest in domes.”
He says the industry is realising the benefits of IP fixtures for indoor use as well. “The weight has come down considerably, but the fact that they don't take in moisture, dust, dirt, and debris, indoors as well as out, really cuts down on maintenance."
An important piece of ILC’s success with Proteus is the support they have received since the beginning from manufacturer’s rep firm Five Lakes Marketing. Scott has known and has worked with Rob Ludwig of Five Lakes for years and acknowledges the benefit of the good relationship. “I really started paying attention to Elation when Rob stepped in,” he said. “Having a good manufacturer's rep like Five Lakes is really a game changer. I know I can rely on Rob for honest product advice and prompt service, and I know he’s going to do a great job.”
The partnership between ILC and Elation has been mutually beneficial, as Proteus has grown from a new IP-rated lighting solution to a market-proven leader in outdoor automated lighting. And the line continues to evolve with the latest models, including the Proteus Hybrid Max, Proteus Odeon, Proteus Radius and Proteus Atlas, all rated at IP66 for an even higher level of toughness.
