A Kinesys automation system with K2 control has been supplied to the Very Good Company (VGC) based in Warsaw, Poland – the first Kinesys system to be available in the country.
VGC is one of Poland’s leading rental and staging companies, and is always keen to be at the forefront of new technologies. They decided to explore Kinesys after initially seeing a system in action during the Depeche Mode “Tour of the Universe” world tour and were hugely impressed.
Sales Director, Grzegorz Niemczyk and chief production manager, Piotr Lukasik were accompanied by lighting designer, Artur Szyman on their visit to Kinesys in the UK to further investigate the motion control system and fully discuss all available options. Following this visit, they decided to purchase a system and chose the powerful K2 software control solution over the more basic Vector control, with future system expansion in mind.
The powerful K2 3D software was also chosen due to the additional scope it provides for more complex automation requirements they plan to develop as their familiarity with the technology grows.
In addition to K2, the initial order was comprised of eight Kinesys converted Liftket 20m/min 500kg chain hoists plus eight Elevation 1+ variable speed motor controllers, an Array PD-ES to distribute power, emergency stop and data communications as well as other associated accessories.
The first gig was a high profile corporate event to celebrate the completion of the LOTOS group of oil processing and fuel producing companies’ “10 Plus” investment programme. This was staged at the Polska Filharmonia Baltucka in Gdansk, attended by a glittering array of business people, dignitaries and VIPs including prime minister Donald Tusk. Singer Basia Trzetrzelewska headlined the post conference presentation entertainment.
Kinesys’ business development manager Mark de Gruyter and technical support manager Andy Hicks went out ahead of the show to undertake a comprehensive on-site training programme to ensure that the VGC technicians were familiar with the system and its capabilities. With the proximity of the first gig being so close to completion of the sale, and its profile being so high, the training was as rigorous as it was crucial.
Prior to de Gruyter and Hicks arriving in Gdansk, the VGC crew – which included K2 operator and technical support engineer, Jarek Gluch – studied the manuals in great detail and thoroughly delved into demo versions of the K2 software and example shows available on the Kinesys website, all of which proved very useful.
Classroom training was organised at a local hotel conference suite adjacent to the Polska Filharmonia Baltucka venue, while the hands-on in situ application of what they had to learn very rapidly was completed in the venue in the days leading up to the show. Hicks comments that “they were some of the fastest learners I’ve ever had the pleasure of training!”
De Gruyter and Hicks remained in Gdansk for the gig, but all the kit was controlled by its newly trained operator, Jarek Gluch. The whole exercise “Proved a great testament to both the user-friendliness of the system and the competence, professional dedication and technical aptitude of VGC staff” says de Gruyter.
For the LOTOS show, the system was controlling the main set piece, comprising a series of 2 x 8 metre diameter semi-circular trusses connected together via vertical strips of LED to form a curved screen that was raised and lowered as an artist and band reveal.
It was a straightforward and very effective movement that all ran smoothly, providing the VGC crew a good initiation with their new equipment and in the process gaining a clear understanding of the whole Kinesys philosophy, whist providing an element of dynamic movement into the design.
VGC are looking forward to many more increasingly complex shows and gaining lots of experience with the Kinesys system, which they are already talking about expanding!
For more press info on Kinesys, please contact Louise Stickland on +44 (0)1865 202679 or +44 (0)7831 329888 or Email ‘[email protected]’ or check www.kinesys.co.uk
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