Hall say that as much thought and effort has been put into the pricing and purchasing options available to potential users as to the design of the hardware itself. A full range of finance is on offer to support the purchase, with leasing, hire purchase - and even rental - provided directly by Hall Stage and the Bank of Scotland - from simple entry level local controlled units to full-blown group synchronized installations. Hall Stage will even buy the venues' redundant counterweights for cash!
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with a counterweight system," says Hall Stage director Phil Wells, "apart from the danger, expense, cost of associated labour, inefficiency, back and muscular problems, dirt, blood blisters, sweat, crushed fingers and occasional tears."
DGS installations are designed to reduce the time taken on fit-ups and show rigging. A bar is available immediately as required and can be loaded and flown in minutes, without the need for re-weighting. "Although not currently illegal as such, various aspects of the tasks involved are definitely inhumane and the practice has already been outlawed in Holland" adds Simon Caldwell, Hall Stage's senior project manager, "and surely the clock is ticking for us in the UK."
"The last three years have been leading up to this launch", says Charles Haines, Hall Stage MD. "We came up with the simple concept back in 2001 and spent a year just looking for the key components. We soon realized that only one material was suitable - the patented ASM steel band - then signed a deal with ASM Steuerungstechnik in Germany, to develop the practical solution we now have."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
