Few were surprised with ETC’s March 31 announcement that it would be acquiring High End Systems (HES) from Netherlands-based Barco, which had owned the Austin-based manufacturer of innovative moving lights and control systems since 2008. ETC had taken the rare step of announcing its hopes for acquiring HES with a press release on March 1, while the deal with Barco was still very much in the discussion stages.
Even so, the acquisition had raised some eyebrows in the industry because of the perceived chasm between ETC’s focus on traditional theatre lighting and HES’ emphasis on big concert tours. But as it turns out, with both companies focused on top-quality and innovative lighting fixtures and control systems as the live entertainment world continues is migration from conventional light sources and dimming systems to LEDs, there are really are more similarities than differences.
HES, which first rose to prominence with products such as its Intellabeam fixtures for the dance club and touring market developed under the leadership of Richard Belliveau in the late 1980s and 1990s, has continued its push toward innovation with products such as the Sola family of all-LED automated fixtures and Wholehog consoles.
The acquisition plan calls for ETC will operate High End as a separate company located in its current Austin, TX location. High End customers will continue to contact the Austin office for sales and service, and sales distribution channels worldwide remain the same for the foreseeable future.
“ETC will provide a strong support structure for High End to continue to innovate and make great products for the industry,” noted ETC CEO Fred Foster. “We value the High End products and plan to expand work on their portfolio,” added David Lincecum, ETC’s VP of marketing. “ETC will protect your investment in High End products through strengthened service, support, and development.”
The LD Perspective
After the announcement that the deal was official, PLSN talked to a handful of working designers to find out what they thought of the acquisition.
“Because I come from both the theatrical and concert worlds, I’m really excited about High End Systems’ future with ETC,” says Lighting Designer Matt Guminski, of MG Design, speaking while he was still out on the JoJo Mad Love tour. “In the theatrical environment, ETC is the industry standard in terms of entertainment technology and growth, everywhere from control consoles to dimming, fixtures and rigging. The one area that ETC didn’t own was moving lights, and that’s where High End has always been beyond the curve with innovation and performance. I feel the merger of the two companies will make them a superpower. The new technology that will emerge from this union will really spearhead their pioneering activities in the entertainment lighting industry, not just in rock ‘n’ roll touring but also in theatrical settings, so I’m really stoked. When I heard that ETC was once again interested in High End, I was rooting for them because I believe so much in these companies and their products.”
Over the past decade, Alice In Chains’ Lighting Designer Marty Postma has been a high profile advocate for High End Systems automated lighting and Hog control products. Currently back from a stint as lighting director on Evanescence’s South American dates, Marty says “I am very much looking forward to seeing what fruit comes to bear in the collaboration between these two highly innovative lighting companies. The combination of ideas and markets collectively between ETC and High End Systems will undoubtedly result in a stronger line of products and stronger relationships in the industry. The potential here is huge and very inspiring.”
Veteran LD Mike Mahoney has experience in lighting disciplines ranging from theater, live concerts, television, and film, ultimately landing in trade shows and corporate theater back in 2011 when he formed Mahoney Design Inc. “I was curious and excited to hear several weeks back that High End Systems and ETC were joining forces. I was curious, because I didn’t want anything to interrupt my access to what I feel is the most intuitive, powerful, and straightforward lighting console and fixtures ever made,” comments Mahoney. “The Hog 4 took previous platforms to a new level. I can still operate everything similar to the Hog 2 or Hog 3—but faster and fantastically more intuitively, particularly when driving media servers and LED fixtures.”
Like everyone else, Mahoney has tracked the industry’s march towards more and more LED fixtures, and is continually directing his clients towards using more LED-driven automated and conventional fixtures provided by both High End Systems and ETC. With ETC’s advanced color options for LEDs and High End System’s groundbreaking Bright White LED engine powering High End’s new fixtures coming together, Mahoney sees only good things ahead.
“The fact that High End Systems is now an ETC company is a win-win,” Mahoney says. “Two great companies with amazing resources becoming more powerful and creative. I can’t wait to see what’s next and please keep this designer curious and excited. This brings me to why I was so excited to hear about the merger. ETC has released several LED fixtures and dimming options in the past few years that can all be controlled from the Hog. Fixtures powered by an LED engine are silent. No more worrying about vastly different intensities and color temperature levels. The fact that you can leave the lights on for five days straight and never worry about bulb replacement or color shift is amazing.”
Production Designer Guy Pavelo of GP-SK Design has won acclaim for the visuals he and Steve Kidd created for Drake’s recent Summer 16 and The Boy Meets World arena tours. Asked about what the acquisition will bring to his trick bag, Pavelo says, “I feel with ETC’s strong theatrical roots and prolific product offerings, combined with the new Bright White LED engine within the HES Sola series—including near or optional silent operation—the match is only perfect. In the future, what we will be able to achieve in a theatrical environment will be nothing other than fantastic! I am very much looking forward to witnessing what the partnered companies will develop and create regarding both news products, as well as project development. I think the future looks extremely bright for these two great companies.”
For more information, please visit www.etcconnect.com.
