Europe - MILOS has released the fourth and final video as part of its three-month spotlight on MILOS Roofs (1 January – 31 March).
In this final video of the series, Area Four Industries GmbH technical director Norbert Tripp explains how the required ballast is calculated for temporary demountable structures due to the effects of overturning, sliding and uplifting.
Click here to watch the fourth MILOS Roofs video
(Jim Evans)

UK – Supporters and trustees of Backup - The Technical Entertainment Charity - gathered in London on Monday evening to help raise the profile of the charity’s new name and logo in entertainment industry. Around 80 guests attended the event, which included live entertainment from Jay Johnson.
Backup exists to provide financial support to technical professionals working in live events, theatre, TV and film, helping them to get back on their feet when their lives are disrupted by illness or injury to themselves or to family members. Previously known as Behind The Scenes UK, the charity changed its name to Backup in 2016.
Backup’s chairman, John Simpson, welcomed guests to The Hospital Club in London’s Covent Garden, which generously sponsored the event. He reiterated the purpose of the charity by highlighting some of its achievements to date. “We have helped a n

Germany – ETC is powering up to demonstrate a selection of its latest and most popular lighting and rigging solutions at this year’s Prolight+Sound, taking place in Frankfurt from 4–7 April. ETC representatives from around the globe will be available to answer questions regarding lighting control, luminaires, rigging and complete system solutions, in hall 3.0 on stands E47, E51 and F51.
Visit stand E51 to see the recently launched Gio @5 console. This lighting desk brings the professional-grade control of the Eos Ti and Gio consoles within reach of users with tighter spaces – and tighter budgets. Receive a demo using the Gio @5, another Eos-family console, or Cobalt Wings, and see in action a selection of ETC’s Source Four LED Series 2 luminaires.
On stand E47, product specialists will show all the features of the entire ColorSource family of products. Develo

South Africa - Eventech, a Centurion based rental company has purchased 12 new Prolyft Aetos motors which will be used for their ground support, for flying PA, or which can be rented out.
“We chose Prolyft for various reasons,” said Wynand Veldsman of the company. “Reliability, safety and it was time to upgrade our current motors. Prolyft is often specified, and when used on events, the motors are quiet, aesthetically pleasing and look neat in a rig.”
The motors were purchased from DWR Distribution. “We are pleased to see the growth of Eventech and all the exciting projects they have in the pipeline,” said Robert Izzett from DWR. “When a good crew is complimented with good equipment, you can’t go wrong.”
(Jim Evans)

UK - Colour Sound Experiment delivered equipment for a recent UK tour by pioneering d‘n’b music producer Wilkinson, a much anticipated series of sold-out gigs ahead of the release of his new Hypnotic album in April - working with lighting designer Sam Tozer.
Playing a variety of venues, this was an opportunity for the company’s new pre-rigged trussing - a Litec product specially modified for them - to provide a flexible and practical solution. Features include an expedient four-wide-two-high stacking truck pack combined with super-fast deployment onstage.
The regional dates were primarily at academy venues, culminating in a high profile high pressure performance at London's Roundhouse. The look and design developed for the tour was a total change from any previous Wilkinson live shows, and a big part of the aesthetic goal was to produce something new and e

UK - inspHire has introduced its new global website. Cementing inspHire’s position as a leading promoter of hire software globally, with offices in UK, USA, Netherlands and Australia, the user-friendly site provides a hub of information about the hire management software provider; from innovative products and customer case studies to company news and values.
The new website features customer case studies, as well as inspHire’s latest software updates and product developments. Over 2200 hire companies are already utilising inspHire software, the company says.

UK - Power Logistics has won a competitive tender that sees its contract to deliver comprehensive temporary electrical distribution services and generator provision to several of The Jockey Club’s most prestigious racecourses extended for a further three years.
Having already successfully provided electrical distribution services and generators for four and three years respectively, Power Logistics’ track record, high levels of service, investment in equipment and competitive pricing structure have resulted in the contract extension.
The contract encompasses generator hire, design, consultancy, installation, maintenance and de-rig for all The Jockey Club’s temporary power requirements. Power Logistics will continue to provide generators, cabling and distribution equipment and lighting solutions to service catering, trading, display and betting areas at many of


Germany - Technically oriented theatre, film and event careers are wíde-ranging and creative. This is something that the international trade show and conference Stage|Set|Scenery, which will take place from 20-22 June in Berlin, aims to take into account by organising a special programme for young professionals. The reason is a decline in young people learning technical skills, which has led to growing competition on the home and international employment market. This is where Stage|Set|Scenery will seize the opportunity to promote a dialogue between cultural institutions and the employees of the future.
Business colleges, universities and other professional training institutions will be represented in Hall 23. They include Akademie der Österreichischen Theatertechnischen Gesellschaft, Berufliche Schule Holz. Farbe. Textil, Beuth Hochschule für Technik in Berlin, DE

USA - Motion control specialist and manufacturer Kinesys will exhibit for the first time in its own right at a US trade show during the three-day USITT 2017 stage expo in St. Louis, Missouri, from 9-11 March.
Stand 1404 will focus on two of the leading brand’s most popular product ranges, DigiHoist intelligent motor controllers and the Libra range of load monitoring equipment, as well as highlighting Elevation vari-speed chain hoists which will interest those looking for more advanced automation systems.
David Bond of Kinesys USA comments: “The North American market is currently expanding for us and we want to nurture this growth and reach out to more potential buyers, users and specifiers.”
He thinks that USITT is an ideal environment for meeting a diverse cross section of industry professionals working in the key sectors of theatre, performance, and the a

UK - Power distribution specialist ide Systems has expanded the fleet of products available through its ide Rental service with the addition of its new mains distribution unit, the MD63. The product is a power distribution unit for temporary electrical installations, such as those in the event industry, and is housed in a high density polyethylene enclosure to ensure resistance to impact and the elements.
The MD63’s polyethylene enclosure is designed to provide consistent performance and safety, with recessed socket and switchgear panels for mechanical protection and ingress protection (IP) rated sockets that protect against dust and splashes of water. Each outlet of the unit also features a red power light, allowing electrical contractors and event staff to easily identify whether an outlet is live.
The MD63 has 15 output sockets to accommodate the large number of e


UK - Glantre Engineering has become ASM’s UK, Republic of Ireland, & Middle East approved distribution partner. Glantre announced the partnership with ASM having recently installed 29 HCWA Junior Hoists and control in a provincial theatre in Leamington Spa, UK.
Germany-based ASM is a manufacturer of hoists and controls for use in performance productions. All hoists are BGV-C1 and control is SIL 3. The ASM range of hoists includes point-hoists, stage and scenery hoists, chain hoists and control. These systems offer silent operation, and flexibility for load and speed to fit all types of venues and budgets.
Maurycy Sowka, CEO at ASM, added: “Partnering with ASM was a natural choice for Glantre and we are certain that our partnership will be of great mutual benefit. Glantre offers a complete service under one roof, for a convenient and efficient service to


UK – A piece of distro equipment stolen from a site in East London recently is being sought by its owner, The Technical Department Ltd. The item is a DT12 - Type 12, 63A/3-phase to 2x32A/3-phase box (pictured). As the photograph shows, the item is clearly marked on the top with ‘TYPE 12’.
It is believed that the item was stolen by an opportunist thief, and that it will reappear for sale on the market. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the equipment is asked to contact Jerry Singleton at The Technical Department jerry@thetechnicaldepartment.com.
(LSiOnline)

UK - Mobile Technik, specialist in event trailers and pop-up structures, has been appointed as the sole UK distributor for the German-made mobile event space, Promocube. The Promocube is a versatile mobile event space that “heralds a dramatic new design”, opening to create an innovative 36m² pop-up environment. From high-end VIP hospitality suites, experiential brand zones, TV studios and broadcast hubs to pop-up retail units for UK touring roadshows, this new temporary event space helps to create environments to meet a range of budgets and creative briefs.
The Promocube is designed for both indoor and outdoor use with an open structure for an airy feel, or with easy-to-assemble Plexiglass panels providing a weather resistant, temperature controlled, enclosed environment. This space is fully customisable to suit any requirement from wrapping the whole structure with bra

UK – Triple E, the exclusive European distributor of the ‘universal construction system’ ModTruss, is showcasing the award-winning product at this year’s Event Production Show in London. The company will exhibit the lightweight aluminium truss system, which offers practically limitless configurations and applications, on Stand F58E at London’s Olympia on 1-2 March.
Often described as 'full-size Meccano' by its users, ModTruss won Engineering Product of the Year at the ABTT Theatre Awards in 2015. It has been gaining prominence in the UK and European markets after being exclusively distributed by Triple E.
ModTruss was once again utilised at the SuperBowl, this time at the SuperBowl LI in Houston in February, where it was used to build 12 structures throughout the SuperBowl City, Practice Facility and inside the NRG Stadium.
In Europe, it has already bee

UK - UK-based international entertainment industry engineering design and safety specialists and consultants Blumano is expanding and restructuring its operation. The move brings the service of systems control in-house, with software and hardware expert Lluis Diaz-Guerra and his company Copinya into the Blumano organisation. It also coincides with a general Blumano rebranding and the launch of a streamlined new interactive website, www.blumano.com.
Blumano Ltd was founded in 2014 by production industry professionals Cristiano Giavedoni and Amedeo Guizzi to provide a range of specialist services, expertise and consultancy related to lifting, moving and load-bearing equipment for stages, set and scenic elements and other objects and areas of entertainment industry production. The diverse scope of their work reaches into all sectors, from concert touring to corporate and indust

USA - Rain, cold and hail weren’t what anyone had in mind when the 2017 edition of Total Structures’ Truss, Hoist, Rigging and Outdoor Structures workshop announced its January dates, but that is what everyone got. The school’s 26 attendees, representing 14 companies, did not let the weather get in the way of a great week of learning during the five-day programme.
Held at the company’s California headquarters from 23-27 January, this year’s workshop would cover five days of instruction and discussion covering topics ranging from the fundamentals of truss design and inspection to advanced rigging math calculations for rigging supervisors. In between, the course provided training on outdoor structure design, discussion of American National Standards developed for the entertainment industry, and hands on training with the full range of Pointman Electric Chain Hoists.


Europe - MILOS has released the second video as part of its three-month spotlight on MILOS Roofs which runs until March 2017.
In this second video of a four-video series, Area Four Industries technical director Norbert Tripp focuses on some background information about wind and the resulting loads on roof structures.
Since this is a complex matter, Norbert touches on some basics, such as the relationship between wind speed and wind pressure, as well as the behaviour of canopies under wind loads. The often misunderstood self-weight of structures is also covered.
Click <a href="/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQMeKFDpq3A">here to watch</a> the second MILOS Roofs video.

Sweden - The twelfth Swedish Idol season started airing on TV4 in August 2016 with a finale show held 8 December at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm.
Scandinavian Rigging Service (SRS) has worked on each Swedish Idol Final for the last 10 years, and this year was responsible for the complete rigging from drawings and weight calculations to top rigging supply and rigging personnel. New this year however was the use of Eilon Engineering’s Ron StageMaster load cells to monitor the rig’s weight and distribution.
“There are no requirements to use load cells with large rigs in Sweden,” says Sören Durango, who has owned Scandinavian Rigging Service since 2014. “Not yet, anyway.” Sören does say though that there has been more awareness to use load cells on larger shows in venues like the Globe, an arena that seats 16,000 people. “I have a go

Asia - As part of its global growth strategy, J&C Joel – one of the world’s leading manufacturers of flame retardant fabrics, drapery and stage engineering solutions - has announced an expansion of its operations in Asia.
With more than 70% of its sales already coming from international trade, the British business now exports to over 80 countries worldwide, providing theatre and stage drapes, cyclorama canvasses, backdrops, bespoke fabric shapes, as well as stage machinery and acoustic solutions.
In recognition of the increase in export, the firm is looking to further develop their presence Asia region and make a major investment into its infrastructure to better support its growing customer base and improve service levels.
The company is opening a new 10,000 sq ft purpose built facility in Vietnam and a new office in mainland China. These new locations,

UK - Hawthorn celebrated turning 30 in style on Saturday 4 February, when more than 500 clients, suppliers and colleagues partied the night away at the company’s Leicestershire headquarters.
The full service technical production company drew on its expertise to transform its 105,000ft warehouse space into a glamorous party venue where guests enjoyed a night of fun, food and drink.
Guests were kept well entertained throughout the evening with live entertainment, as well as fun including karaoke, retro games and roving entertainers. Delicious food was served by Smart Hospitality and guests were treated to a menu of special themed cocktails kindly donated by Ambersphere.
Chris Green, lighting designer for the event, made full use of the in-house inventory, showing off fixtures such as the Clay Paky A.leda B-EYE K20 & K10, Alpha Spot QWO 800 and over 100 penda


South Africa - DWR Distribution has appointed Lee Baird as marketing coordinator. No stranger to the industry, Lee worked alongside her partner, Rob Young, at Theatre and Studio for six years, during which time she visited various theatres in the country and maintained the day-to-day running of the office. “Working with Rob was the best part of the job,” smiles Lee. “And it’s great to work alongside him once again at DWR.”
Lee will be positioned in the marketing department and she will also be instrumental in helping to arrange projects like DWR’s Mediatech exhibit (Johannesburg, 19-21 July 2017), fundraisers for the SOS Charity fund and ensuring the industry has t-shirts to wear!
“It’s really an honour to welcome Lee to our team,” said Duncan Riley of DWR. “She is an organised and diligent person whom we have known for a few years now, and I


The Netherlands - Peerless-AV brings its LED business focus to the forefront with the international debut of the new SmartMount Universal LED Mounting System in both Full Service and Fixed Flat-to-Wall configurations at ISE 2017 (Hall 12, E57). With an ultra-lightweight aluminium frame, X, Y and Z adjustment and support for multiple LED display sizes and brands, the system is one of the most versatile, easy to assemble and install indoor LED mounting solutions available on the market.
Visitors to the stand will see a 7x4 video wall featuring 2.42mm pixel pitch indoor LED on the SmartMount Universal Flat Wall LED Mounting System and a 6x6 video wall featuring 1.2mm and 1.5mm pixel pitch indoor LED on the SmartMount Universal Full Service LED Mounting System. The Full Service system is built with three scissor arms, demonstrating the pop-out mechanism for recessed wall,


USA - Mojo Barriers US has appointed Jordi van Berkum as the company’s new US manager, 6th Feb 2017.
Since the acquisition of Mojo Barriers by EVAGO Group on 18 January 2017, CEO Alex Borger has been taking on board the ambitions of the new owners and visiting the global network of offices with them. A trip to the USA in January with EVAGO CFO Lorenz Schmid resulted in the appointment of Jordi van Berkum.
Alex comments, “Jordi’s experience working for Mojo Barriers gives us confidence that his understanding of our high quality delivery and service values will be at the core of his management strategy. He’s a fantastic addition to our management team who will help to shape the US company to make the best of new opportunities that arise as part of EVAGO Group in a dynamic market sector.”
Mojo is currently supplying crowd barriers/barricades to 2017

The Netherlands - A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) will demonstrate how it provides all the products, advice and support needed to install fully integrated systems – at ISE 2017.
The latest generation Chroma-Q Inspire, Color Force II and Color One 100X creative LED, and Space Force white LED, products will be heavily featured on AC-ET’s ISE booth. Together, these featured Chroma-Q fixtures can provide a truly immersive, seamlessly integrated lighting experience in auditoria, performance venues, houses of worship and other public spaces.
Also featured will be Traxon’s colour-changing Media Tube and Dot XL media string LED solutions for permanent outdoor applications. AC-ET sister company, A.C. Special Projects are a Traxon authorised installation partner and have used these products on several high profile architectural installation projects in London, incl

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