Tomcat UK hosts Hoist School in Sweden
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(Ruth Rossington)
Rigging / Staging
Stage Technologies collects Orange Business Award
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The short listed companies for this category included Stage Technologies, Reynolds Geo-Sciences Ltd, Blue Chip Feed Ltd and Nucoda. Despite this stiff competition, the judges - including Trade Partners UK and Emma Crosby from CNBC - voted Stage Technologies the clear winner, with their international approach and implementation of trading practices being hailed as 'outstanding'.
Stage Technologies was founded in 1994 by Mark Ager and
Stage DEX from Prolyte
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The Stage DEX consists of an aluminium frame with a plywood top bolted and glued to it to reduce noise and vibration. The legs can be fitted to the frame and fixed with one simple handle, without the need for tools. Rails and other accessories can easily be attached to the by inserting a spigot in a pre-bolted hole on each corner of the deck, allowing the rails to be assembled after the decks are built.
Apart from the standard sizes 2 x 1 m and 1 x 1
Cruisin' with Tomcat Global
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The multi-level stage system is made of a series of decks on aluminum frames. Each deck has a birch plywood surface covered with a black dance floor surface from Harlequin Flooring. As space is limited, two of the main upstage risers may be turned on their sides and used as dollies to store the remainder of the stage.
Fourteen collapsible 2ft x 2ft x 6ft dressing room lockers we
Beware Data Protection scam
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It seems that the practice is still continuing, with up to 18 bogus agencies known to be engaged in the scam - for a full list, visit the web address below. Anyone being approached with a similar request is asked not to make any payments, and to contact their local police.
(Lee Baldock)
CM announces change to European distribution
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In order to maintain a mainland Europe stock of product, CM has also announced the addition of Sonoss of Lille, France to its Master Distribution network. "Sonoss has sold the Lodestar and our other products for some time, but they are now investing in stocks of our most po
Flame retardant gaffer tape from Le Mark
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On a separate note, Le Mark's custom printing division had an incredibly busy start to 2003. January saw the production, for the first time, of a uniquely complicated multi-text identification label system for the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Le Mark adapted its heavy-duty PAL Label identification system to meet the Philharmonic's requirement that every single piece of flight-cased equipment be uniquely named and identified with a reusable label. This required a total of 73 individual stencils to be produced and then screen printed.
(Ruth Rossington)
Sydney Opera House Opens Forecourt
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As the Forecourt will stage a diversity of productions, each with differing requirements, it was decided to initially hire the staging, starting with a domed stage supplied by Edwin Shirley Staging.
When it came to the lighting and audio equipment, the choice of equipment was driven by the fact that a versatile and modular production package could easily be utilized in other venues within the Opera House. "It's
A Capital Christmas
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John Probyn headed up the ClearChannel Entertainments team, working alongside Emma Hodgetts, who managed the event on behalf of Capital Radio. The two assembled a team of trusted suppliers with production manager Mark Ward and Kahren Williams at its vanguard.
Mark Ward explained: "There was a major transformation to this year's show, because for the first time it was televised on Christmas Eve. This brought changes to several aspects of the production, and meant that lighting became a major priority. We also added a second satellite stage to allow the presenters to be filmed whilst the stage was being set for the next act, re
Summit in Toyota Avensis launch
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The launch was also the first outing for Summit's new rack-mounted 6-way hoist controllers. Constructed by Ibex to Summit's specification, they are fully compliant with all safety standards including Category 4 E-stop. The project was managed for Summit by Chris Walker, who worked with a team of 1
Siemen's catch the fashion wave with Stage One
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Designer Bruce French used the central mezzanine walkway to advantage by designing identical stage sets on either side. Stage one's challenge was to turn the concept into reality. The back wall of each set comprised a three-level steel structure, each level having a series of cubicles. The bottom level was used as a series of entrances for dancers and other support artists, the second level cubicles had
Total Fabrications: telephone correction
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(Ruth Rossington)
black light opens operation in Glasgow
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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
Tomcat’s Hoist & Rigging workshop celebrates 11 years
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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 cleared for production
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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
Two additions to Stage Technologies’ Board of Directors
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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
New marketing service for the entertainment industry
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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
PCM takes on German market direct
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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
Powerflo fluorescent ballast
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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
AVW’s top performance at the RNT
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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
Injured rigger receives £2.1m compensation
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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
Vizion comes to life
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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
Power Gems' new ballast
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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)
Total Production launches in US
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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
