Often described as full size Meccano by its users, ModTruss won 'Engineering Product of the Year' at last year's ABTT Theatre Awards for its lightweight aluminium construction and repetitious hole pattern, which ensures that build configurations and applications are practically limitless.
Since then, the product has been used in many prestigious locations, most notably at the Royal Opera House in London, Deutsche Oper in Berlin and to build the TV broadcast centre for the 2016 Superbowl in San Francisco. ModTruss made its European debut at the 2016 ProLight+Sound, Frankfurt, Germany, where it also garnered a great deal of attention.
Back in the UK and at this year's ABTT, ModTruss will demonstrate its versatility in use as the building blocks for three stands: one for Triple E, another for hoist and rigging company H&R and finally for the leading provider of training and equipment for work at height and rescue in vertical, steep and difficult-to-access environments, Lyon Equipment.
Visitors to the Lyon stand will be able to clip into a harness and explore its structure, up close and personal, by walking up and over it. Ben Alderson, work and rescue representative for Lyon, comments, "Triple E will be constructing the 'flytower' once again this year for ABTT. Our plan is to use the ModTruss structure for our demonstrations of technical rescues in the entertainment sector as well as uses of the Petzl Grillon, which is an adjustable work positioning lanyard.
"One of the main advantages for us with ModTruss is it is fully rated for people to climb/stand on. This makes demoing products much easier. It also gives users a solid platform to work on as well as being able to attach a carabiner to the structure direct."
Managing director for Triple E, David Edelstein adds, "The industry has become increasingly excited about the possibilities of ModTruss; its power to truly change the way we approach set building, design, machinery fabrication and even complete building structures is phenomenal.
"Using ModTruss as the backbone of scenic construction and being able to re-assemble the components in new configurations for the next show is a totally new concept in our world. The product can serve for years as a kit of parts for building, supporting and articulating successive shows for any size of stage or event. We believe that there is nothing else like it on the market."
In order to ensure customers get the very best from ModTruss, Triple E has formed a collaborative relationship with architect Konstantinos Korakakis, who can offer expert advice on the design and build of any ModTruss construction.
"ModTruss can be used in so many ways," explains Korakakis. "It makes light work of stage scenery construction including multi-level designs; stage machinery modules and complete modular fly tower/stage house construction. It's also ideal for temporary structure design and builds. ModTruss can also span long distances and maintain high point loads using the unique laminated construction technique."
Some of these constructions will be demonstrated in the ABTT Demo Theatre during the show and Triple E representatives will be on hand to talk show visitors through the details.
(Jim Evans)
