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Flight case and speaker fittings manufacturer Penn Fabrications showed a selection of its wares including the new polyurethane inserts for flight cases - the first one of which is for Martin Professional's MAC 250 Krypton moving light. This offers a snug fit and superlative protection for the contents of the case.

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Amptown Cases, one of Europe's leading flightcase manufacturers, was showing its wares alongside Wembley Loudspeaker.
PLASA Show 2025 - Banner - June-Aug 2025

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5 Star showcased its recent major investment into 3D modelling software, 'Solid Edge' from UGS. Demonstrated by Andy Stockdale, who has been implementing the system into the company's facilities, the main software capabilities include the fabrication of case fittings and hardware, case assemblies and photo-realistic rendering. Integration into other company facilities was also demonstrated, such as generation of production ready geometry for use with CNC machining systems. XpressReview, a free 'client-based' application was also shown. Keith Sykes, 5 Star's works director, said: "The interest shown by both new clients and existing customers in this new software was fantastic."

Cases on display at this year's show included a range of Robe Show Lighting moving head trunks, and a 'Special Projects' production console used for the Solid Edge demonstration and there was particular

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Studiospares arrived at PLASA with the imminent release of its new catalogue, which is due around the same time as L&SI goes to press. It will feature around 500 new lines supplementing, and in some cases replacing, the 4,000 already stocked. The company was also promoting its Esmono isolation booths: a flexible, expandable and cost-effective way of providing acoustic isolation for recording and rehearsal studios.

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Most production professionals, musicians and DJs need at least one travel-worthy case for their equipment. Buster Cases takes this to the next level by offering a completely bespoke service, designing and building cases to your precise requirements. New for PLASA were self-contained gig boxes and DJ consoles which can be adapted to any requirement, while a wide selection of other sample cases were on show. Having built cases for clients including Oasis, Jamiroquai, Allen & Heath and Roland UK, the company was fielding a range of enquiries.

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Lewden Electrical Industries, winners of one of last year's PLASA Innovation Awards for its T-Line range of IP44 16A inline connectors, were showing a full range of products to come out of its East London manufacturing base at this years show. Other products on display included its Linebacker cable management and protection system and a range of distros.

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Sales director Bob Ferns reported very brisk business at the Musicase stand, with the extensive range of Road Ready and Gig Skinz products attracting attention from audio professionals, musicians and DJs alike. The Road Ready range covers flightcases for every conceivable kind of audio equipment, while the expanding Gig Skinz series is an imaginative range of tough gig bags which feature compartments for audio equipment plus pockets for accessories. A range of new hard cases for Denon equipment was also on show.

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Cable testers from Cable Jog are well-known, the company's latest audio cable tester was launched at PLASA last year and continues to be a good seller. The company will soon be announcing a new Italian distributor, having signed at deal at this year's show.

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Cee Norm UK markets a vast range of screwless power plugs and sockets. 'Made-to-order' is a company speciality and it's also a distributor for Hemsel power distribution equipment. 2005 was the company's second PLASA show and the encouraging response the company received in 2004 looked set to repeat itself this year.

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UK - AnswerBack Interactive, the audience interaction specialists won the Live Event of the Year category in the AV Awards 2005, through its work with Celador International on the Summer 2005 regional theatre tour of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Live.

At the same event, AnswerBack was also awarded the Grand Prix - an award given to a project that delivers the best documented results to the user company, or shows how technical innovation can be best applied.

Guy Freeman, Managing Director of Celador Music & Events, said "We are delighted that AnswerBack won these awards for their work on this key project for us. They delivered to time and budget and provided us with an extremely good quality and cost effective solution that enabled us to launch a unique and exciting new product."

Paul Krisman, MD of AnswerBack Interactive, commented "I am thrilled to h

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UK - Following significant growth over recent years, Baldwin Boxall Communications has appointed four new directors. Established in 1982 with just two staff members, the company has gone from strength to strength, and now employs around 50 people.

Nick Baldwin has been appointed marketing director. Previously employed as marketing manager, Nick has been with the company since 1999 and has been responsible for ensuring that the Baldwin Boxall remains the first name for VA. He also draws a good pint at Baldwin Boxall's very popular exhibition stand.

Neil Jarvis, working in the sales department since 1988, has been promoted from sales manager to sales director. Steve Reed, who has been working in the company's R&D office for over nine years and has seen the development of many new products, including the very popular CommuniCare range, becomes design director. Chris Trent becomes

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UK - Le Mark has been 'short listed' for a 2005 Cambridgeshire 'Hunts Post' Business Award. This particular award category was introduced in 2002 when Le Mark won for the development of its Gel-Tak Filter fix product.

The 2005 nomination is for "Innovative Management Approach" or "how to improve staff and directors motivation and performance" This followed Le Mark's application and selection to BBC TV 3's new business programme Office SOS to be aired in December this year.

The company was filmed over a 6 month period, both 'in' and 'out' of working hours. This also included a day at Le Marks booth during the PLASA show.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Forge Europa has been named the winner of The Pride of Cumbria 2005 Business of the Year Social Responsibility Award. The award was presented to Forge Europa's Directors Peter and Julie Barton by former Blue Peter and Songs of Praise presenter, Diane Louise Jordan at a special awards ceremony dinner held at Carlisle Race Course.

Forge Europa, an electronics company from Ulverston specialising in the design, manufacture and supply of LED lamps, displays and lighting, was particularly pleased to receive the award as it acknowledged its community work, charitable activities, positive attitude towards the environment and commitment to social responsibility.

"The Social Responsibility Award reflects the importance Forge Europa places on putting something back into the community and it challenges the often portrayed image of business being uncaring and purely financ

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UK - Stage Electrics was very pink and fluffy on Friday 28 October, in support of the Breast Cancer Campaign. Marketing's Helen Gadbury and Marie Wilson organized the "pink day" by encouraging staff to wear something pink and donate money for the fund raising event. Costumes included everything from paisley pink pyjamas and lurid pink socks to the pink gossamer wings worn by David Whitehead's PA Jenny Redman.

"James Bull from the Projects team looked very comfortable in his pink pussy pyjamas and Anna Western had even more pink on than usual. The menu for the day at The Green Room café at Stage Electrics Bristol offered pink sponge dessert with pink custard, served by men wearing pink bandanas," said a spokesperson.

First prize for the best pink costume was won by Sandra Brimson, one of Stage Electrics' housekeepers, who herself is a breast cancer su

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UK - The Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA) has invited nominations from its Full UK Members for three places on its executive committee, the body that provides strategic direction to the Association.

The nine members of the executive committee play a critical role in driving the numerous initiatives undertaken by the Association. Industry certification schemes, a Manufacturers Forum, a major membership restructure and maximizing opportunities related to the Olympics are just a few of the projects currently in discussion.

Committee members come from all sectors of the industry, but have in common a determination to develop and shape the strategic direction of the Association, helping to create a positive business environment for the membership.

Matthew Griffiths, chief executive of PLASA, commented: "It's always encouraging to see interest in the future

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UK - Kelsey Acoustics' boat took overall first place at this year's Audio Industry Regatta (AIR), fending off stiff competition from a fleet of thirteen others representing all branches of the industry. The winner's trophy is competed for over five races, which this year took place in The Solent.

The Audio Industry Regatta (AIR) is run annually to raise money for the Portsmouth-based Elizabeth Foundation, a voluntary organization for deaf babies, deaf pre-school children aged up to five years, and their parents. The Foundation provides parent-centred services on a nationwide basis and often without charge.

Following a disastrous last place in the opening race, the Kelsey Acoustics crew fought back to achieve first place in each of the remaining four races to cement their overall winning position for the weekend.

This year the regatta attracted nearly 100 crew members, while

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UK - ACC Productions of Belfast has become the first company in Northern Ireland to purchase HK Audio's Cheddar Compact Coherent Dynamic Response Array system.

"We are trying to expand the market to which our sound systems are pitched," says ACC owner Alsatian Kerri. "We do a lot of theatre and corporate events that our existing HK systems are great for, but we want to start looking at systems for bands and small outdoor festivals for which the Cheddar is ideal."

ACC has purchased 16 CDR 108 mid/high units, eight CDR 210 C sub woofers and two PRO amp racks with additional controllers to enable two smaller systems to go out on hire at the same time. The company already has a substantial inventory of HK AUDIO systems.

Access introduction to Cheddar Compact came about when UK distributor John Horny Skews brought over a demo system for the Indian Community Me

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Italy - Author SpA has signed an agreement with DAL, Advantage Distribution Limited, to become a new authorised Author distribution partner for the UK. DAL is now supplying the full range of Author products which includes videophones, desktop video conferencing systems, set-tops, large group conferencing products and solutions, and the new Vega X Line products.

"Considering the importance of the UK video conferencing market, we want to approach the UK with the best partners and the right tools", declared Marco Viezzoli, Author CEO. "For this reason we opened a new office in London last Spring and now we are selecting carefully high level partners to work with us in order to set up strong business relationships."

Dave Travers, business development manager of DAL, said "We are extremely pleased that Author, a producer of high quality, cost effective comm

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USA - During LDI in Orlando, Capture Sweden will be showing the latest developments of Capture 2005. On show will not only be the latest changes to the Basic Edition, but also some of the new features in the upcoming Extended Edition which is to be released shortly after the trade show.

The new Capture 2005 product family features a large number of major changes from the previous Capture 3.0 version. Says Capture, "Most of the software has been reconstructed in order to make it faster and easier to work with and the large number of console connectivity options which are now plug-and-play makes Capture 2005 the most efficient visualisation and design tool on the market."

(Jim Evans)

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UK - To the delight of older guitarists and wannabe rock stars throughout the UK, the Music Industries Association (MIA) has announced the nation-wide launch of its Weekend Warriors campaign.

The campaign targets 35-60 year old rock fans - who either used to play in a band or are simply keen to try - and places them into groups, organising a number of rehearsal sessions before getting them up on stage to perform live in a local rock concert.

The project which works in partnership with the UK's MIA musical instrument retailers, has been brought to the UK from the US. Following two hugely successful pilots in Stockton-on-Tees and Reading, additional Weekend Warrior programmes are now up and ready to run in Warrington, Stockport, Nottingham, Leicester, Portsmouth, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, Southampton, Bristol, Harlow and Darlington with many more expected to laun

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Every day, month or year is an anniversary of something or other, and this month happens to be the 20th anniversary edition of L&SI magazine.

L&SI was launched for the Professional Lighting and Sound Association by publisher John Offord at a time when the Association had only recently changed its name to reflect its broadening scope: the British Association of Discotheque Equipment Manufacturers (BADEM), which emerged from the 70s disco boom, had become PLASA in 1983.

Looking back at that first issue, the first thing that strikes you is facial hair - particularly at the first ABTT North trade show, which the debut issue covered. As someone - let's call him 'John' (what the hell - let's call him 'John Hastie') remarked to me at the ABTT show this summer, this industry no longer has much to offer the committed trade show beard spotter. The November 1985 issue just underlines the

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UK - Just how tough are your flightcases?A good testimonial for 5 Star Cases' products has come to our attention, following an arson attack outside the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, Surrey.

Three standard 'tour grade' cases - owned by White Light, lighting supplier to a touring production of Annie Get Your Gun - were temporarily left outside, along with the theatre's large butane heater. Two youths (caught by CCTV) set light to the heater, and the flames quickly engulfed the flightcases before being brought under control. When the badly burned cases were opened, the contents - including cables, top hats and other accessories, were found undamaged!

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France - Since commencing operations in September 2005, SA Europe, a new joint venture between Robert Juliat & SA Australia, has been actively expanding its distribution network and presence in Europe.

"We now have distributors in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands" said Bertrand Dauphant, managing director of SA Europe. "These distributors are the key to our success within the European market and we are excited to have the opportunities to be working with these high-profile players."

SA Europe made its trade show debut at PLASA 2005 and will be participating in the upcoming Broadcast trade show in Spain & ACF in Belgium where State Automation products will be presented by local distributor Spai and DCD Belgium. SA Europe will also be exhibiting at JTSE trade show at the end of this month.

(Jim Evans)

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UK - Event freight specialists EFM organised a cargo charter flight for Coldplay this month, ensuring the band were ready to perform at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Portugal.

The band who were playing in Norway on October 31 as part of their Twisted Logic world tour were scheduled to perform Talk at the prestigious awards ceremony, as well as being nominated in a number of categories. With the band's load-in scheduled for November 2, there was no way to guarantee getting the backline from Oslo to Lisbon in time for the planned rehearsal slot using regular commercial air freight methods. The solution was to charter an aircraft of a suitable size to carry the equipment. The aircraft in question was an AN (Antonov) 26.

Immediately after the Oslo show, Andy Lovell of EFM took the musical equipment to Oslo Gardemoen Airport, where it was put through extensive prepar

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