Launched in 2007, the Gottelier Award aims to recognise product developers who have made a significant and sustained contribution to the advancement of entertainment, presentation, or installation technology over many years.

Last year’s winner was Howard Eaton whose self-named company is known for delivering bespoke solutions to countless theatrical productions around the world – from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s flying car, to the crashing chandelier in the Phantom of the Opera, to the flying Olympic rings at London 2012.

After his win, Howard said, “It is quite something to be nominated for this award and very special indeed to be added to the list of friends and colleagues who have won it. Thank you to PLASA and LSi and special thanks to my friends and colleagues whose continued hard work, dedication and support make it possible to develop and build the things that help deliver the shows we work on”

Previous recipients include: JB Toby (Avolites), Christian Heil (L-Acoustics); Alan Jacobi (Unusual Rigging); Wayne Howell (Artistic Licence); Anne Valentino (ETC); David Cunningham (Entertec); Pasquale Quadri (Claypaky); Jim Bornhorst (Vari-Lite); John Meyer (Meyer Sound); Terry Clarke (Klark Teknik, MC2 Audio); Fred Foster (ETC); Alex Cooper (Midas & Klark Teknik); John Stadius (DiGiCo / Soundtracs); Tony Andrews (Funktion-One).

If you know a respected product developer or R&D team, please submit your nomination online by completing a short form, explaining why your nomination is deserving of the Gottelier Award.

Once all the nominations are vetted, voting will open to registered PLASA Show visitors, PLASA members, and readers of LSi.

The winner of the Gottelier Award will be announced during an intimate ceremony from 6pm on Monday 2nd September at PLASA Show 2024, which is held at Olympia London, UK.

You can submit a nomination for the Gottelier Awards via the official nomination form: https://forms.gle/qktFJ7G8UsKCrqms5

For more information about the Gottelier Awards and T&Cs, view the official brochure here: https://bit.ly/4cRRBHU

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Organised in association with LSi, the awards celebrate innovative products from across the live entertainment technology industry that demonstrate a new style of thinking, improve technical practice or safety, introduce new materials or techniques, or offer a new commercial advantage.

Each successfully entered product will be judged by an independent panel of industry experts who have the authority to present up to eight awards of equal standing, one of which can be upgraded to a Gold Award for an outstanding new product.

Last year, Brompton Technology scooped Gold for their Tessera G1, with Coda Audio, Funktion One, Robe Lighting, Astera, Obsidian Control Systems, and Martin also going home with awards.

Also up for grabs is an Award for Sustainability, which is reserved for a product that can demonstrate a significant reduction of power, utilises renewable energy, or has a positive impact on the environment.

All nominated products are showcased in the popular Innovation Gallery at the heart of the PLASA Show floor, as well as all year round on the virtual Innovation Gallery. Products can also benefit from exposure in LSi, as well as the show website, emails and social media, reaching thousands of dedicated industry professionals.

Not only that, the awards themselves will be presented during an intimate industry ceremony on the Monday evening of PLASA Show 2024 which is running from 1^st – 3rd September in the Grand Hall at Olympia London.

The awards are open to all – including PLASA Show 2024 exhibitors, PLASA members, and non-member non-exhibitors. Furthermore, early bird entries can save 20 percent of the entry fee and take advantage of LSi editorial coverage if they apply by Friday 2nd August.

James Eade, chair of the judging team, comments, “The PLASA Awards for Innovation continue to be top for genuine innovative products, independence and credibility. Winning one of the awards is known to make a big difference to the success of a product, something past winners have routinely commented on.”

Find out more about the PLASA Awards for Innovation here: 
https://www.plasashow.com/entering-plasa-awards

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“Evaluations by independent and globally acting rating agencies such as EcoVadis are highly relevant for our company, as they confirm the path we have taken with all the measures we have implemented so far and the goals we have set for ourselves. Together with our specialist departments, the Sustainability Team makes the best possible contribution to the Zumtobel Group’s sustainable development. This benefits the environment, our customers, and our partners, ” says Sebastian Gann, Sustainability Director at the Zumtobel Group.

Sustainable development

While the Zumtobel Group particularly distinguished itself in the area of sustainable procurement last year, this year, an improvement of ten points was achieved in the area of labour and human rights. This was mainly due to the numerous measures implemented regarding employee health in the past financial year and the fact that ISO 45001 certifications (management systems for occupational health and safety) were obtained for all European plants. With a total score of 78 points, the lighting group was able to maintain its solid rating foundation while at the same time further improving it.

About EcoVadis

EcoVadis, an independent platform for sustainability ratings, was founded in 2007 and assesses the performance of companies in the categories Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Sustainable Procurement, and Ethics. The rating is based on international sustainability standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and ISO 26000. More than 130,000 companies from over 180 countries and 220 industries regularly have their value chain evaluated by EcoVadis.

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The Silhouette Awards team are looking for senior members of the lighting industry to Mentor winners of the 2024/2025 programme. Becoming a Silhouette Awards Mentor is a fantastic opportunity with many personal and professional benefits. Those selected will become part of an international network of renowned past and present Mentors, defining the programme’s winners by forming a valued part of the judging panel. Mentors will review all nominations and participate in the independent judging process, before being part of the online winner’s ceremony.

This incredibly fulfilling role allows Mentors to share their valuable knowledge and experience with one of the industry’s rising stars, becoming a key part of their journey and helping them flourish over a six-month mentorship period. During this journey, there is also the opportunity to learn from other Mentors and Mentees for a two-way process of growth and development.

Silhouette Mentors from the previous three years discuss what mentoring means to them and why they believe that mentorship is so important.

Beata Denton, Year 1 Mentor, says: “One shouldn’t ever underestimate the importance of sharing or asking for advice. It’s vital for a rewarding and successful career. Learn that early on and you will never feel alone; you will be braver and find more joy in your career. For both mentor and mentee, since it’s often the case that we come from different countries and even different continents, it is an eye opener. We are so wonderfully similar and yet our working environments and daily challenges differ to a greater or lesser extent, due to cultural differences. The world gets both bigger and smaller when one is part of this mentorship program.

Rachel Fitzgerald, Mentor from Year 3, adds: “My personal journey wouldn’t be where it is today without the invaluable guidance of mentors. Whether in the form of a trusted advisor, a network of experienced peers, or even those with less experience offering fresh perspectives, I’ve consistently learned and continue to learn tremendously from this dynamic support system. This is why mentorship holds such significance: it fosters a powerful exchange of knowledge, creating a communal space for growth and development that benefits both the mentor and the mentee.” 

Mentor applications are open from Monday, the 3rd of June, until Monday 5th of August 2024. To apply to be a Silhouette Awards Mentor, you must be an experienced and senior member of the Lighting Industry with more than 15 years of experience. The Silhouette Awards team will review all submissions and contact the successful candidates at the beginning of September 2024, as the new season officially starts in mid-September. The winners will be announced at the end of February, and the mentorship journey officially starts on 1st March and continues until 31st August 2025.

If you would like to be a valuable part of someone’s design journey, apply to become a Silhouette Awards Mentor here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe7xZtomqWNFA2U8z4ed6sMpotjqR_wrMZC2GCxPonpNkX9Mw/viewform

The Silhouette Awards is a collaboration between Parrot PR and Marketing and Archifos.

Eve Gaut, Silhouette Awards Co-Founder, Parrot PR & Marketing, commented: “As the awards grow each year, it is a wonderful collective achievement to see another 20 young designers’ benefit from the journey with their Mentors, progressing their careers and developing the future of the industry. We have seen a lasting impact from the past two years at how the mentorship journey has made a huge difference to our Mentees.”

Katia Kolovea, Silhouette Awards Co-Founder, Archifos, added: “As the pool of Mentors grows larger and reaches further around the world, we are proud to see how everyone is connecting and supporting each other. It is inspiring to see how our passionate Mentors want to continue to benefit the industry. This year’s winners equal 60 young talents so far which have been nurtured, making a massive impact on the future of the industry.”

The Silhouette Awards has received widespread support from its:

Power Sponsors: Monarca.

Core Sponsors: ADO Lights, GVA Lighting, and LUG Light Factory.

Light Sponsors: LED Luks – Lighting Solutions, Intra Lighting, ATEA – Architectural Lighting, L&L Luce&Light, Lucent Lighting and WE-EF Lighting.

Supporters: A1 Lighting, APDI, arc magazine,designing lighting, Designers Mind,International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), inside.lighting, Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP), Lightecture Magazine, LIT Lighting Design Awards, Lighting Design Magazine, LiGHT 23, LUCE, Lytei, Skills Army, Society of Light and Lighting (SLL), STIRworld, Virtual Lighting Design Community (VLDC), Workspace Design Showand Women in Lighting.

Find out more about the Silhouette Awards and how you can get involved as an entrant, mentor or sponsor for the 2024-2025 awards programme here.

The post Discover the Meaning of Mentorship with the Silhouette Awards appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The judging panel has discussed and concluded the worthy winners which also include two Highly Commended awards.

The Paul Skyrme Electrical Safety Initiative of the Year Award 2023, South Tyneside Homes, Safe Isolation Procedure and Danger Notification – Diverting Neutral Current Update

The Electrical Safety Roundtable proudly named this award after the late Paul Skyrme, who was known as a true icon within the electrical industry. The South Tyneside Homes initiative updated its existing Safe Isolation Procedure to include crucial stages to test for diverting neutral currents and the associated dangers that may arise.

Through Toolbox Talks and face-to-face presentations, South Tyneside Homes has educated and provided operatives with a methodical strategy for testing for, and dealing with, the risks of diverting neutral currents.

The organisation has provided a solid foundation for understanding, diagnosing, and testing the diverted neutral current faults.

Product of the Year Award 2023, Guardian, matt:e Limited

The Guardian, which was launched in November 2023, is designed to monitor the electricity supply and electrical infrastructure of a property. Incorporating patented O-PEN ® technology, the Guardian detects faults and safely isolates, or warns of, potential faults before damage occurs.

It is simply installed next to existing distribution boards and identifies issues such as loss of neutral and broken pen conductors. The alarm increases electrical safety by detecting faults, safely isolating them, or warning the building owner.

Changemaker of the Year Award 2023: Mark Graham

Mark Graham has gone above and beyond the legal requirements for a social housing provider to improve compliance and is on track for 100% of housing properties to have a Domestic Electrical Condition Report (DEICR) dated within the last five years.

Due to role changes, Mark saw potential to improve the effectiveness of how the electrical testing of their dwellings was carried out and made it his mission to ensure resources were dedicated to enhance electrical safety.

He was empowered to make this happen and on the ongoing journey to electrical safety has achieved incredible results. Mark has achieved a rapid turnaround in the percentage of their housing stock with a valid DEICR.

The Derek Thompson Industry Service Award 2023: Malcolm Duncan

In honour of the late Derek Thompson, a strong advocate of enhancing electrical safety, the Derek Thompson Industry Service Award was created. Louise Adamson stepped out of the judging panel during the decision-making for this award to avoid any conflict of interest.

Malcolm Duncan has been crowned the award winner due to his commitment to raising awareness of safe isolation. Alongside the team at Super Rod, Malcolm has been dedicated to building a campaign regarding safe isolation procedures since 2018.

Malcolm highlighted Michael Adamson’s story and the importance of continuing to educate, promote safe isolation procedures, and improve this particular area of electrical safety. He aims to ultimately get to a place where campaigns are not needed and the fundamental right of anyone going to work, to return home safely is the norm, whatever the environment.

Highly Commended: Aico and Bineesh Babu

The judges issued two highly commended awards to recognise Aico in the Product of the Year category for the Ei3030 Multi-Sensor Fire and Carbon Monoxide Alarm.

And Bineesh Babu in the Changemaker of the Year category for his positive impact on electrical safety culture within Mace India Projects.

The Electrical Safety Roundtable would like to thank all those who applied for the Above and Beyond Awards 2023 and the judging panel for their work in deciding the worthy winners.

To read more about the awards and the winners, click here: https://awards.electricalsafetyroundtable.co.uk/

The post The Electrical Safety Roundtable Above and Beyond Awards 2023 winners announced! appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

Entrants had to answer the following question: Name a film set to which CU Phosco Lighting has supplied lighting products. The answer was hidden in a recent 100 facts blog available on www.cuphosco.com.

Ben stated, “It doesn’t feel quite real yet. I never win anything and never really expect to. I am extremely excited to win this and look forward to the experience.”

His initial reaction was confusion, as he had forgotten entering the competition via a LinkedIn post, but he quickly embraced the excitement of his unexpected win.

Ben, who has been in the industry for over 20 years, is incredibly excited to share the experience with his family. He looks forward to exploring iconic landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House, immersing himself in the city’s vibrant culture.

Reflecting on his long-standing relationship with CU Phosco Lighting, Ben commented on the company’s approachability, flexibility, and commitment to excellent service. Having been a customer for over two decades, he highlighted CU Phosco lighting’s consistency in treating every order with equal importance, regardless of size, and their willingness to go above and beyond to meet urgent requests.

Matt Murray, Sales and Marketing Director at CU Phosco Lighting, said, “We congratulate Ben again on winning his trip to Australia and thank everyone who entered and participated in our centenary celebrations.”

For more information about CU Phosco Lighting and upcoming events, visit cuphosco.com.

The post CU Phosco Lighting Announces Winner of 100th Anniversary Competition appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

The Michael Northen Award

This award is sponsored by the Go Live Theatre Projects (previously the Mousetrap Foundation) Vectorworks and ETC. The winner of this award will receive a £500 voucher prize, a 512 ETC nomad™ Package, a Vectorworks licence for 12 months and an introduction to an industry professional to set up some mentoring.  The winner will also receive a copy of Michael’s book – “Northen Lights”.

Applications are welcome from current students (not just those on vocational theatre courses), Affiliate members of the ALPD, and recent graduates (who graduated no earlier than 2021) even if they are not currently a member, who have demonstrated strong, imaginative and creative lighting designs, detailed production documents or thorough programming files.

The Fred Foster Production Electrician Award

This Award is sponsored by ETC and dedicated to the late ETC CEO, Fred Foster. The winner of this award will receive an engraved trophy sponsored by ETC

In a change to previous years this award is open to nominations rather than applications.   Nominees will be pursuing full-employment in a production electrics career; they will have predominantly worked in the presentation of live performance in places of entertainment: i.e. on theatre, dance or opera productions in theatres and opera houses or on theatrical experiences in non-conventional spaces either in house or as a freelancer. They will have achieved a mastery of their chosen discipline. They will have consistently delivered at a level of excellence throughout their career. They will have sought to promote best practice and technical excellence while delivering world class performance. They will be a great collaborator. They will be worthy of recognition. 

The Anne Valentino Award for Excellence in Programming

This award is sponsored by ETC and dedicated to Anne Valentino, who has been a key contributor to console development and design for both Strand and ETC. The winner of this award will receive an engraved trophy sponsored by ETC

The criteria for nomination are:

They will have been pursuing full-employment as a programmer; they will have predominantly worked in the presentation of live performance in places of entertainment: i.e. on theatre, dance or opera productions in theatres and opera houses or on theatrical experiences in non-conventional spaces either in house or as a freelancer. They will have achieved a mastery of their chosen discipline.  They will have consistently delivered at a level of excellence throughout their career. They will have sought to promote best practice and technical excellence while delivering world class performance. They will be a great collaborator. They will be worthy of recognition.

The Awards will be presented at the RCSSD/ALPD New Technology Showcase in January 2025.

Further Information, terms and conditions and details of how to apply are available on the ALPD website at: https://www.thealpd.org.uk/training/alpd-awards-2024

All submissions MUST be received by midnight on the closing date: Thursday 31st October.

Photo shows 2023 winners.

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The Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Diane Hawkins visited Warrington-based lighting manufacturer Ansell Lighting to present it with its King’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation.

Ansell, based on Stonecross Industrial Park in Warrington, was recognised for its patented Panel Pod product in the first King’s Award for Enterprise honours in 2023.

The award was presented to Ansell’s Managing Director, Mark Abbott, at a ceremony at the company’s headquarters, which was also attended by the MP for Leigh, James Grundy, the Mayor of Wigan, Councillor Kevin Anderson, the Deputy Mayor of Warrington, Councillor Carol Benson, and local Warrington Councillors, alongside key members of staff.

The Panel Pod was created in response to an identified industry need, and converts an LED panel light into an emergency light in less than sixty seconds, without needing a conversion kit or additional ceiling fixture to install. Emergency lighting is required by British law and workplace health and safety guidance, so if the lights go out in the case of fire or other incident it stays on for up to three hours.

Since its launch in 2014 almost 500,000 Panel Pods have been sold worldwide.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise recognises outstanding UK businesses, with recipients being able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for five years.

Mark Abbott, Managing Director of Ansell Lighting, said: “We were delighted to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant, Deputy Mayor and our local politicians to Ansell. Achieving this award, especially in the first year of the King’s Awards, was testament to the hard work and dedication of our innovation team and everyone involved in the business.

Ansell is an ambitious and growing business, and the launch of Panel Pod was genuinely transformative for us, and it continues to contribute significantly to our ongoing success. It is fantastic to have been able to celebrate that success with our staff and the business community in the North West.”

Established in Belfast in 1992 before expanding North West England in 2001, Ansell Lighting is a recognised market leader in the design and manufacture of high-quality luminaires for the commercial, domestic, industrial and architectural markets. Headquartered in Warrington, where it has a state-of-the-art showroom, Ansell operates across Europe, with showrooms in Belfast, Dublin and Madrid and employs more than 200 people.

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Now in its third year, the international Silhouette Awards gives winners the opportunity to enhance their skillset, pursue their career ambitions, and add real value to the creativity of the industry, raising the bar for talent around the world. The winners of the 2024 programme were announced in a virtual celebration which took place on Wednesday 28th February, with sponsors and supporters taking part in celebrating the winning mentees and their mentors.

Tiziana has been partnered with mentor Panos Ferentinos for a six-month mentorship journey to help her progress in her career. Panos is a professional lighting designer with 20 years of experience. He has worked on architectural projects across the globe, in sectors including hospitality, retail, museums, heritage and public spaces.

Tiziana has been part of the MS Lighting Design team, working as a Lighting Designer, for around five years. She studied architecture at the University of Greenwich, where she developed her skills in designing spaces that positively impact the end user. After graduating, she began her journey into lighting design and has managed projects from concept to completion, finding particular joy in witnessing her sketches come to life. She is eager to continuously improve her skills and grow professionally to design spaces that radiate happiness.

Founder of MS Lighting Design, Marcus Steffen, says: “We are so proud of Tiziana for being awarded for her unique skills, talent and passion for lighting design. This is such an amazing opportunity for Tiziana to embark on a journey of professional growth, enhancing her current skills and learning new perspectives from Panos. We can’t wait to see where her journey takes her and what the future holds. Congratulations Tiziana, you’re a credit to the MS Lighting Design team.”

The Silhouette Awards is a collaboration between Parrot PR and Marketing and Archifos.

The post MS Lighting Design celebrates Silhouette Awards win of Lighting Designer appeared first on A1 Lighting Magazine.

ISO14001 is the internationally recognised standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and provides a framework for organisations to design and implement an EMS and continually improve their environmental performance. This achievement comes at a time when the company is committed to embedding corporate sustainability into the culture, strategy and day-to-day operation across the Scolmore Group of companies.

By adhering to the ISO14001 standard, Scolmore Group has demonstrated that it is taking proactive measures to minimise its environmental footprint, comply with relevant legal requirements, and achieve its environmental objectives. The framework encompasses various aspects, from resource usage and waste management to monitoring environmental performance and involving stakeholders in environmental commitments.

At a time of increasing global challenges and heightened environmental consciousness, organisations have a crucial role to play. ISO14001 offers a structured approach for businesses to address these pressing concerns. As well as signalling a commitment to regulatory compliance and to ongoing environmental improvement, the adoption of this standard also serves to enhance an organisation’s reputation, demonstrating a commitment to a sustainable future, blending environmental responsibility with strategic business growth.

Manuela Robino-Courtney, Group Legal and Compliance Manager with Scolmore Group said: “Achieving ISO14001 certification demonstrates a firm commitment to reducing our environmental impact throughout all parts of our business. It shows our employees, customers and stakeholders how important the environment is to Scolmore Group and I would like to thank all those in the organisation who have worked so hard behind the scenes to make this happen. We had excellent contributions from across all areas of the business and suggestions for improvements have been taken on board. Everyone has been keen to embrace our sustainable approach.

“We will continue to maintain and improve our environmental management systems in order to continue meeting the rigorous ISO 14001 criteria for years to come.”

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