World’s largest LCD now available
Sharp has announced that its 108in LCD screen is now available to buy or hire. The high definition screen was developed by Sharp to demonstrate the advances that are being made in technological innovation and to “affirm Sharp as a global leader in the development of LCD technology”.
The 108in boasts a Full HD 1080p panel, and ASV low reflection black TFT LCD monitor with high-brightness and high-contrast features.
The TV is currently being used in locations the world over, including as a traffic information and weather update display in Japan and a video conference facility in Australia.
“We’re delighted that we can now offer our customers the chance to own our most breathtaking LCD screen,” said Sharp Sales Manager, Commercial AV, Helen Sheldrake.
“The 108in is perfect for movies, sport and gaming - to name but a few applications. We at Sharp know that to some people, having the biggest and best technology is important and we wanted to provide the best product on the market.”
The 108in TV is also kinder to the environment with a low power-consumption design aimed at reducing C02 emissions. Despite the screen being four times larger than its predecessor, it consumes less than four times the power.
www.sharp.co.uk
Roth Audio appoints Roth AV for sales
UK-based consumer electronics company Roth Audio has appointed Roth AV to handle sales and distribution in the UK and globally.
The new company, headed up by James Roth, will handle distribution and sales of Roth Audio’s burgeoning product portfolio. This new arrangement sees Roth Audio move on from its previous contract with Armour Home Electronics.
The new deal also brings a major new investment into the brand from a new shareholder. And Kevin Grosvenor, previously of Harman International, has joined Roth AV as Head of UK Distribution Management. Roth AV is also actively looking to recruit successful sales professionals, as well as fill a tech support position.
“In these challenging trading times, we are chuffed to offer some great news about a great British company,” James Roth said.
“On a personal note, I am delighted to renew my working relationship with Kevin Grosvenor - this guy really knows his stuff and within a week of joining he had significantly advanced Roth Audio’s sales. Here is to a new year and a new partnership.”
The new setup won’t disrupt James Roth’s involvement in the Fatman brand, where he continues to lead product development and international sales and marketing. Fatman is headed up by Tony Larking - Tony is also the man behind professional recording equipment manufacturer TL Audio - and retains its exclusive UK distribution deal with Henley Designs.
www.rothaudio.co.uk
Armour Home wins Sonance ‘Euro Distributor of the Year’
Armour Home has been awarded ‘European Distributor of the Year’ by Sonance, out-performing the other 26 Sonance distributors across Europe to win.
“We are extremely pleased to have received this accolade, because it is given in recognition, not only of the substantial increase in sales that we have achieved over the last year, but also of the ‘total service’ that we provide to our customers,” commented Ashley Hutchinson, brand manager responsible for Sonance products in the UK (pictured centre).
He continued, “As well as carrying large stocks for next-day delivery and providing full technical support and service back-up, the Armour Training Academy runs comprehensive training courses on all the Sonance products available in the UK.”
Aided by successful launches of new models in both its ‘Visual Performance’ and ‘Cinema’ loudspeaker ranges, Sonance’s UK sales increased 19% over the last 12 months.
Sonance products are available from authorised retailers and custom installers throughout the UK. Armour is the exclusive UK distributor of the Sonance range of in-ceiling and in-wall loudspeakers, as well as the market leading ‘iPort’ range of multi-room compatible in-wall and free standing docking stations for Apple iPods.
www.armourhome.co.uk
www.sonance.com
Pure trebles export sales
Pure has reported that it experienced a trebling in export sales during 2008 – and it looks set to expand its international business still further this year. Buoyant demand from the likes of Switzerland, Denmark and Norway – as well as from UK consumers – has driven the near trebling in growth.
“Our strong overseas growth is further evidence that DAB digital radio is gaining traction worldwide, and that the transition to digital radio is inevitable,” commented Dr Hossein Yassaie, Chief Executive of Imagination Technologies, Pure’s parent company.
The global digital radio market is about to open up with the adoption this year of DAB+ by Australia – where Pure has just opened an office – with Germany and France destined to follow at the end of 2009.
“Consumers continue to value the appeal of digital radio equipment in spite of volatile demand for other consumer electronic products,” said Dr Yassaie. “We are particularly encouraged by the sales volumes overseas, reflecting DAB launches in several key territories.”
www.pure.com
BBG and Vogel’s part company
BBG Distribution Limited and Vogel’s Products BV have announced that they will cease trading exclusively with each other as of March 2nd 2009 and that BBG will no longer represent the brand in the UK as from March 23rd.
BBG and Vogel’s told HCD that they have reached this decision “by mutual consent based on the changing face of the European and Worldwide Retail Sector”.
“Vogel’s would very much like to thank BBG for the fantastic job BBG has done for Vogel’s in England, Scotland and Wales. It has been a pleasure working with them,” commented Gerdi Vogels, Vogel’s CEO.
Gordon Dutch CEO at BBG added: “Vogel’s has been a wonderful product line for BBG, but with the changing face of the Retail environments Worldwide and especially in Europe, both parties felt it would be best to separate at this point”.
Both BBG and Vogel’s will be contacting retailers directly to advise them of final order dates and how their future businesses in the UK will be conducted.
www.bbg.eu.com
www.vogels.com
Viewsmart initiative doubles sales
Alphason claims that its new initiative, aimed at selling more accessories, has doubled sales for some dealers. Viewsmart, which has so far found favour with almost 150 stockists around the UK, was launched by the AV furniture and accessories brand before Christmas.
Reporting that sales of brackets have doubled, Julie Dixon, Retail Manager at De Cobains in Goole, East Yorkshire, says: “We used to hate selling brackets before because it was all so technical but now it’s so simple. Viewsmart provides us with an excellent informative brochure, great demonstration stands that enable the customer to physically touch and feel the product, plus the Smartfit guarantee.”
Paul Giles, Managing Partner at Gerald Giles in Norwich, agrees. “Viewsmart has made a huge difference to our sale of cables and brackets. Consumers can now see what they are getting for their money and this encourages them to spend more.
Finally, Chris Stewart, buying manager at the Scottish Hydro Electric group, thinks Viewsmart makes this area of the business “more focused and easier for consumers to understand.”
www.alphasondesigns.com
ISE attendance up 11 percent on 2008
The sixth annual ISE attracted 24,912 attendees to the Amsterdam RAI – up from 22,199 last year, and another record attendance for the event. This perhaps unexpected success was despite the economic downturn and the snow that caused chaos and flight cancellations in the UK.
“ISE 2009 may be remembered more for the state of the world economy and for the UK’s snowy chaos than for the success of the event, but that would be unfair,” HCD publisher Rob Lane comments.
“The HCD team defied yet more snow to return home late last week, and we’re currently reflecting on what was arguably the best ISE yet - certainly in terms of the quality of exhibitors, and now it seems attendance too. We congratulate the organisers and exhibitors for putting on an excellent show.”
Reporting on his experiences of the event, Lane continues: “ISE 2009 Day 1 appeared quieter than in previous years, but given the problems virtually everyone in the UK trade had getting to the event, this is hardly surprising. Day 2 was very busy, although the additional halls spread the footfall somewhat, seemingly giving the mistaken impression amongst some exhibitors that numbers were down (although the majority of exhibitors HCD spoke to were very pleased with attendance to their stands).
“The final day was disappointing, perhaps a combination of the downturn and the forecasts of additional snow in the UK contriving to reduce numbers. - although ISE’s official show figures would seem to contradict this.”
Lane adds: “The show itself was undoubtedly the best yet. It seems unfair that consumers have to battle the madness of IFA, when all the really good stuff is compacted into ISE - a truly big show now, but not impossible to get around in a couple of days. But this is our event - the best trade show in Europe, and showing no signs of slowing.”
ISE 2010 will take place 2–4 February 2010, at the same venue. Over 70% of the 2009 exhibit space has already been reserved.
A full report on ISE 2009 will appear in the March edition of HCD, and on this site.
www.iseurope.org
Lawton acquires Diamond Stylus
Lawton Trading Limited has acquired Llandudno based DSC (Diamond Stylus Corporation). The Diamond brand will be retained with the business when the company moves to Lawton’s distribution centre in the West Midlands during Feb/Mar 2009.
The acquisition will further strengthen Lawton’s position in the market as one of the UK’s leading AV distributors, incorporating brands such as Philips, Techlink, Sennheiser, Onkyo, B-Tech, Vita Audio, Maxell, One for All and TDK.
“This will provide positive benefits to both Lawton and Diamond Stylus customers by enabling access to a wider range of quality brands and products supported by a new larger field sales force and customer service team,” says Lawton MD Neil Drain.
www.lawtontrade.com
ISE Middle East Africa ‘postponed’
The inaugural Integrated Systems Middle East Africa (ISMEA) trade show has been postponed until further notice. Originally scheduled for 23-24 March at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center, the event will now be staged at a later date according to the organisers, Integrated Systems Events, LLC, and UBMI UAE Jersey Limited.
“We had a tremendous response from the AV and electronic systems industry to our plans to launch an event in this region,” Mike Blackman, Managing Director, Integrated Systems Events, comments
“However, in the light of trading conditions, some of our key exhibitors had raised concerns about the timing of the event. We have always listened closely to the advice of our industry and tried to tailor our events to suit its needs, and we believe that postponement is the best option for all of us at this time.”
Kent Daniels, Event Director, UBMI UAE Jersey Limited, adds: “While it is always disappointing to postpone the launch of an event such as ISMEA, it is not in anybody’s interest to proceed with a new show if market conditions are making it difficult to deliver an event of the quality and integrity for which both of our organisations are renowned.
“By taking this decision now, we and Integrated Systems Events are securing the future of the ISMEA show as the region’s only B2B event dedicated to professional AV and electronic systems integration.”
Reaffirming the commitment that both partners share in developing the market for audiovisual products and services in the region, Blackman concludes: “This postponement does not in any way undermine our belief that this market deserves its own, highly focused tradeshow and associated education programme. Our consultations with the industry are ongoing, and further announcements will be made in due course.”
Sooloos unveils new touchscreens at ISE
Sooloos has unveiled its first new designs since its acquisition by Meridian Audio Ltd late last year. Two new touchscreen interfaces, the Sooloos Control 10 and Control 20, were showcased at ISE.
Sooloos COO Peter Wellikoff says: “As the first fruit of the Sooloos/Meridian integration, the new Control 10 and Control 20 integrate Meridian’s SpeakerLink inter-component connectivity, as well as legacy-standard Meridian Comms, making fully integrated Meridian/Sooloos systems incredibly simple.”
“This is just the first act of what promises to be an exciting relationship,” he adds.
Along with Meridian connectivity, the new Sooloos touchscreens incorporate on-board S/PDIF coaxial digital outputs, permitting either to function as a complete Sooloos “zone” with the addition of any Meridian Digital Loudspeakers. They also feature the award-winning Sooloos touch interface.
The 15-inch, tabletop-style Control 20 combines simplicity with “unmatched” media-library access and flexibility, while providing audiophile-grade digital audio for unimpeded musical quality to a local-room system.
The desktop-style Control 10 touchscreen boasts a larger, razor-sharp 17-inch LCD surface and integrates a slot-loading CD drive in its low-profile base for convenient, local-room content-loading or playback without requiring a personal computer or outboard disc drive.
www.meridian.co.uk
www.sooloos.com
