Rigging / Staging

Prolyte signs up for T2

Details: 14 March 2016

Uk / Netherlands - T2, the truss safety product originally developed by Total Fabrications, is now also to be made and sold by the Prolyte Products Group, based in Holland. Speaking of this major collaboration, TFL's managing director Chris Cronin said: "Since T2 was first launched in 2000, we envisaged the T2 system as the new standard of safety for trussing with fall arrest and that it should be available from more than one major truss manufacturer. A separate company, T2 Systems Ltd, was established to manage the various patents, registered designs and trade marks that cover T2 and to license its production to suitable manufacturers in the industry."

"T2 systems are in use across the UK and abroad - including two major London venues. With work underway on an exciting new installation in the South West and a number of other UK-based projects, it is only natural

New Trio for ARB

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Since moving into new premises earlier this summer, ARB has continued to expand. Three new members of staff have joined the team this August. The two new sales executives, taken on to develop ARB's diverse client base, are Stephen Brady, joining from De Boer, with his extensive experience in corporate events, hospitality and production areas; and Barry Clayson, who has two decades of production experience working in the outdoor events industry - including commentating at a range of country fairs and shows.

Cathy Lynn from NSR has also joined ARB as the new hire office manager. She will be responsible for enquiries and quotes and ensuring that hire operations out of ARB's Buckingham headquarters are managed efficiently.

(Sarah Rushton-Read)

https://www.claypaky.it/products/ultimo-hybrid/

Hall Stage lines up innovations for PLASA

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - After a very busy and exciting first six months under 'new' management, following the management buy-out in March, Hall Stage is exhibiting at this year's PLASA Show with a whole host of new products and services on display. After picking up a Product Award at the ABTT show in June, Hall Stage has now announced its exclusive UK distribution of the ASM Band Hoists and Genesis Control systems, which have been developed in Germany under the strictest safety guidelines in operation anywhere in Europe.

Phil Wells, Hall Stage director says: "We've been looking to develop a hoist system that met all of the stringent BGV C1 control stipulations and realized ASM . . . units get around every hurdle en route and perform superbly under our required specifications. They're virtually silent, vibration free and very quick, unlike most chain hoists; they don't need cable changes, like

Triple E and DHA team up for Sophie's Choice

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Receiving its world premiere at the Royal Opera House on 7 December, the opera of Sophie's Choice presented the opportunity for Triple E to design a new type of system for a travelling projection screen.

Composer Nicholas Maw was first inspired by seeing the movie and intended the opera to have a cinematic effect - fluidity accompanied by a certain realism. When Maw told designer Rob Howell that he had written one note to ring out with every mention of the Holocaust, the Olivier Award-winning designer decided there should also be one element in his treatment of Auschwitz that should be present in every scene, so that by the time the storyline arrives at the infamous camp, the audience sees it at its most complete, though it was there the whole time. He chose an angle - 16°: "I was looking at photos of Brooklyn taken in the '40s and photographs of Auschwitz a

Het Muziektheater installs ProTrac

Details: 14 March 2016

UK/Netherlands - Het Muziektheater is one of the most prestigious theatres in the Netherlands and has an international reputation. The theatre offers residencies to the Netherlands Opera and the Dutch National Ballet and is home to the Holland Symphonic. The venue is both a producing and receiving house.

The Muziektheater has four stages, each one 16.2m by 13.5m in size: one principal stage on which the performance takes place, and three assembly stages, where the scenery can be set up or stored, with approximately 60 percent of the scenery pieces hanging in the fly tower.

Het Muziektheater has 102 fly-bars, each 24m long. Renovation of the venue began in 1997 when a mechanically operated flying system was installed. At that time the type of fly-bar used had several disadvantages, for example they were very heavy, they tended to flex laterally, and diagonal bracing could cause

Massive protection from Rola-Trac

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - Rola-Trac laid 15,200sq.m of ground protection - the largest single system the company has ever laid in the UK - for Massive Attack's 'home town' concert in Bristol's Queen's Square. To mark the 100th date of their current world tour, Massive Attack returned to their home city of Bristol on Bank Holiday Monday, to play to a sell out crowd of 19,000 people in Queen's Square.

Promoters Metropolis Music brought in Nine Yards to manage the production located in one of Bristol's best-known landmarks. The site was obviously not designed for hosting concerts, so the production team liased with Bristol City Council and had to be especially considerate of their environment. Hence it was decided to cover the whole area with Rola-Trac to achieve effective protection.

Guy Wightham, Rola-Trac's project manager, had to plan and execute installation of the system. Site visits two weeks

Take advantage of reduced price education seminars

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - PLASA is emphasizing the importance of training development via the PLASA Professional Development Programme (PDP).The format for this year's education programme at the PLASA Show has changed to offer a wider choice with sessions ranging from technical workshops for technicians through to business seminars for freelancers and company start-ups.

The industry seminars have been expanded to cover a wide range of topics on current debates including 'Theatrical Fog - Knowing when Enough is Enough' and 'White Lighting versus Colour in Architectural Application'. Conversely the masterclasses will provide a forum for industry experts to share their knowledge. Speakers will include Brough Skingley from English Heritage on 'Lighting Up The Past - the Conflict Between Historical Accuracy and Modern Technology' and Bruce Jackson of Lake Technology on 'Sydney Olympics' Audio Design.'

ChainMaster

Details: 14 March 2016

Germany - For nine years now, in a factory not far from Leipzig, a company has been developing and producing stage chain hoists and chain hoist controllers that have come to represent the excellence of German manufacturing in theatres and entertainment complexes all over the world.

The ChainMaster story began with a request for help from the theatrical world. The need was for an electric chain hoist conforming to the VBG-70 standard which was in force at the time. (VBG is an accident prevention and insurance organization, and VBG-70 was drawn up to improve standards of safety in venues). At the time, there was no equivalent electric chain hoist system on the market, so ChainMaster's managing director, Frank Hartung, who founded the business along with his wife, Susanne, recalls: "That was all the incentive our team needed to develop the requisite system."

In the spri

Robbie Williams at Knebworth

Details: 14 March 2016

UK - On June 28, Robbie Williams started one of this summer's most anticipated European tours. After skimming round Europe, as part of an 18-date, 10-country tour, he rounded it all off with three headline dates at Knebworth in the UK.

Most of the press surrounding the event focused on the awful travel experiences of many of the thousands of fans who travelled to Knebworth - 375,000 in total across the three shows - ourselves included. And let's face it travel chaos made for good headlines, as did the sheer number of people who were packed into Knebworth Park: this was not an event for anyone with a fear of crowds - 120,000 plus each night - although a large proportion of these stood no chance of actually seeing the star of the show directly.

However, it was the show itself that made the delays, travel headaches, expensive 'pints' of beer and enormous viewing distances worth i

new wave turns heads at PLASA

Details: 14 March 2016

Total Fabrications' 'new wave' is a striking new alternative to traditional aluminium truss and differs dramatically in several exciting ways. Firstly, innovative construction methods allow the use of new materials, including carbon fibre and acrylic. The carbon fibre, in addition to its high strength, can be printed prior to the tube construction, allowing textures, such as wood grain or corporate logos to be integral to the truss members. The acrylic version captures light and can provide dramatic lighting effects.

Secondly, as the structural web is formed from an extrusion, it can be cut into elaborate shapes. new wave comes with the patented OMNI connection system, a fully rotating unisex fork connector, allowing a wide array of reconfigurable two and three-dimensional structures. These can be assembled without the need for expensive custom fabrication. OMNI connectors also behave

Millimetre-perfect hoist accuracy from Kinesys

Details: 14 March 2016

Kinesys's Elevation 1+ variable speed controller has proved its worth on the recent Robbie Williams' tour. Existing hoists can be used with the system after a straightforward conversion, and can then be returned to a working inventory as standard fixed-speed hoists running from a traditional motor controller. The addition of an Elevation 1+ controller, however, allows them to become full variable-speed hoists with millimetre positional accuracy. Using CM Lodestar hoists, speeds from 0.5m to 21m per minute are possible, and a variety of other manufacturers' hoists can also be controlled. Lodestar conversions can range from a basic electrical conversion to the inclusion of dual silent brakes and multiple limit switches.

Kinesys - Stand R71

Le Mark launches Gaf-Fire and new Catalogue

Details: 14 March 2016

Le Mark has won a number of PLASA Awards for Product Excellence in the past, and the company is in the running again this year with the launch of Gaf-Fire, a product designed and engineered to reflect the needs of an industry which has become fully aware of its responsibilities concerning safety and the environment.

Gaf-Fire is the world's first ever matt black self-adhesive tape which is both self-extinguishing and flame retardant to the rigorous standards of BS 5867 part 2 1980 type B. Designed for use in both horizontal and vertical situations, it provides the 'missing link' in the industry's flame retardant armoury. It can be used for many types of applications within the entertainment industry since it provides a non-burn surface for stage, film, TV and concert productions.

On Sunday 7 September at 12 noon, Le Mark will welcome lighting designer Andrew Bridge to the stand to l

Stage Technologies' Saxis enhances automation posibilities

Details: 14 March 2016

Stage automation specialist Stage Technologies has shown its new Saxis system for the first time here at PLASA. This is a complete single-axis automation control system and the latest addition to the company's range of control systems.

Compact in size, it can be plugged directly into a three-phase mains power supply and incorporates all the advantages of servo-motor control, being small, with precise and near-silent operation. With on-screen diagnostics, absolute position feedback, position readout, programmable speed and accelerations and speed override during cue run, the hand-held interface gives the operator complete control. Six preset positions and a Dead Man's handle also ensure that a production's automation requirements are executed seamlessly, accurately and safely.

Stage Technologies - Stand H20

Prolyte's ProTrac offers fly-bar upgrades

Details: 14 March 2016

Prolyte will be previewing ProTrac, an upgraded fly-bar system, designed for situations where a simple bar or ladder beam no longer meets requirements. For instance, if the uniformly distributed load needs to be upgraded from 300kg to 500kg and the point load from 40kg to 150/200kg, the normal fly-bar does not have the required strength. Therefore, the single round tube is often replaced with ladder beams, usually made from steel. ProTrac offers a better alternative than the steel ladder beams, thanks to its combination of an aluminium extruded square profile, underneath which a round tube of 60mm or 48.3mm is attached. Suspension points slide into the square profile and can be locked at any position, and flexibility comes from the fact that several lengths can be easily connected.

Prolyte - Stand F30

Total Fabrications' Karen Cronin and Ian Coles accept their PLASA Award for Product Excellence from PLASA chairman David Hopkins OBE.

Excellence reaches new heights at PLASA Product Awards

Details: 14 March 2016

The PLASA Awards for Product Excellence were presented yesterday evening after the close of day three of the PLASA Show. With a record number of new technological innovations nominated this year, the judging panel had a tough challenge on their hands.

This year there were five awards categories and 79 nominations, generating £12,000 for PLASA'S nominated charities - Light Relief, PSA Welfare and Benevolent Fund and the Golden Lions Children's Trust. This system has been running for five years now and every penny of the entry fees is donated. To date this scheme has raised almost £45,000 for charitable causes.

The five product categories this year were Lighting, Sound, Stage Engineering, Software (a new category introduced this year), Audio-Visual, and finally an Award for the product with the most environmental considerations. The PLASA awards were presented by PLASA's Chairman, Da

James Thomas Engineering

Details: 14 March 2016

>In addition to its new LED lighting systems, James Thomas Engineering also had on stand a new Minitower ground support system. Designed to work with JTE's Superlite and Squarelite truss, its 2 mm wall thickness is strengthened with robust diagonal plates whilst the tower features the same, reliable fork connecting system as Squarelite and Superlite. The external dimensions are only 19cm, making it extremely expedient in size and ideal for trade shows, conferences and retail applications.

Gala Theatrical Equipment

Details: 14 March 2016

>At PLASA to meet with customers and discuss its practical design solutions was Gala Theatrical Equipment, worldwide specialist in modular lift systems for a wide range of venues and applications. The company has now notched up more than 500 successful installations worldwide.

LiteStructures

Details: 14 March 2016

>ChromaDeck is based on the Pulsar LED Chroma Panel but ruggedized and repackaged to fit into LiteStructures' existing staging system. The polycarbonate top, though not completely scratch-proof, is both strong and light, making this ideal for illuminated dance platforms. LiteStructures also took the opportunity at PLASA to reveal its updated company logo and launch a new website.

British Harlequin

Details: 14 March 2016

>Installations for a variety of applications, including schools, colleges, theatres and cruise liners have been keeping the British Harlequin team busy. The company has just started to install floors in Europe, with recent commissions from Finnish National Opera in Helsinki and Theater Basel and Stadttheater Bern in Switzerland. Monica Arnott said they were currently installing two-three floors a week, making 2003 an extremely busy year.

Maltbury Staging

Details: 14 March 2016

>Philip Sparkes, managing director of Maltbury Staging, noted that the company was enjoying its busiest ever year. In addition to its popular aluminium staging lines, Maltbury was also promoting its Cro-Bar alloy crowd barrier, designed to be easy to manoeuvre and lift. Sparkes was pleased with the visitors he'd had on the stand, describing them as "a good cross-section of the industry".

Doughty Engineering

Details: 14 March 2016

>Another stand that was enjoying a busy PLASA was Doughty Engineering launching the Slimline Quick Trigger and Slimline Mammoth Clamp. The Quick Trigger enables heavy luminaires and scanners to be hung safely even when space is tight in the rig and makes it a 'one person' job thanks to its sprung loaded jaw. The Mammoth Clamp tackles the problem of clamping larger tubes by accepting a huge 60-63mm diameter, with a SWL of 300kg. Both products are aimed at all areas of the market place.

Milos

Details: 14 March 2016

>Showing the new X-Stage Platforms was Milos Structural Systems. The X-Stage S1 is available with a scissor-leg mechanism which is height adjustable and can be assembled without any tools. The S2 comes with plug-in legs which are either adjustable or telescopic and again no tools are required for assembly. New to the trussing market is the Quick Truss - M400, heavy duty trussing aimed at the large stage and rental markets.

Verlinde

Details: 14 March 2016

>Launching the new Cyberhoist Manager V.1 software was a priority for Verlinde at this year's show. The main advantage of the software is its three-dimensional, object-based programming. This means that you don't have to program the whole hoist, but can program individual objects, resulting in faster programming with more flexibility.

ChainMaster

Details: 14 March 2016

>A prototype for a new chain hoist, the Star Lift was one of the main attractions on the ChainMaster stand. The 500kg hoist is small and light with a speed of 8m per minute. The company is also currently involved in the installation of 35 of the popular BGV-C1 hoists into the Kremlin in Moscow, with work due to commence in October. On the control software front, upgrades have been made which include touch screens for ease of use.

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