ON THE ROAD
ON THE ROAD: CZECH REPUBLIC & SLOVAKIA TPi’s Ste Durham travelled to Eastern Europe for a whistle-stop tour of some of the region’s major live event technology manufacturers. From the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 to the Velvet Revolution of 1989 and peaceful separation of the countries in 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia’s recent history continues permeate the fabric of 21st Century life in the region. As well as influencing the everyday, this tumultuous period has also helped shape the countries’ industrial production - fostering an ambitious brand of diligence in the Czech and Slovak workforce. This was evidenced just as strongly during our travels around Bohemia as it was when we headed to Moravia and down into Slovakia to meet the companies that produce some of our industry’s most recognised products.
We aimed to visit 5 companies across 2 countries in 4 days; with the distance between them happily providing the opportunity to experience a bit more of the local flavour than on your average trade show or fly-in gig. Rather than putting too much stock in the military precision of our audacious itinerary, it’s safe to say that we succeeded in our endeavour thanks to the hospitality (and generous chauffeuring services) of our industry friends in the region. A massive thank you to Milos, KV2 Audio, Robe, Kvant, and SRS Group for their involvement in this feature - we hope you enjoy the journey as much as we did.
MILOS www.milossystems.com No sooner had we landed in Prague from Manchester than we were in the car with Area Four Industries Communication Specialist, David Gore, on the way to our hotel in Roudnice nad Labem - a historic settlement perched on the left bank of the Elbe. The town also played host to our first official stop; trussing and structural solutions manufacturer, Milos. Brand Manager, Marek Zubor, gave us the grand tour before we sat down with Gore and Ales
Roucek, Area Four Industries Marketing Manager. Gore began: “All of the world’s biggest acts stop in Prague at the very least, as well as elsewhere in the region, and we have massive festivals here over the summer - it’s safe to say that the Czech Republic is covered by our trusses. You are starting to see more rental companies bypassing the middleman and coming straight to us for products, but that’s still quite a 92
