China - Robert Juliat's Hong Kong distributor, Pacific Lighting (HK) reports an extremely healthy market across the region with a bumper crop of Robert Juliat sales over the last quarter.
"The increased appetite for Robert Juliat profiles and followspots is very evident," says Pacific Lighting (HK) Ltd director, Hugh Chinnick. "We have experienced almost unprecedented non-project sales in the last few months, with some very high profile venues choosing to replace their old lantern stock with Robert Juliat fixtures or augmenting their existing RJ inventory with further additions."
The Hong Kong Cultural Centre's 1734-seat Grand Theatre, which already boasts four RJ Cyrano 2500W HMI tungsten followspots, has replaced a number of fixtures in its main rig with 42 RJ 710SX2 2500W tungsten zoom profiles. "The Grand Theatre's front of house rig was in severe need of replacement and, having already had experience of RJ 700 Series profiles and Victor followspots in the Concert Hall, the technical team chose to go with more of the same for the Grand Theatre," says Chinnick.
Robert Juliat followspots are also in high demand: the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts has invested in two RJ Manon 1200W MSD short throw spots for its Drama Theatre. These come as additions to a number of Manon followspots already in the APA's possession, two of which are used for teaching purposes and two more of which are located in the Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre. Meanwhile three RJ Cyrano 2500W HMI followspots are sited in the complex's 1181-seat Lyric Theatre.
The City Hall Concert Hall, which is equipped with RJ 600 Series 1200W tungsten profiles, has similarly expanded its stock with the addition of two RJ Aramis 2500W HMI followspots. "The City Hall Theatre already has two short-throw RJ Flo 1800W MSR spots," says Chinnick. "That the APA and City Hall have chosen RJ followspots again confirms the preference for Robert Juliat products within venues which rely upon high quality, reliable products to handle their very varied programmes of events."
Off the island, the Cotai Arena at the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel is a multi-purpose, reconfigurable venue that hosts sporting events that include world title boxing, NBA basketball, ice skating and tennis, as well as concerts, beauty pageants and international televised award shows. This 15,000-seat venue has added to its quota of four RJ Cyrano followspots by choosing no less than four Robert Juliat giants, the mighty 4000W HTI Lancelot followspots, to pack a punch across its wide open spaces.
"We are not surprised that the desire for Robert Juliat is so high," says Chinnick. "Whilst the international recognition for their followspots is undeniable, it is apparent that there are very few 2.5K profiles available on the market and certainly not of the quality offered by RJ. The profusion of lower wattage profile spots do not have enough power to cut over the very long throw distances, and venues of the calibre of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, City Hall and the APA need the attributes that only RJ can offer. There is no doubt that Robert Juliat has proved itself in the top venues in the region and other venues have, happily, followed their lead.
"We are delighted with this development and pride ourselves on the level of our advisory and after-sales service to our clients. Robert Juliat, with Pacific Lighting, is here for the long run."
