Robe Lighting had a busy and successful LDI 2011 exhibition in Orlando, Florida, USA, where it showcased its latest products including, for the first time in the USA, the newly launched MMX Spot – the first of Robe’s next generation of 1200 series moving lights.
Other brand new fixtures introduced to the US market included the ROBIN 1200 and 300 LEDWash, The ROBIN DLX Spot and the new versions of the CityFlex 48 and CityLine 48 from Robe’s popular LED series.
The ROBIN LEDWash 600 RBGW – Robe’s fastest selling luminaire of all time – together with its PureWhite version, both of which are fast becoming ‘industry standard’ specified products, were also at the centre of the action.
There was also a preview of the Sniper, a super-bright new beam light currently being developed by Robe.
Robe Lighting Inc. was previewing a new generation of ROPIX Visual Systems devices with the first panels of a new series of 60 x 60 cm LED screen product, of which a 6 mm pitch version was shown. Available in the same frame will be 4, 8, 9.6 and 12 mm versions.
Also on display and in operation was a ROPIX video processor and screen controller. The media content was supplied via a Robe Media Server (RMS) and Robe Media Fusion software, however the system will run with all other media servers.
These products will be available on the US market first, and will be fully launched to the public in their final versions at a later date and event.
The team from Robe Lighting Inc. included David Chesal, Jerry Seay, Lorienn Cochenour, Heather Busch, Luis Ortiz, Lisa Cochenour, and Jimmy Duke who operated the booth lighting, and also conducted individual fixture demos on an Avolites Sapphire Touch, supported by Petr Vanek from Robe International’s Technical services, who was on hand with detailed technical information.
Also on the strong team from Robe International were CEO Josef Valchar, Sales Director & CEO of Robe Lighting Inc. Harry von den Stemmen and Marketing & Communications Manager Jiri Baros, together with Jiri Holub and Ivana Holubova from the Technical department, plus Guillermo Traverso of Robe South America and Mick Hannaford, MD of Robe UK. This emphasised the strategic importance of the show for Robe, which has enjoyed one of its most successful years to date in America.
The booth was split into two sections. The latest LED products from Robe’s sister company Anolis were featured in a contemporary styled bar and lounge area, while the Robe dedicated section of the booth was made up of trussing populated with different fixtures. This included all the latest products, which were also available for closer examination on podiums. A large projection screen in the Robe area of the booth was centralised for demonstrations.
Comfortable seating was also available in the Robe section in order for attendees to relax during their meetings and enjoy the good vibes.
There were many visitors from the rental and leisure sectors as well as theme parks and attractions. As is traditional with LDI, a large number of lighting designers from all disciplines made the trip to check out the latest technology. In addition to those from Canada and North America, Robe also met with important clients and contacts from Central and South America.
A positive atmosphere and a real buzz of excitement and activity pervaded the show, which – as far as Robe was concerned – was substantially busier than 2010.
The products attracting the most interest were the MMX and the LEDWash 1200. The front of the booth featured three oversized letters that spelled “M-M-X” and numerous MMXs and LEDWash 1200s were positioned prominently on the front truss.
Robe also ensured that the hospitality flowed at the bar, with a dedicated professional bartender to accommodate everyone, offering a selection of Czech and American beers plus a selection of delicious ice creams and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!
“We think this is the best LDI for Robe to date,” states Marketing & Communications Manager Jiri Baros, remarking that the market seems to be on the move again and people are definitely interested in upgrading and changing their equipment after holding off for a while to see how the economy would react.
He adds that there is a big interest in LED fixtures fuelled by their ever-brighter output, low power consumption and more cost-efficient long-term operation.
Harry von den Stemmen states, “LDI was a very successful exhibition and we will continue to exhibit and be more “in the face” of our customers. We have some very loyal customers, who love the products and keep investing, in addition to being in the process of restructuring our US distribution network. Overall, we expect to see a substantial increase of our business over the next couple of years”.
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