First Kinesys System in Poland Now Available

A Kinesys automation system with K2 control has been supplied to the Very Good Company (VGC) based in Warsaw, Poland - the first Kinesys system to be available in the country.

VGC decided to explore Kinesys after initially seeing a system in action during the Depeche Mode Tour of the Universe world tour.

Grzegorz Niemczyk, the company's sales director, and Piotr Lukasik, its chief production manager, were accompanied by lighting designer, Artur Szyman on a visit to Kinesys in the UK to further investigate the motion control system and discuss all available options. Following this visit, they decided to purchase a system, choosing the K2 software control solution over the more basic Vector control, with future system expansion in mind.

The K2 3D software was also chosen due to the additional scope it provides for more complex automation requirements they plan to develop as their familiarity with the technology grows.

In addition to K2, the initial order was comprised of eight Kinesys converted Liftket 65.6'/min 1,102lb chain hoists plus eight Elevation 1+ variable speed motor controllers, an Array PD-ES to distribute power, emergency stop, and data communications as well as other associated accessories.

The first gig was a high-profile corporate event to celebrate the completion of the LOTOS group of oil processing and fuel producing companies' "10 Plus" investment program. This was staged at the Polska Filharmonia Baltucka in Gdansk. Singer Basia Trzetrzelewska headlined the post conference presentation entertainment.

Kinesys' business development manager Mark de Gruyter and technical support manager Andy Hicks went out ahead of the show to undertake a comprehensive on-site training program to ensure that the VGC technicians were familiar with the system and its capabilities. With the proximity of the first gig being so close to completion of the sale, and its profile being so high, the training was as rigorous as it was crucial.

Prior to de Gruyter and Hicks arriving in Gdansk, the VGC crew - which included K2 operator and technical support engineer, Jarek Gluch - studied the manuals in great detail and delved into demo versions of the K2 software and example shows available on the Kinesys website.

Classroom training was organized at a local hotel conference suite adjacent to the Polska Filharmonia Baltucka venue, while the hands-on in-situ application of what they had to learn very rapidly was completed in the venue in the days leading up to the show. Hicks comments that "they were some of the fastest learners I've ever had the pleasure of training."

De Gruyter and Hicks remained in Gdansk for the gig, but all the gear was controlled by Gluch. The whole exercise "proved a great testament to both the user-friendliness of the system and the competence, professional dedication and technical aptitude of VGC staff," says de Gruyter.

For the LOTOS show, the system was controlling the main set piece, comprising a series of 6.5' x 26' diameter semi-circular trusses connected together via vertical strips of LED to form a curved screen that was raised and lowered as an artist and band reveal.

It was a straightforward and very effective movement that all ran smoothly, providing the VGC crew a good initiation with their new equipment and in the process gaining a clear understanding of the whole Kinesys philosophy, whist providing an element of dynamic movement into the design.