Showcase 2011 Brochure

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NEC Solutions Showcase at London’s Battersea Power Station

NEC demonstrates the power of integration at the 2011 Showcase

London, 8th April 2011 - The NEC Showcase has once again proved the success of its unique nature, by providing a platform focused on solutions rather than technology to create a compelling medium for growth within the displays industry. Held at the Battersea Power Station, this year’s show attracted a great mix of end users, partners and providers from across a variety of sectors. These included big corporate names such as HSBC, O2, M&S, Odeon and BAA; as well as digital media organisations including clearchannel, JC Decaux and subTV, alongside representation from over 15 universities. Exhibiting partners were delighted to get face to face with so many big players and consultants, distributors, resellers and integrators such as Impact, Electrosonic and Reflex were also drawn to the event, which offered excellent networking opportunities whilst increasing awareness of potential applications.

With a total visitor attendance of 555, this year’s Showcase boasted double the number attending in 2010 when the Showcase took place at the BBC Studios, and firmly established the show as a key industry event. Paul Milligan of AV Magazine posted on Twitter ‘Amazing turnout here, half the AV industry is here! Which is even more impressive given it's Prolight+Sound today as well’.

Alun Williams who was demonstrating SMART solutions at the event was impressed by the number of corporate end users he was able to reach out to. “We have the facilities to demo product at Steljes, but by attending the NEC Showcase we can generate great corporate contacts,” commented Williams. “I cannot think of any other manufacturer who could pull together such a diverse portfolio of solutions allowing visitors to focus on solutions rather than technology.”

Also partnering in the Showcase, Scala’s Damon Crowhurst witnessed the quality of solutions in the market place, seeing the industry players “raising their game.” He was pleased with the number of end users at the event, “all those with big RFPs are here today,” he said.  Many other partners confirmed a high level of lead generation, Steve Greenall, Sales Director at Vbrick said “whilst we have spoken to many people we already know today, we have made many more new contacts with genuine opportunities.”

The event also provided an opportunity for NEC to reach out to the channel and demonstrate to previously non-NEC resellers that the company offers good value and is price competitive. Reseller Leapfrog AV flew down from Manchester to attend the event and “made new friends at NEC.”

Neil Goodman, Chief Technology Officer at The Institute for Strategic Studies described the Showcase as “surprising.” He went on to explain: “I have discovered applications which I had not thought of before today and have found that NEC’s product solutions offer extremely good value.” There was a general feeling that NEC’s inherent and undoubted quality no longer held the inaccessible price tag but offered real value for money.

For the first time, the Showcase offered seminars by partnering with ‘The Screen’. Lisa Goldstein who co-ordinated the speakers said they were “delighted to have matched very appropriate seminars for this audience.” Many attendees commented on the quality of the speakers. Martine Dodwell-Bennett attended the Education seminar about which she said: “It has helped me to form our messaging with regards to 3D and will help us (Steljes) to address the hurdles as seen by users in that marketplace.”

Without exception, attendees were highly impressed by the iconic London venue. Tours were operated throughout the day where visitors donned hard hats and boots and were led by a passionate Battersea Power Station guide through the cavernous cathedral to power, up the Directors stairs to the original control room. An awesome contrast to today’s technology in the showroom below - row upon row of dials, levers and knobs resides as a shrine to 1930s engineering. Visitors who arrived in style to the event courtesy of the free shuttle bus service were also impressed by the efficiency of the historic Routemaster buses – beauty in technology.

Creating a renewed buzz within the industry, NEC, its Solutions Partners, Channel Partners, Customers and Prospective Customers have truly benefited from the Showcase in a variety of ways, all of which have positively contributed to the growth of the industry which can only be good news for all.

Show Coverage

AV Magazine
NEC Solutions Showcase doubles in size and attendance (8Apr11) Held on Wednesday, the NEC 2011 Solutions Showcase doubled in size and attendance from last year's event, with 32 companies on display, and 555 visitors coming to Battersea Power Station in London...

InAVate
NEC showcase hailed success as big corporates head to Battersea (13Apr11) The third NEC Annual Showcase, held this year at Battersea Power station in London, was buzzing with partners, integrators, distributors and, most importantly, clients. Big corporate names such as O2, M&S, Odeon, HSBC and BAA were mingling with digital media players such as Clear Channel, JCDecaux and subTV