Dry Hire Lighting Invests in Robe RoboSpots and Spiiders

	Rael Hancock, plus some of the team. Photo: Louise Stickland

Dry Hire Lighting (DHL), a busy cross rental specialist based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK, is pleased to see an uptick in business as the industry starts returning post pandemic, all positive news which has fueled a recent investment in five Robe RoboSpot remote follow systems and 32 x Robe Spiider LED wash beams.

The company, launched in 2011 to address the need for stocks of popular lighting products, is owned and run by a team of experienced production and technical industry individuals, all with several years' experience and a vast pool of knowledge.

As the number of live shows and events steadily increases, DHL is seeing a demand for various Robe products, reports business development director Rael Hancock, who joined the company September of 2019.

"Spiiders are a 'go-to' fixture for so many scenarios," comments Hancock, and for exactly the same reason, the RoboSpot investment was also seen as solid, and one of the most popular and user-friendly remote follow spotting solutions on the market.

"We're driven by market demand and ROI," and while this is a general MO for dry hire companies, certain additional criteria -- like reliable kit and great support -- are also fundamental to the business running smoothly.

"The relationship we enjoy with Robe UK and the technical support is excellent," confirms Hancock, "another major plus when considering an investment," and he adds quickly that Robe's products are generally rock-solid and reliable.

The new RoboSpot BaseStations -- which work with a variety of different Robe fixtures -- and the Spiiders join an already large number of other Robe products available via Dry Hire Lighting, including Pointes, MegaPointes, LEDBeam 100s and LEDBeam 150s, Tetra2 LED bars, and PATT 2017 scenic luminaires.

Just before the pandemic, the first Robe Tetra2s were purchased, and they are also now being specified frequently as shows re-start.

Hancock joined Dry Hire Lighting after working as director of asset strategy for global equipment rental giant PRG for several years where he also had previous experience hands-on and involved with running of their moving light department. He has been working with Robe products since the original flagship AT series shook up the moving light topography back in the mid-noughties!

He thinks product longevity is a vital bonus that Robe brings to the equation, which is related to RPI in that "it's going to last several years and not be obsolete in six months." He also thinks Robe is well priced and that the brand is genuinely innovative and future focused.