Russia - Audac has partnered with AV-Centre as the new exclusive distributor of their audio solutions in Russia. They will be managing the sales, distribution and service of the complete Audac product line in Russia from their offices in St. Petersburg and Moscow. AVC provides a wide range of audio equipment which will now be supported by Audac’s experience and products.
“We are excited to introduce the Audac family of audio products to the Russian market,” remarks Tatiana Schurova, managing director of AVC. “Their vision has always been focused on providing the right product for the customer.”
“Now Audac can add value to the customer experience in Russia with our complete line of products,” says Bart Vandermot sales executive at Audac. “These high quality products have proved to be a reliable solution around the world, and with this partnership in Ru

UK - ISCEx 2020 (Coombe Abbey Hotel, 17-18 March) is to take place as scheduled this week, with certain modifications to the event schedule and social programme.
“Following the government’s recent announcement, we have made some updates to our coronavirus (Covid-19) statement in relation to ISCEx 2020 and the additional steps we are taking, which is published on our website,” says show organiser ISCE. “As a further measure, and in consultation with the catering team at Coombe Abbey, we have amended the networking dinner arrangements to allow for guests to enjoy a fine meal with drinks with an option to either stay at the dining tables or return to a more private area if they prefer. We will also be changing the usual self-serve buffet to serving a selection of individual hot food bowls for the lunch during the exhibition.
“As we write, there are currently mo

Germany - Prolight+Sound will not be held in 2020. A statement from Messe Frankfurt, the show’s organisers reads: “On 12 March, the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration issued general decrees prohibiting large-scale events expected to attract more than 1,000 visitors. At the present time, it cannot be assumed that the current situation will have changed by the time the postponed event was to have been held. Therefore, Messe Frankfurt has decided to cancel the event.”
The event was originally scheduled to take place 31 March - 3 April but was postponed to May due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Detlef Braun, a member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt, comments: “We did everything we could to hold Prolight+Sound 2020 as soon as possible after the original dates and would like to extend our thanks to the response and support from n

Europe - ACME Lighting and Highlite International are the latest companies to announce that they will no longer be exhibiting at the postponed Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt this May, due to the health risks posed by Coronavirus (COVID-19).
“At this moment, the entire entertainment industry is experiencing huge challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to the virus,” says Marco Galli, EMEA sales director at ACME Lighting. “We take the health of our staff and customers very seriously. Well-being and containment of COVID-19 is our duty and priority, and therefore, regretfully, we are forced to cancel plans to participate in Prolight+Sound 2020.”
Meanwhile, a statement from Highlite reads: “We have decided not to participate in Prolight+Sound 2020. The new dates after the postponement of the fair do not fit within our plans and vision of the industr

USA - Under the direction of New York state governor Andrew Cuomo, Broadway shows in New York City will suspend all performances immediately in support of the health and well-being of the theatre-going public, as well as those who work in the theatre industry, in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Performances will commence the week of April 13, 2020.
"Our top priority has been and will continue to be the health and well-being of Broadway theatregoers and the thousands of people who work in the theatre industry every day, including actors, musicians, stagehands, ushers, and many other dedicated professionals," said Charlotte St. Martin, president of the Broadway League. "Broadway has the power to inspire, enrich, and entertain, and together we are committed to making that vital spirit a reality. Once our stages are lit again, we will welcome fans back with open arms so th

UK - Event production specialist CPL started the year with some major investments in lighting and video products.
This includes the acquisition of the acquisition of Barco UDM 4K22 projectors – one of the first three companies in the UK to invest in these brand-new machines – plus Portman P1 Mini LED fixtures, Astera Titan Tubes and OXO Pixyline 150 LED battens.
This is in addition to the 40x new Robe LEDBeam 150 wash beam moving lights that joined the CPL lighting inventory in December 2019.
Eight Barco UDM 4K22s join the company’s already extensive fleet of Barco - and other - high-powered projectors, purchased for their quality, reliability and innovative features. CPL plans to use these projectors on several upcoming projects.
Also new for the lighting department is the Portman P1 Mini LED from Polish manufacturer Portman. The P1 Mini comprises s

Germany - In response to an increased worldwide demand for its staging products and solutions, Eurotruss Group has announced its expansion across Germany by adding the full NEXT Truss product line to the Eurotruss office and warehouse in Hövelhof.
Through this initiative, Eurotruss GmbH will have access to the full range of products in the Eurotruss Group portfolio including Eurotruss, Total Structures and the newest addition NEXT Truss.
Matthias Bohnenpoll, MD, Eurotruss GmbH states: “NEXT Truss is a great addition to our product range and we are now able to serve also clients who carry other truss types than Eurotruss. Our new offices and warehouse facility in Hövelhof, Germany, is strategically located to satisfy demand and allow for quicker delivery times and technical support to satisfy their demands.”
Martin Kuyper, CEO, Eurotruss Group comments: “N

South Africa - Vectorworks Spotlight Training workshops will be presented by Dylan Jones at DWR Distribution in Cape Town (15 -17 April) and Durban (20 - 22 May).
The three-day sessions will allow users to explore the power and flexibility Vectorworks Spotlight has to offer. Dylan will cover topics such as layouts and palettes, basic tools, classes and layers, Spotlight tools, intermediate tools, worksheets and reports, 3D modelling, resource management and file import and export.
Delegates are requested to supply Vectorworks Spotlight installed on a PC or MAC, a keyboard, mouse, screen and a valid ID. The cost is R2,100 and includes a light lunch and refreshments.

Taiwan - HK Audio has increased its presence in Taiwan by appointing Winly Corporation as its exclusive distributor in the state.
As of January 2020, Winly is responsible for the entire HK Audio product catalogue in Taiwan, covering everything from portable sound products such as Premium PR:O, all the way through to professional – like the Cosmo integrative line array – and install solutions.
Founded over 40 years ago and based in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, Winly has grown from a small office with only two desks into a corporation with over 50 employees covering sales and distribution as well as system integration and production services.
Andy Chen, CEO of Winly, said: “We were looking for a line of high quality speaker cabinets and HK Audio offers exactly what we wanted. Designed and manufactured in Germany to the highest quality standards, HK Audio’s p

USA - InfoComm’s organisers have issued a statement revealing that, at present, the show is ‘proceeding as planned, June 13-19, 2020 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.’
The statement, posted on the show’s website, continues: “The show management of InfoComm and the executive staff of AVIXA are continuing to monitor the evolving situation around the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on a day-by-day basis, and our thoughts continue to be with those affected across the world.”
Stay up-to-date with the very latest on InfoComm's status regarding coronavirus via this page on the show’s website.

USA - US-based trade show USITT has been cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The event was was due to celebrate its 60th anniversary edition this 1-4 April.
A statement from the shows organisers reads: “The USITT Board of Directors, in an unanimous vote, has cancelled the 2020 Annual Conference & Stage Expo scheduled for April 1-4 in Houston.”
USITT executive director David Grindle said in a video message posted on the show’s website: “I have to let you know that we have cancelled this year’s annual Conference and Stage Expo. This is a very, very difficult decision. At USITT we talk a lot about safety and health and making sure our workplaces are safe spaces. Today, we had to make the hard decision to ensure the safety and health of our members.”
He conti

France - The first sponsors of Showlight Quadrennial (Fontainebleau, France – 22-25 May 2021) have been announced by its organisers. Joining Headline sponsor Robert Juliat, the 100-year old, family-run, French manufacturer of lighting equipment are: Platinum sponsor, Ayrton; Gold sponsors, Eyetidy, Robe and SFL Group; Silver sponsors, ABTT, ACT Lighting and White Light, and Bronze sponsor, PRG. Media Partner for Showlight 2021 is LSI, with generous support from LSA and PLASA. “We are extremely grateful to all our sponsors, partners and supporters, but this list is just the beginning,” says Showlight. "It is a little-known fact, but Showlight is organised entirely by volunteers and would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors. We are currently looking for more sponsors to make Showlight 2021 a success, so why not get involved? There are many ways to become a

Europe - Area Four Industries Direct UK has issued a clarification statement in respect to the continuation of supply of Lightspace deck & truss products supplied via Impact Products (Europe) Ltd who were placed into voluntary liquidation procedures at the end of last year.
Says the statement, “Contrary to recent reports, these products have not been discontinued. Milos, which is part of Area Four Industries has exclusively manufactured Impact OEM brands Spacedeck and Lightspace for the past five years from their production facilities in the Czech Republic.
“Area Four Industries UK owns the rights to Spacedeck and Lightspace products and will continue to provide full sales and technical support from their design and distribution centre in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. All truss & staging stocks have now been transferred from Northampton to Wisbech. Main product

UAE - Genelec has appointed GSL Professional as its new distribution partner in the Middle East, covering the territories of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain & Iraq.
Based in Dubai, GSL Professional was established over 20 years ago with the aim of bringing the best in professional audio, video, lighting and control solutions to customers across the Middle East.
“We are extremely proud to represent Genelec as part of our premium product portfolio for distribution across the Middle East region. I am looking forward to building a strong relationship with our new partner, and extending Genelec’s business through our extensive channel partner network,” said Adrian Curtis, managing director at GSL Professional.
Arun Kumar, Genelec’s regional business development manager for the Middle East, added: “So much of our global business now is b

UK - GLS Lighting, based in Southampton, is celebrating 25 years of offering lighting solutions to all walks of the entertainment industry. Recently, GLS invested in Elation Professional Artiste Picasso LED profile moving heads, along with multifunctional Paladin Panel lights.
“Elation is, in my opinion, one of the most exciting brands out there today. They are charging to the front now, bringing products that are head and shoulders above the rest,” stated Ian Turner, one of two founding directors at GLS. “Everyone has been waiting for a product to do what Picasso does. We all need a bright workhorse spot fixture, LED, good framing blades, bright and crystal-sharp optics – simple! The noise level is also important, and the Picasso is so quiet.”
GLS worked with Elation's distribution partner in the UK and Ireland, Entedi, to evaluate and demo the Elation prod

Europe - The list of exhibitors to withdraw from the postponed Prolight+Sound tradeshow has continued to grow today, with Artistic Licence, Ayrton, Chauvet Professional, Robe Lighting, Robert Juliat, CLF Lighting, and Roe Visual among those who have cancelled their plans to attend the fair.
“The latest Covid-19 developments in Europe and the potential threat for those travelling to Frankfurt from around the world have led us to take a sensible and measured decision after considering the current facts and the dramatic spread of the virus,” commented Robe CEO, Josef Valchar. “I am sure that the industry will pull together to get through these challenging times. Prolight+Sound is the busiest and most important European trade show for us in terms of the rental and staging sectors, and an important showcase for new and emerging technology. We look forward t

World - Optocore will host a free New Fiber Solutions webinar on 11 March (Wednesday) at 15:00 CET.
Company representatives will discuss the latest solutions and innovations from Optocore, along with partner company, BroaMan. They will explain how to use Optocore and BroaMan devices and network solutions in installations, from basic one-device solutions to advanced fiber networks.
To take part in this webinar, follow this link.

UK - Following the news of the postponement of Germany’s Prolight+Sound exhibition and cancellation of Italy’s Music Inside Rimini due to health concerns surrounding the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), PLASA has revealed that it “is monitoring the situation carefully and working to provide the best support it can to its members at this difficult and uncertain time”.
With cases of the virus on the rise in the UK, there is understandable widespread concern about the spread of COVID-19. Currently, the UK government is still at the ‘Contain’ phase, but could move to the next phase, ‘Delay’, in the near future in a bid to help slow the spread of the virus. It remains unclear how this will impact large-scale events throughout the rest of the year. Already, the governments of Switzerland and France have banned public events of 1,000 people or more, including the

Festival Update - Live music and media festival South by Southwest (SXSW) has been cancelled due to coronavirus fears. Organisers of the annual event in Austin, Texas, said they had no choice but to call it off for the first time in its 34-year history. The move was ordered by Austin mayor Steve Adler, who declared "a local disaster".
In a statement on Friday, SXSW said it was "devastated" by the news, but respected the decision. Event organisers said: "'The show must go on' is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place. We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation." Some of the event's biggest exhibitors - including Apple, Amazon, Twitter and Facebook - had already pulled out.
Last year SXSW drew nearly 74,000 people with over 19,000 coming from outside the US. In 2018, visitors spent $3

UK - Solotech has expanded its global operation by extending its video department into the UK and has opened new offices in central London.
As part of Solotech’s expansion strategy in the UK, the company has appointed Ian Woodall as director of video, and Paul McCauley as video business development manager in the UK and European markets.
Ian ‘Woody’ Woodall has worked at XL Video as sales director and has also been a freelancer, designing and building AV systems in European venues and as a touring video engineer on projects including Nile Rodgers and Chic who have been with Cher for the past year.
Meanwhile, Paul ‘Macca’ McCauley has extensive experience in the both the live events and integration industries.
Woody comments: “We decided that it was important to build on the huge reputation of Solotech for video in Canada and the US and theref

Europe - Three further exhibitors have announced they won't be attending this year's Prolight+Sound (PL+S) tradeshow. Loudspeaker manufacturer Adamson Systems Engineering, ionage GmbH - the company behind Madrix - and LED solutions manufacturer Roe Visual have all pulled out of the Frankfurt-based event. The tradeshow, which was due to take place at the end of March, was postponed to 26-29 May due to coronavirus fears.
The three companies have joined a growing list of exhibitors who have formally withdrawn from the annual fair. As of today, these are Adam Hall, Allen & Heath, d&b audiotechnik, ETC, High End Systems, JB Lighting, L-Acoustics, Martin Audio, Nexo, Vari-Lite and Strand, and Yamaha Music Europe. "Unfortunately, we cannot participate in Prolight+Sound this year", comments Madrix sales manager, Christian Hertel. "This was not an easy decision for us at all.

Poland - Tommex Żebrowscy Sp. J. (Tommex) has been appointed Polish distributor for RCF’s installed sound, commercial audio and voice alarm EN54 product lines.
Tommex’ commercial director, Marcin Zimny, explains that the move resulted from changes in the ownership structure and distribution strategy of their existing long-term loudspeaker partner. “This meant we were looking for a new partner with a high-quality installation range, that could complement our portfolio; RCF provided a great opportunity and was an exact match.
“The combination of 70 years of RCF history with 30 years of Tommex provided a compelling partnership”, he adds.
RCF international sales manager, Luca Ombrati, comments: “We were one of the few brands able to fill all the missing product lines in Tommex’s product portfolio. After negotiation I accepted their proposal because

Europe - Several key exhibitors have pulled out of the postponed Prolight+Sound (PL+S) exhibition due to scheduling clashes and health concerns.
Companies including Adamson, Allen & Heath, d&b audiotechnik, Robe Lighting, ETC and High End Systems and L-Acoustics have formally withdrawn from the trade event due to scheduling conflicts or health concerns.
The annual Frankfurt-based tradeshow was set to take place at the end of March but was pushed back to 26-29 May due to the coronavirus outbreak. The new dates have however prompted exhibitors to reassess their plans for the fair.
d&b audiotechnik announced its withdrawal in a

USA - Harman Professional Solutions has announced new six-year extended warranties on all new Crown product sales in 2020.
All Crown products sold between 1 January 1 and 31 December 2020 will automatically receive an extended six-year warranty. This warranty extension applies to all markets globally, excluding Brazil, India, Russia, and China.
“Audio professionals rely on Crown amplifiers to deliver clean, stable and reliable power every day,” says Karam Kaul, vice-president, audio, Harman Professional Solutions. “We stand by the quality and workmanship of our award-winning products and back them with some of the best warranties in the business. Now, for a limited time, when customers purchase any Crown product, we’ll extend their warranty to six years at no additional cost. We think your customers will be excited to learn that they can now enjoy unprecedented

Latest Issue. . .