The company supplies lighting, audio, video, staging, draping, etc., to a wide range of clients and projects, and attribute their continuing success at least in part due to investments in premium brand equipment, which saw an early decision to adopt Robe and create an all-Robe lighting rental house.
Taleb has known Elie Battah - general manager of Robe Middle East for many years - in fact before Elie was even involved with Robe. As soon as Elie joined the Robe international team, Taleb started buying the product with great enthusiasm, commencing with the various ColorSpot and Color Wash ranges. This was in around 2007, and he has continued with new purchases year-on-year.
"When we decided to invest in moving lights I wanted to do it in a big way and the important things to me were that we could offer our clients the very best quality products and the latest technologies for their shows, and also that we had a continuity and a commitment to one brand, together with the advantages that this brings.
"Robe products are excellent, the price is reasonable and the service from Robe Middle East is really impressive," states Taleb, adding that if you need products or spares quickly, Robe Middle East can deliver the same day. "No other brand in the region can match this service and efficiency."
Al Rashid Events currently employs six full time staff and works with a regular pool of freelancers who are contracted as the different projects materialise. All their crew and technicians are very familiar with Robe's products, how they function and how they are built. (Not that they ever usually need much more than routine maintenance).
With over 250 Robe fixtures now in stock the list includes Pointes, MMX Spots, LEDWash 600s ColorSpot, ColorWash and ColorBeam 700s and CitySkape 48s. These are all constantly busy.
Al Rashid Events recently supplied technical production - including over 100 Robes - for a large wedding at the Dubai World Trade Centre; they supplied production for ABILITIESme, the only MENA exhibition and conference supporting the special needs community, staged at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The high profile Awafi Festival in Ras al-Khaimah, one of the defining events of the ME tourism calendar, also featured plenty of Robe lighting.
As well as the events, Taleb maintains a healthy cross-rental business - there is a constant demand for Robe products throughout the Emirates - and he is also engaged in a range of installation projects for which he specifies and recommends Robe, including the National Theatre in Abu Dhabi.
He has also facilitated the sale of Robe to other interested companies, most recently LEDWash 1200s and DLX Spots.
(Jim Evans)
