PRG’s Series 400™ Power and Data Distribution System Makes Smooth Work of Mercedes Benz’ Cool as Ice Display
February 9, 2007
New Windsor, NY – Among the spectacular exhibits at the 2007 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Detroit’s Cobo Hall, the Mercedes Benz-Maybach display was widely acclaimed as the coolest of all – a shimmering structure of real ice.
PRG supplied the lighting and rigging for the crowd-pleasing booth, including its proprietary Series 400™ Power and Data Distribution System. With its groundbreaking features – including data universes that are assignable anywhere and shared cables for data and power – the Series 400 was the ideal solution for the challenges of mounting a display on a giant sheet of ice.
“It is always exciting to see our innovations in technology being used successfully to bring a client’s vision to life,” says Jere Harris, PRG’s founder and chairman. “This underscores the value of our continuing investments in proprietary products that meet the unique needs of our clients.”
Themed to present the vehicles as ideal for winter fun, the Mercedes Benz-Maybach exhibit featured 18 luxury vehicles posed on a sheet of ice some 130 feet long by 60 feet wide and backed by two 25 foot high walls, also made of ice.
“Complications with the ice made it necessary to re-design the placement of the vehicles twice during load in,” reports Greg Garrison, project manager and electrician for the exhibit. “As a result, we had to reposition 150 fixtures on site – a process that would normally take 3-4 days.”
Thanks to the flexibility of the Series 400, Garrison and his crew were able to adapt to the design changes and be back on track within 24 hours. “Even with the changes, we ended up on schedule,” Garrison says. “The fact that we were able to recover that quickly, without significant changes in labor costs, was amazing.”
Prior to NAIAS, PRG provided several days of training on the Series 400 at its Dallas facility to technicians who were new to the proprietary system.
Overall at NAIAS, PRG provided theatrical lighting and rigging for exhibits and press events for all brands of the DaimlerChrysler Group, all seven Ford Motor Company brands, Subaru of America, Inc., and American Suzuki Motor Corporation.
About Production Resource Group – Production Resource Group, L.L.C. (PRG) is the world’s leading supplier of entertainment technology solutions, including video, lighting, audio, scenery, and automation systems. PRG serves a wide range of markets, including theatre, concert tours, trade shows, corporate and special events, television and film, and themed environments. PRG provides its services worldwide through more than 19 offices in North America, Europe and Asia.
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