GEAR HEADS

MAESTRA JOINS FORCES WITH SHOWBLOCK

TPMEA CATCHES UP WITH SHOWBLOCK FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, NICK COLE AND MAESTRA’S FOUNDER AND MANAGING PARTNER, THOMAS CLEMENTS, TO DISCOVER MORE.

What industry issue does Showblock provide a solution for? Tom Clements: Showblock is a solution for event and creative agencies looking for flexible and premium temporary structures. Based on a ‘building block concept’, Showblock offers endless potential for creatives with its minimalist look and feel and robust steel framework. These flexible and contemporary structures can be fully customised and pre-fitted in advance for extremely fast on-site installation.

The structures can be easily triple stacked to create stunning event spaces, viewing platforms and retail pop-ups. Showblock offers an aesthetically pleasing alternative to typical temporary structures available in the market and can fit any type of event thanks to its modularity. It can be fully fitted out in our workshop in advance of delivery onsite meaning a very quick installation time onsite, which in turn can help clients cut costs on venue rental.

What features will benefit end clients? Nick Cole: The block system allows clients to choose any configuration. It’s easy to install, very strong, and can be stacked three high with no need for additional reinforcement or ballasting. Showblock are 450mm wider and 300mm taller than standard shipping containers, and can be entirely opened, closed, or branded. They are also extremely resistant to wind while keeping a minimalistic and premium design, making it an ideal solution for luxury events. Another benefit is the large clear-span glass that can be applied to it with no joins. We have 15mm tempered glass of 5.44m by 2.56m. It can be applied to the product in advance in the workshop and sent to the site already built into the block.

Thanks to an interlocking building block concept, Showblock can fit from small pop-up projects (one structure is 16.6 sq m) to very large events by using multiple blocks next to each other, or even on top of each other.

How is Showblock helping events be sustainable? Nick Cole: Based on a robust metal framework, Showblock’s innovative structures are a rental product which can be used for many years. Using Showblock considerably reduces waste compared to one-off temporary structure builds for pop-ups of exhibition standards.

The structure’s steel frames, roofs, sub-floors, stud walls, glazing, doors, railings, and cantilever arms are all re-used and are the key components for our structures. Power cables, distribution units, sockets, air-conditioning units, and lighting fixtures are also kept in stock. Universal aperture sizes mean that cut-to-size materials can be reused. Wall panels such as corrugated steel sheets, Dibond panels, and wooden slats can be stored and re-fitted for future projects. Composite decking and carpet tiles are examples of flooring finishes that can be reused.

In terms of transportation, all work is completed at our warehouse unit prior to on-site delivery. This approach means fewer supplier cars, vans, and lorries travelling to the site. Two completed Blocks travel on one trailer. A minimal crew is required to set up as the structures remain assembled. For tours or multiple site events, this means no repeat material installations with minimal crew and vehicles.

Why do you think it’s ideal for the Middle East? Tom Clements: Showblock is the first temporary structure that can be entirely relocated from one location or country to another, without having to be dismantled. This is a massive advantage for product roadshows or exhibitions in the Middle East. Clients are guaranteed to get the exact same event in every location, saving time and making project coordination simpler.

Showblock is unique – it offers a premium structure, more modern and architecturally designed than traditional marquees. This product gives creatives flexible building blocks to configure any type of event. Photos: Maestra www.maestra-me.com/showblock

DLC EVENTS TAKES STOCK OF NEW CONFERENCING KIT

LIAM HOLMES OF DUBAI-BASED DLC EVENTS TALKS TPMEA THROUGH THE COMPANY’S NEW CONFERENCING EQUIPMENT INVESTMENT.

Why have you decided to make such a substantial investment in Televic Plixus Confidea Microphones and E-Ink Nameplates? At DLC, we have always aimed to set the standard for conferencing technology within the region, and success in any endeavour requires a significant amount of consideration and financial commitment. Our investment in Televic advances our goal of offering our clients a comprehensive solution for events of any scale. Conferences aim for efficient debate and decision-making, and a qualitative delegate microphone solution is essential in achieving this. Technology moves quickly and as such we are keen to follow it to the frontier, offering optimal end-user experiences for our clients.

How do they complement your current stock? Delegates familiar with our existing products will have no problem adapting to this new system; Televic seamlessly integrates with our existing stock of Shure DCS6000 interpretation equipment. With over 2,500 push-to-talk microphones in stock, we are capable of providing for all the largest conferences that take place in the region, as well as supporting requirements on an international scale.

What features do end users benefit from? Auto-redundancy provides additional reassurance should any circumstances occur that require it – this will limit any obstructions to deliberation and the delegate’s experience. Additionally, Dante, as the audio transporter, allows for a more precise control over the mixes we send to AV suppliers.

This provides audio engineers in a room with 800 microphones with the ability to pick the composition and grouping of the mixes we provide, leading to a finer crafted audio experience for the delegates attending and operators onsite. Our digital E-ink nameplates now allow an ease of integration of logos and other branding elements alongside a delegate’s name and their title, adding an additional level of personalisation to each event that is visible during broadcast.

Where has Televic been used before? Televic can be seen at installations in notable venues such as: NATO headquarters in Evere, Brussels; European Court of Justice, Luxembourg; and many other prestigious institutes throughout Europe, Asia, and America.

We will be pioneering the use of Televic as a rental solution within the region, offering the same functionality and level of technicality provided by high-level institutions throughout Europe on a temporary basis.

How does this investment assist your goal of providing the most modern and comprehensive solution for clients? We have maintained our position as market leaders and pioneers in push-to-talk and conferencing systems within the region, and continually take steps to expand and develop our services – this is not only limited to our conferencing division, as we have also expanded our stock of AV equipment, radio/ communications, and begun offering services such as autocue equipment rental and operators. Televic meets the criteria for our requirements as a rental house, and we look forward to working to provide the best experience possible to attendees in collaboration with our clients. Photo: Televic www.televic.com www.dlcevents.com

MARTIN MAC AURA XIP

PRODUCT MANAGER, WOUTER VERLINDEN OUTLINES THE BENEFITS OF MARTIN’S REVOLUTIONARY NEW INDOOR/OUTDOOR MOVING HEAD FIXTURE.

What were the main goals for the MAC Aura XIP? When we launched the MAC Aura in 2011 and the MAC Aura XB in 2014, they quickly became workhorses for many rental companies all around the world, covering an extreme variety of applications. The goal at the start of the MAC Aura XIP development was clear: make the workhorse even more versatile without introducing new compromises.

We wanted to keep size, weight, output and noise levels close to (or better than) the MAC Aura XB; add outdoor rating without forgetting that the product will also be used indoor; improve the wash quality; and incorporate customer feedback. How important was versatility to the fixture? It was clear from the start that the market needed an outdoor-rated MAC Aura, but we didn’t want to make two products – we wanted to create a single product that would work equally well indoor and outdoor, with close to zero compromises on either application.

The goal for our R&D team was clear: make it survive outdoor in any weather condition, but don’t build a big, ugly, heavy and loud ‘metal tank’. Several new solutions were needed to achieve this, with each needing to be tested extensively in both laboratory and real-world settings and fine-tuned. Testing at Martin is never a single iteration. After every test, our engineers identify how the product can be made even more robust and then test again, even if it already passed the test the first time. Our engineers aren’t happy until a product passes all the tests with a large safety margin.

What was behind the decision to include pixel control with video mapping capabilities? While pixel control might not be important for some customers, it is a must for others. Some designers are looking for a damn good wash light without too many bells and whistles, and the MAC Aura XIP ticks that box.

Similarly, a rental company might hire the fixtures to a designer on a TV show or tour, where the designer needs to create a variety of looks from the fixtures. And this is where pixel control, video mapping, Aura filaments and internal FX macros come into play. None of these prevent the fixture from being a good wash light, but they add more versatility.

What were the biggest challenges in bringing the product to market? It’s no secret that the market is still struggling with component shortages, and these affected the development and production start-up of the MAC Aura XIP. But our teams took this into account from the earliest stages of the product development. As soon as a certain part or component within the design was finalised and tested, our factory in Pecs, Hungary, started to build up stock of that part.

Could developments such as MAC Aura XIP see the eventual end of indoor/outdoor-specific products? Before the introduction of the MAC Aura XIP, the market seemed to accept that there are indooronly and outdoor-only products, forcing rental companies to invest in both – often resulting in half of them being stuck in the warehouse for part of the year.

Martin’s goal was to challenge this status quo and allow rental companies to increase their return on investment by offering a product that can be used all year round, indoor and outdoor, with close to zero compromise in each environment. We will continue to do this with upcoming products. Photo: Martin www.martin.com