Company 411

Competition between vendors in any business is commonplace. But the entertainment business has long been known as a cutthroat place where saving dimes can amount to earning thousands of dollars in the long run. So many companies make similar products that a buyer can easily shop around for the best deal. Companies spend serious cash on R&D for a new product, only to find other companies copying their ideas a year later. The business of metalworking — especially truss manufacturing — is no different.

CreateLED has emerged as one of the world’s most advanced LED display screen suppliers, rising in prominence along with the popularity of LEDs — and LED screens — themselves.

Based in Nashville, TN, Elite Multimedia is a privately owned supplier of the most up-to-date audio, video and lighting technologies. Starting as an AV Systems Integrator in Memphis, today they have a team of dedicated professionals working in the concert touring, live event production and AV Systems installation markets. While they may be best known for their relationship with country music superstar Luke Bryan, Elite Multimedia prides itself on being able to pair the right technology with their clients’ vision through an unconditional desire to make each production or project a complete success.

“We keep our head down and try not to look at what everybody else is doing,” says Matt Parnello. “We make our own way.” And for AMC Fabrication, that means making things that no one else can, taking on the nearly impossible jobs and delivering quality work in tight deadlines.

When Scott Scovill joined up with a U2 tour years ago, he had no idea that his relationships and industry acumen would lead to the creation of one of the industry’s most respected video supply houses. Naming the company as a play on the title of U2’s later “Zoo TV” tour, he’d go on to create a company whose name in our industry commands instant recognition — Moo TV.

Laserworld’s world is getting a bit bigger. Founded in 2007 in Switzerland, its array of products quickly dominated the European continent. More recently they have increased their visibility in the U.S., serving the laser needs of live event professionals from the modest DJ to the lighting designer of the largest concert tour act and producer of mega live events.

I’m in an Audi riding over to the DPS warehouse from their HQ in Burbank along with GM Robert “R.J.” Lynn and the director of marketing, Alan Sherin. At a stop light, CEO/Creative Director Anthony Dever pulls up in his Tesla, rolls down his window and jokes, “Wanna race?” Lynn laughs and points out that maybe that’s not prudent, cop-wise. The light turns green and Dever hits the pedal, if only for a short spurt.

“Part of our vision which was developed in the mid 1990s was to become a global company. In order for us to achieve that, we needed to be near to our customers, understand their requirements and grow with them.” So says Jon DeSouza, president and CEO of Harting USA. This explains the reasoning behind Harting opening up a branch in the USA back in 1986, and their continuous growth all over the planet for that matter.

Like a few others, Hermann Fruhm imagined lights moving. Unlike others, he took a wholly unique approach to the proposition, and after nearly three decades of gestation, his vision of a truss rig that moves lights is coming to fruition.

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players,” wrote Shakespeare in As You Like It. And there are few players in the staging business better known, even legendary, than Joe Gallagher. In 40 years, he has built a reputation as solid as his stages for working magic for bands, clubs, corporate and sports events, even churches, with everything done “as you like it.” Even during our phone interview, he was as busy as an air traffic controller, solving issues brought into his office, checking truck locations and tour schedules, taking other calls, getting ready for the next tour taking off in a week.

It’s 9:40 a.m. on a warm January South Florida morning, and gathered around a conference table are three lighting professionals who have been brought to Chauvet’s HQ for a visit. Typical of lighting guys, they are sharing war stories on the challenges of providing lighting and video (in this instance, as it relates to the house of worship market).

One of the great joys of writing features about the professional lighting industry is getting to talk to people who, even after decades in the business, are still very enthusiastic and excited about their work. Mark Ravenhill is one of those. At 44 he is the president of the U.S. operations of German Light Products, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. He speaks with the fervor of someone three weeks into a dream job, though he began his career in the light brigade at age 16, fresh out of the British equivalent of high school. “It’s all I’ve ever done,” the Southampton, England native explained.