black light has seen steady growth in recent years, supplying lighting, staging, trussing and audio systems to theatres, exhibitions, conferences, trade shows, educational establishments and heritage centres. Its product range now includes fixtures from Italian manufacturer SGM, who has recently appointed the company to act as its distribut
Instructor Don Dimitroff, from Columbus McKinnon, as well as Tomcat’s own Dave Beard, worked participants through the Lodestar electric chain hoist. Rocky Paulson of Stage Rigging and Morgan Neff of Mine Safety Appliances stressed safety in rigging techniques and fall protection equipment while Keith Bohn, Tomcat design manager, wrapped up with truss theory and design.
Participants were not only treated to four days of power-packed informative classes, but also four nights of local entertainment, the traditional factory night at Tomcat USA with extensive tours, demonstrations, a graduation cerem
p-wave is the innovative decorative version of the award-winning new wave truss series. While the same patented construction techniques are used, it is made entirely from Plexiglas. A prototype version of p-wave, the Plexiglas variant of new wave, was shown at LDI 2002 and generated a huge amount of interest. This prompted the Total Structures team to undertake further development. A unisex, non-rotating, fork end connector and the webs are machined from solid rod and flat sheet respectively using CNC machinery. Both sets of components are bonded to the tubular chords using high strength two part adhesive. p-wave really comes into its own when lit. The edges of the plexi capture the light and the truss positively glows with the colour it is bathed in.
(Ruth Rossing
Ewart Richardson, a more recent addition to the Stage Technologies’ team joined the company full-time in September 2001 to lead the Mechanical Engineering Department although he had be
The Marketing Business is an informal association of three companies which together have over 60 years experience in the entertainment technology business and which individually are recognized as experts in their field: PE Consulting, Harmer PR and The Wells Partnership. PE Consulting was formed in 2002 by Peter Ed, previously marketing director for ETC Europe and business development manager for Strand Lighting. Peter’s experience will be of great benefit to companies wishing to expand their business by moving into exporting or into new market segments by combining tried and tested marketing techniques with in-depth k
This latest strategic move leaves PCM’s German sister company, Augsburg-based Pfaff Stage Technologies (PST), free to concentrate on the design, sale and installation of major special projects. Recent examples of PST’s work in this area include a project for the Flora Theatre in Hamburg, a huge new theatre to which PST supplied 24 customized electric winches.
PCM’s man
The design team’s brief was to come up with a ‘rugged ballast’ with a reduced parts count. The result is a unique four-tube power circuit which employs just three FETs, including a ‘unity&rs
It’s not the first time the RNT has turned to AVW: this latest project follows the success of the Impressario system in the Olivier Award-winning productions of A Streetcar Named Desire staged in the Lyttleton Theatre and other work carried out on Anything Goes in the Olivier Theatre. Impressario Advance! controls 13 flying bars in the Cottesloe, including four point hoists and three dedicated lighting bars, and with the amount of equipment set to increase on a yearly basis, it was deemed the best tool for the job. It was the use of the Impressario in the RNT’s production of Howard Katz that captured the interest of
His employer, Unusual Rigging Ltd, admitted liability for the accident, and Judge Anthony Thompson QC approved a £2.1m settlement on Wednesday.
In a statement to PLASA Media, the company said: "In September 2000, Mr David Upton, an employee of Unusual Rigging Ltd, had an accident at Olympia Exhibition Centre, where he fell from an entrance canopy, approximately 12ft above the pavement, whilst erecting a signage panel. Unusual Rigging Ltd's insurers settled the claim out of court last week.&quo
Pierre Vijgen, who owns Vizion, has invested more than 10 million in the venue, which sits tucked beneath the stands of Kerkrade’s Parkstad Limburg stadium. And get this for luxury - visitors arriving by car can choose from one of 1,500 parking spaces, with entry to the club costing only 10 euros.
Despite the scale of the venue, its split-level layout ensures that even when the building is not entirely full, its feel remains intimate and busy. Numerous internal galleries, like stork’s nests, of
The CE-approved ballast is 35cm x 17cm wide x 24cm high and weighs 8kgs. Its supply Voltage range is 185– 265V a.c and its supply frequency is 47-63Hz. It has a power factor of 0.65 and lamp current up to 85A, with a lamp voltage range of 19.2-28.8Vdc.
(Ruth Rossington)
Austin Burbank founder and editor is Bruce Jordahl, formerly the editor of the US-based Pro Lights & Staging News (PLSN) magazine. He commented: "Total Production has long had a great reputation over here for its editorial values and commitment to the industry. A US version will give us the time and space to fulfill those same aims specifically for the American market. By bringing the title over, the industry already knows the style and quality of magazine
The new warehouse and offices will consolidate all the equipment stock - including James Thomas trussing, ground support systems, Lodestar Motors and Summit’s own SmarTmast small footprint PA towers - in one location. The warehouse will have easier access for trucks, and geographically, Sissinghurst is well located for major motorways and road routes. It’s 45 minutes from central London on the train.
The offices - all with South facing windows - have been designed and purpose built by the Sum
"The actual construction was extremely complex," said ESS’s Jeff Burke, "as there’s not a single perpendicular truss or right angle in the entire structure. We used 228m of LT Tower Truss and 24 specially designed and fabricated angled frames to allow the truss sections to interact."
"The outer covering was 700gsm blackout fire retardant pvc, printed on one side to a design by Andy Johnstone," said ESS project manager, Rob Smalldon. "The finished p
The Judges at the Exhibitor Show were impressed with many features of the truss, giving special mention to its pleasing good looks, versatility and branding capabilities. Many positive comments were also made about the weight of the truss (approximately 1lb per linear foot) and the reduced cost of drayage from loading dock to show floor.
In addition to the strong, lightweight and infinitely customizable carbon fiber truss, the acrylic p-wave version is now ready to ship.
(Lee Ba
Also on show from ChainMaster was a new add-o
According to the Opera House’s artistic directors Kent Stowell and Francia Russell, the passage of time and millions of visitors have taken their toll on a building that has received no major repairs to either its mechanical, technical or performance spaces since the late 1920s. The new 2,890-seat auditorium has been redesigned to be an aesthetically stunning and state-of-the-art performance hall worthy of housing Seattle’s world-class performances for years to come.
JR Clancy, specialists in the
The BGV C1 Lodestars have double the normal hoist safety factor, with a 10:1 chain safety factor; double brakes - each capable of stopping the full load; 4-position limit switches including emergency switches; 24V control; under/overload electronic protection and a slack chain detection device.
The FX Star has all t
Harkness Hall, which manufactures screens for a wide range of applications including cinema, AV, theme parks, attractions and special events, will now focus on its core screen manufacturing and distribution activities. Andrew Robinson, MD of Harkness Hall told L&SI: "The divestment of the theatre products division follows an opportune approach from its management. It will enable Harkness Hall to focus on developing our worldwide screen business based on our operations in Europe, USA and Asia.
"Our current range of screen surfaces and
The unusual request came from Park Avenue Productions, who were organizing a launch event for the Orange brand in The Netherlands. Fortunately, ESS had developed technology for the ‘Orange Experience’ in Bucharest the previous year, and was able to reapply some of the equipment used then. "We modified the original system with new 200sq.m front and back sheets and designed a brand new base unit of steel beams," said Smalldon. "The base unit interacted between the barge and the other components ensuring stability of the tall, sail-like marque (which measured 15 x 15 x 3m), even in adverse wind conditions." The entire structure was built in Amste
Dimitroff joined Columbus McKinnon as a customer service representative in 1996 and since then has held numerous titles within the organization. Most recently, he was a customer service supervisor while simultaneously handling a variety of duties on the entertainment side of the business.
CM has also announced that Stuart
They come in two sizes - the mini and the maxi (which can hold a load of 100kg) and are available in black and white in bags of 10s or 20s. Charles Haines, Halls’ managing director, said: "After years of making what felt like thousands of cyc stretchers and drape clamps out of 3 x 1 and sash cord in my days as a stage carpenter, I always thought there had to be a better way. There never seemed to be any left after a get-out and we had a ‘scraps box’ in the workshop - just for making replacements. Well, now we’ve got a better way - easy,
