Ambersphere Solutions' MD, Glyn O'Donoghue is in no doubt about the level of interest generated by this little weapon, "As Clay Paky's exclusive distributor we know that one of their strengths is that they consult with real lighting designers to specify the feature set of their new fixtures; the Sharpy, and now the Sharpy Wash, are the result of that policy. We have been showing one prototype for a few weeks and have been blown away by the reaction from LDs and rental companies alike. It seems like the Sharpy Wash fills a void for rental companies as they have been placing orders without waiting for designers to specify them - it's unprecedented!"
Like its older brother, the Sharpy Wash appeals to end users across the whole of the live event and installation industry as Ambersphere's order book confirms. From TV lighting specialists and corporate event suppliers through to companies that supply rigs ranging from the more modest touring productions through to the gargantuan sized event, the Sharpy Wash has generated interest from all.
Richard Martin Lighting supply lights to the very demanding and continuously developing TV market. As a moving light specialist they need to react quickly when new product becomes available. "From the success of the Sharpy we knew that the Sharpy Wash would be at the forefront of innovation and become one of the trendsetting products of the year," says marketing co-ordinator, Gemma Jaques.
It is not only lighting hire and sales companies that have been attracted by the buzz generated by the advent of the Sharpy Wash as Neg Earth's MD, Dave Ridgway attests, "When we purchased our Sharpy Wash stock after a demo at Clay Paky distributor's, Ambersphere, we already had confirmed projects that had requested it in their spec such as the Pet Shop Boys & Eddie Izzard, along with a sub hire to a third party for an amount of fixtures for a long rental."
Noreen O'Riordan, Director at ENTEC also reports that they have responded to customer demand. She describes the impact of their order: "Our delivery of Sharpy Washes represents a significant shift in the structure of our inventory. There's no doubt it has changed the dynamic of what we have to offer clients. Although the purchase has been instigated by a specific client request, in a way that was just an excuse for us to make, what is for us, a significant investment in the Sharpy brand. Our confidence in the product is supported by the excellent service we receive from Ambersphere and Clay Paky."
Martin Hawthorn of Hawthorn Theatrical Ltd, currently celebrating their acquisition of Anagram, is also clearly delighted to have added the Sharpy Wash to their stock list. "With the success of our existing huge inventory of Clay Paky fixtures, ranging from the smaller Alpha 300s through to the 1200s and the very popular 700 Alpha range," Hawthorn explains, "Adding the Sharpy Wash was a natural progression."
(Jim Evans)
