SoftBox Integration Invests in Robe Montreal, Canada-based SoftBox Integration -- a specialist in integration, custom LED manufacture, and AV equipment rental -- is the latest company to invest in Robe's new flagship, high powered, TE (TRANSFERABLE ENGINE) LED luminaire -- the FORTE. The company works across all sectors and creative communities, supplying equipment for television productions, sporting events, corporates, theatre and the performing arts, immersive experiences, etc. This latest investment was driven by strategic "business development" explains CEO Michèle Pelletier. The decision to purchase these, the first Robe products for SoftBox Integration, followed extensive comparative studies and research related to benchmark elements like the product's longevity potential as a rental item -- the FORTE light engine is fully and easily replaceable. The team also solicited the advice and opinions of several leading lighting and visual designers working in several disciplines. The full order includes 16 x FORTES, six FORTE FS (follow spots) complete with five RoboSpot remote follow spotting systems, 14 x Tetra2 moving LED battens and 66 x LEDBeam 150s. This has just been followed up with 16 more FORTES, two FORTE FS (Followspots) and 18 x MegaPointes. As LED lighting specialists, these products were also a logical path to take, comments Pelletier. They liked the versatility of the 40,000 lumen FORTE luminaire which features Robe's new generation 1,000W white LED light engine, complete with independent zone control for even higher output when zoomed, plus all the features. They also liked that a single model allows the inventory to be standardized more easily and efficiently, the company says. The new FORTES were used for the first time immediately after delivery on the TV awards show Les Zapettes d'Or produced by URBANIA. Staged at Montreal's charismatic Paradoxe Theatre, a former church dating to 1920, more recently repurposed and re-opened as a lively theatre and performing arts space, the lighting design was created by Jonathan Barro. The Paradoxe is an environment that all LDs enjoy lighting, and for this show the 16 x FORTES were all positioned on the stage floor, looking spectacular and dynamic, lighting the stage action and the room beautifully. Vincent Lavoie, sales development representative and renowned lighting designer, noted that the output from the fixtures was "awesome," even with gobos in! The FORTES will also be used on long-running productions like the variety show and dance competition "Revolution" co-produced by Groupe Fair-Play and the TVA Network, as well as for new the TV show "Ça fait la job" produced by Connections Productions. The RoboSpot system was purchased partly with "Revolution" in mind together with other situations where "traditional" follow spotting is difficult, dangerous or just impossible. Vincent thinks that remote follow spotting is the future, providing elegant and safe solutions. Taking about Robe generally, Pelletier comments that "reliability, quality, and the highly professional service" are synonymous with the brand, have all measured up to SoftBox Integration's very high standards of excellence, and that her overall experience in dealing with the Robe North America team who delivered the order has been "fantastic!" 
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