The Mediatech Africa expo returned to Johannesburg, South Africa, for the first time since 2019, generating massive interest as the region demonstrated its huge enthusiasm for the world of entertainment technology and hunger for knowledge about the related technologies.
Robe lighting fully embraced the positive energy at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, showing a range of exciting new products presented by a large international team on their booth in the ‘DWR Village’ area of the expo. DWR is Robe’s very proactive distributor for southern Africa.
Other Robe Group businesses and brands represented included architectural LED lighting manufacturer Anolis, lighting and visual control manufacturer Avolites, and power distribution specialist LSC Control Systems.
Robe took the opportunity to launch its new LEDBeam 200 product on the African continent! An update to the original massively successful LEDBeams 100 and 150, the LEDBeam 200 offers more punch, higher brightness, and richer colours thanks to a seriously powerful LED engine that is just as fast and light in weight as the originals!
Also new was Robe’s Arianne6 and Arianne2 LED wash fixtures complete with outstanding colour mixing, increased output, plus full IP65/66 ingress protection and simplified maintenance – ideal for the African events industry where much of the work is outdoors.
These highly versatile fixtures are also perfect for the Southern African market, which is known for producing world-class shows on expedient budgets and lots of creativity.
Robe’s high-density stand also highlighted a selection of its current moving light ‘powerhouse workhorses’, including the new GigaPointe, which was central to the show presentation, together with iESPRITE LTLs, iBOLTS, SVOPATTs and TetraXs.
The stand lightshow was running on an Avolites D7 – which also attracted considerable interest – one of a new generation of Avolites products to hit the market since Robe acquired the premium brand at the end of 2023.
The DWR Village also featured a separate performance area, that staged a quirky and cool live performance show, Tungsten & Diode, devised by theatre practitioners Michael Taylor-Broderick and David Gouldie. This illustrated how older and newer technologies and approaches can work together for the greater good of imagining a show, and the lighting for this ingenious staging – on a 4m-diameter stage that descended from the roof – featured Robe TetraXs and iSpiiderX moving lights.
The expo was busy across all three days with a lively audience all keen for information and knowledge about the latest technologies.
Robe sent a strong international team to support specialists from DWR, underlining the importance of the South African market, with CEO Josef Valchar and international sales director Michel Arntz as well as Robe’s key account manager Jeroen van Aalst, who oversees Robe’s business in southern Africa.
Valchar commented that it was “great to be back and to experience the best Mediatech expo to date.”
He complimented the organisers in sectioning off the exhibition according to sectors – broadcast, live & events, integration, etc., which he thought “defined and focused people’s attention” as they sought out various exhibitors and demonstrations, which included outdoor staging areas.
Arntz stated that there was “excellent interest in all our brands,” also mentioning that the quantity and quality of visitors met and even exceeded his expectations.
van Aalst observed that it was “great to be back on the show floor in Africa” and that the levels of knowledge and engagement of industry professionals throughout the region have also risen, together with their appetite and interest in the latest tech. “Overall, it was fantastic to catch up with so many people we knew already and make lots of new contacts. We see events like Mediatech as a vital forum keeping in touch with the needs of this buoyant market and community.”
The whole Robe team was also very proud to support the SOS Chariot fundraising dinner organised by DWR at The Venue in Melrose Arch on the evening of Mediatech’s second day.
Organised by DWR to support the industry, SOS Charity is a support fund for people – particularly freelancers – working in the entertainment and theatre industry who face hardship because of illness, injury, or other unforeseen circumstances.
The dinner included an auction that raised 350,000 ZAR (20,000 Euros) for the fund.
Valchar concluded: “It was a fantastic expo, and also very important for us to support the whole South African industry through SOS Charity and other brilliant initiatives, and of course it is great to see DWR right at the heart of all of this.”
