Global event supplier Arena Group has bought Hong Kong based event production company Ironmonger Marquees, to create Arena Hong Kong, extending its Asian capabilities with a new office and hub in Northern Asia.
Ironmonger Marquees was introduced to Arena Group in 2015, when the companies collaborated on the Art Central project in Hong Kong.
Tom Evans, Managing Director of Arena Asia said: “We worked very well together, identifying a shared ethos of giving our clients the best possible event space.
Arena Group acquired Malaysian company Asia Tent International for £3.5m in June 2013.
“Arena Middle East and Asia Tents Arena work hand in glove serving the growing events market in North Asia and identified Ironmonger as an ideal acquisition to help grow the Arena brand in the region,” said Evans.
Key Ironmonger Marquee contracts that have been delivered recently include the Cathay Pacific HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, European Tour (HK Golf Open), IMG’s Taste Food Festival and shortly to be delivered by Arena Hong Kong, the new Formula E Grand Prix in Hong Kong.
Rob Derry, Arena Hong Kong Managing Director said: “Arena Group has the expertise that has seen it deliver the finest events in the world, which gives us a huge knowledge and skill base to draw on, coupled with the finest structures inventory in the world, so our Hong Kong clients will see a vast expansion in type and quality of equipment available.”
“The success of the Arena/Ironmonger Marquee collaboration over the past 18 months means that Arena Hong Kong launches as the number one event design and delivery business for major events by market share in Hong Kong. Global brands coming into Hong Kong now have a proven world class delivery partner they can trust to create their event spaces.”
Paul Berger, CEO of Arena Middle East and Asia said: “We are delighted to welcome Rob and the Ironmonger team to the Arena Middle East and Asia division and also to the Arena Group. Hong Kong is an important marketplace for the events industry and strategically very important for Arena Group to have a strong presence. Our focus is to grow our footprint in North Asia, as the region builds up to hosting the Olympic Games in 2020.”
Tag: temporary construction
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Arena Group acquires Hong Kong based Ironmonger Marquees
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Bristol Rovers upgrade facilities with Arena Seating
Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Stadium has an expanded capacity with two new look stands designed and installed by Arena Seating for the 2016/17 season.
The use of Arena’s demountable, or semi-permanent, seating systems meant the Club’s upgrades could be achieved quickly and economically.
Following consecutive promotions from Conference Premiership and League 2, the club was taken over by the Al Qadi family in February this year, and has since enjoyed an impressive third promotion into League 1. With the team performing well on the pitch the demand for tickets is up and the new owners have invested in upgrading the aging ground.
In line with advice from the local City Council and the Safety Advisory Group, the club took the decision to lower the control room at the cost of about £10,000 to the football club, enabling a 20 per cent increase in capacity.
“I have dealt with Arena Seating for 18 years, so there is a lot of trust and understanding between us. Their director Bradley Merchant is absolutely superb for this football club, he has always looked after us,” said Ian Holtby, Stadium General Manager.
“Arena have always made themselves available, given fantastic service and been a professional company from start to finish.”
Arena Seating’s in-house CAD design and structural engineering teams combined to ensure the plans were fully approved by the clients and local licensing authorities before the South Stand was totally refurbished and given a 20 per cent expansion in capacity from 850 to 1,056 seats. On the adjacent corner a smaller South West Stand was also installed by Arena, adding 360 seats and taking the ground’s capacity to 12,300.
Success on the pitch means Bristol Rovers has the opportunity to accommodate increased demand.
“Let’s be honest, this is an old, antiquated stadium, so Arena have once again been a very valuable part in upgrading the facilities we can offer,” said Holtby.
“We have also got 18 executive boxes and we have sold all of those, the new owners are probably spending in the region of another £100,000 to make good those facilities.
“With the new stadium plans well underway we are only planning on being here for two years all being well, and obviously we need to maximise the facilities we have, not just on a normal Rovers match day but also non-match day for conferences, meetings, weddings, banquets – that’s what we are looking to achieve. Fingers crossed we get there!” -
Arena Group Saddles Up with The Jockey Club
Building on a relationship dating back over over 26 years with The Jockey Club, Arena Group has been awarded a three year contract to supply Cheltenham, Aintree, Epsom Downs and Newmarket racecourses with temporary structures, interior design , furniture and tableware, spectator seating and scaffolding to the most notable dates in the equestrian calendar.
Ian Sidgwick, Group Purchasing Director, The Jockey Club, said: “Arena Group has worked closely with Jockey Club Racecourses over several years, advising on and delivering temporary environments. They support us in continuously raising the bar with new ideas to get the best value from our budgets, with flexibility to change their infrastructure to best suit our needs. I’m confident they will continue to help us exceed the hospitality expectations of both our brand sponsors and event guests alike.”
The contract provides additional scope and comes after a record year including Arena Structures installing the largest triple deck hospitality temporary structure in the world totalling 125m long and spanning 12,400sqm, along the home straight at The Festival – Jump Racing’s equivalent of the Olympics, staged at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Arena Group also proved pivotal in supporting The Jockey Club’s transformation of this year’s Grand National at Aintree Racecourse, with the installation of more than 7,750sqm of temporary structures complete with bespoke interior fit out, and more than 5,000 tiered grandstand seats offering prime visibility for the revered racing. Arena Group will be the exclusive provider at this event.
Grahame Muir, CEO Arena UK & Europe commented: “We are delighted to announce the further extension of our already excellent relationship with Jockey Club racecourses over the next three years. At Arena Group we pride ourselves with delivering temporary infrastructure of the highest standard to the most prestigious sporting venues and events in the UK, and this contract win is testament to the value, forward-thinking innovation and expertise we bring to clients. We look forward to further pushing the boundaries of customer experience with improved facilities, technology and bespoke design.” -
How the stage was set for a “world class” ATP Tour Finals
The ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in London took on special significance in 2016, with Andy and Jamie Murray creating tennis history by achieving World Number One rankings in singles and doubles.
Behind the scenes, UK-based Arena Group supported the event rights holder ATP and venue operator AEG to produce a new look for the tournament, having secured a three year contract with the ATP Tour.
After the 2015 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, AEG informed the ATP that the space previously used for the Fan Zone was no longer available and conversations between the ATP and Arena Group began to redesign the event’s footprint. It was decided to relocate the Fan Zone inside the venue and move the players and sponsors facilities, including the practice courts and players restaurant, to a temporary facility adjacent to The O2.
Arena Group responded to this brief to create over 8,500sqm of temporary venues in keeping with the environment. The new I-Novation system was used to create a flat-roof structure for the VIP reception and security area.
“There was a lot of consultation, planning, investment, innovative engineering and creative thought behind this project and I think it has paid off with the best structure we’ve ever produced for an event,” says project manager Dan Bluff.
Using its I-Novation system, Arena Group designed and built a 40m x 50m structure with 13m high legs, giving the headroom the client requested and delivering a temporary venue with a permanent feel.
This external building mirrored the style of The O2 arena, forming an outer skin comfortably accommodating the players and sponsors’ facilities inside it, which were comprised of two 40m x 15m Arena triple-decker hospitality structures either side of a practice court.
Arena Interiors created well-appointed players’ lounges and bespoke sponsors’ hospitality suites, with Arena Group supplying event furniture from Spaceworks.
I-Novation’s improved insulation properties were appreciated in the November climate, as were Arena’s new wooden staircases and walling system, all of which contributed to the overall quality of the temporary venue.
Guests arrived through a VIP reception and a security area. These new structures were designed in line with the client’s wish to have a building that didn’t have an apex, to fit in with the local environment. Arena Structures’ in-house structural engineers adapted the company’s triple deck base system to create a flat roof venue covering a 250sqm area with no internal pillars.
The second practice court was housed within the O2 Arena’s Tensile Fabric Structure at the core of the relocated Fan Zone, alongside the double decker media facility.
Three broadcast studios were installed over the seating at one end of the O2 Arena. The event was broadcast to millions of viewers, who enjoyed a spectacular week of tennis culminating with Andy Murray being crowned both Barclays ATP World Tour Finals champion and the year-end world number one.
“The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals is the climax of the men’s professional tennis season. As such, we strive to deliver the best possible experience for all stakeholders at the tournament, whether that be the players, sponsors, media or fans,” says event director Adam Hogg.
“Working closely this year with AEG and Arena Group we were able to deliver a world-class event that provided all of these groups with an enhanced offering and a positive experience for their time at The O2.” -
De Boer: It’s time to #GetInspired
If the Rio Olympics has shown us anything, it’s that visitors, guests and delegates are looking for fully immersive and inspiring ‘experiences’ – they’re no longer just interested in attending ‘events’. The London 2012 Games, where we had the honour of building the Athletes’ Dining Hall and the Olympic Hospitality Centre, inspired a generation of event professionals to deliver globally renowned experiences. The most recent games in Rio have only added to that desire.
Our job is to deliver thrilling event spaces, which give visitors a truly memorable experience that will stay with them for a very long time. This is certainly something we have enjoyed working on with our partners at some of the UK’s and Europe’s major events, ranging from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the Ryder Cup, Mobile World Congress, Barcelona Open Tennis and the opening of the APM Terminal Maasvlakte 2 in the Port of Rotterdam.
Awe-inspiring venues
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a major international event in the horticultural calendar, drawing 165,000 visitors over the course of the show. Every year 100 exhibitors from around the world create show-stopping displays in the Great Pavilion, the Show’s centrepiece built by De Boer – creating an unforgettable yet completely functional exhibition facility.
In 2000, we were tasked with creating a horticultural palace to replace the much-loved Great Marquee, which had been used at RHS Chelsea Flower Show since the 1950s and likely to be the biggest visual change in the Show’s history. In 2016, we celebrated our 16th consecutive year supplying the Great Pavilion, which uses our iconic Delta structure to provide more space and light.
At its tallest, the Great Pavilion reaches 13 m high spanning the Royal Hospital’s obelisk. . The structure also uses state-of-the-art technology to ensure that floral exhibits stay at peak condition including 205 mesh roof panels and 5m ‘butcher’ doors to control air circulation and regulate inside humidity.
After winning the contract earlier in 2016, De Boer also created the Ranelagh Restaurant at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, providing 2,800 sq m of hospitality space using its signature Premier and Anova Vista structures. The Ranelagh Restaurant tapped into the traditional garden party experience and featured a decked terrace, allowing guests some respite from the Show whilst listening to music from the specially created bandstand in the Ranelagh Gardens.
Every element of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show from airy first impressions of the Great Pavilion; to the magnificent exhibits; and the garden party-inspired Ranelagh Restaurant, have all been designed to create an awe-inspiring experience for exhibitors and visitors.
At the heart of the action
The Ryder Cup, is one of the world’s largest sporting events and organised by PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe, is described as ‘the greatest golf show on earth.’ In 2014, it was held at the Gleneagles resort in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Organisers worked tirelessly alongside their suppliers, including De Boer, to ensure that participants and spectators enjoyed the ‘best ever staging of a Ryder Cup by media, public and organisers alike.’
De Boer supplied approximately 20,000 sq m of temporary accommodation including the Ryder Cup Tented Village, which housed retailers and food service outlets including the Champagne and Seafood Restaurant, the enormous Ryder Cup Striding Man Bar and various interactive facilities for visitors to get involved with. The Village was also divided into three distinct areas; the Public Catering Pavilion, Tay Club Hospitality Pavilion and the Merchandise Pavilion. All of the these structures were shoehorned into a space normally occupied by the Driving Range, so there was a very tight build schedule to adhere to in order to minimise the lost practice facility for golfers.
On the second hole, De Boer built a new structure especially for the event: the curved roof Anova Vista Double Decker, to house the Tweed Club hospitality pavilion. By using innovative curved roof technology, we created a 5m integrated canopy, which spanned the terrace overlooking the 2nd hole from tee to green. Combining this with our ground floor structure, the Premier, this produced the ideal space for spectator sport. It doubled the usual capacity of the structure whilst ensuring unrestricted views, and catapulting guests into the heart of the action.
As a result of the impeccable planning from Ryder Cup organisers and their strong supplier bonds, a report from Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) has since backed up claims of Scotland hosting the “best ever” Ryder Cup. The report found high levels of spectator satisfaction with their Ryder Cup experiences (92 per cent), with 71 per cent of those attending reporting their experiences as excellent.
Inspiring innovation
It is my belief that innovation lies at the heart of internationally acclaimed events and exhibitions and it is our responsibility, as suppliers, to constantly deliver creative and innovative solutions to enhance the user experience.
At the 2016 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, one of the largest conventions in the world, we teamed up with the Congress organisers to provide absolutely perfect acoustics and mobile communications – an absolute expectation from exhibitors and guests. In addition, with seven different auditoria, each offering simultaneous presentations, it was essential that each one was soundproof.
Developed by De Boer’s Research and Development division alongside French specialists, we used an ‘Acoustic Barrier Mat’ system throughout the Congress to absorb sound. The Barrier Mat system prevents sound bouncing between hard surfaces and reduces sound reflection meaning that all our structures benefited from improved sound quality. Noise between interiors and exteriors was also heavily reduced, meaning that the seven auditoria benefited from more comfortable sound levels.
Exhilarating Experiences
Ultimately, it is the exhilarating experiences that guests will remember, like the spectacular automated show that launched the opening of the new APM Terminal Maasvlakte 2 in the Port of Rotterdam – the most advanced shipping terminal in the world.
Working alongside BIND, our team based in the Netherlands built a floating theatre for the opening. The robotic terminal was opened by King Willem-Alexandar and international guests were treated to an extraordinary show watched from the floating theatre that featured 16 large lit up video screens mounted on containers that moved through the terminal.
Similarly our Spanish team built a glamorous two storey structure to house the hospitality pavilion at the Real Club de Tennis Barcelona, Spain’s oldest tennis club, for the Barcelona Open Banc Sadadell championships. The ATP World Tour 500 clay-court tournament is one of the most important events in Spanish tennis and on the Barcelona social calendar.
De Boer designed the hospitality pavilion and splendid interiors for the upscale restaurant on the first floor and the village lounge on the ground floor, both with a sophisticated atmosphere that reflected the overall tone of the championships. Tennis fans enjoyed varied cuisine, glittering parties and concerts that lasted until dawn.
In today’s competitive events industry, only the very best events will stand out from the crowd and leave a lasting impression on visitors, organisers and exhibitors. It is our responsibility, as suppliers, to develop new innovative solutions that continue to enhance events and deliver world class experiences – it’s time to #getinspired. -
Nussli: Bringing winter sports to the city
The events attract sports fans, families, partygoers, and even people who don’t like winter sports at all. Cities can usher in the winter early with enormous Big Air ramps and ice tracks made of temporary structures – even at temperatures way above zero.
Building the perfect Crashed Ice track
The Olympic Park in Munich hosted the Ice Cross Downhill World Championship for the third time in January 2016. At 400m, the ice piste was the longest ever built. In addition, there was a height difference of 55m, challenging chicanes and obstacles – a real test of skill not just for the daring athletes but also for the builders of the ice channel.
Using system material, wooden ribs and planks, the NUSSLI project team built the substructure for the piste from the Olympic Mountain down to the Olympic Lake – but the track didn’t end there. 4,000 sq m of building area, the finish line, and the grandstands had to be constructed to stand in the water.
The team had already built the track in Lausanne two years ago, so they knew exactly what to pay attention to, in order to build the perfect ice channel. The most important thing for athletes – and therefore every track planner – is a track that is as smooth as possible.
To do this, the assembly team used bent wooden ribs that were cut precisely using a CNC (computer numeric control) machine, mounted on the track base, and then covered with wooden boards. This meticulous work, which was accurate to the inch, allowed the construction of a completely even run for high velocities.
A young sport with a fast-growing fan base
In winter 2001, daredevil athletes wearing ice skates raced down icy pistes in Stockholm for the very first time. Around hairpin bends, through steep passages, and over bumps, the ice skaters raced towards the finish line in groups of three or four along the run, which was up to 600 meters long.
Ever since, the event has offered the audience a great deal of action and an exciting spectacle. The athletes appear captivated by the thrill and the speed of this new type of sport, which is a combination of ice hockey, boardercross and inline downhill. The sport became so popular within such a short time that championships have been held annually since 2010.
A wintry carnival atmosphere
Events such as Crashed Ice Championships that usually offer additional entertainment programs consisting of parties and shows are very popular and attract a mixed audience. Their temporary nature also holds a certain appeal, and their location in the middle of the city allows visitors to attend without long travel times.
By bringing the magic of winter into the city, host cities can project an image of dynamism, without the need to be dedicated to a single type of event or to make long-term investments in buildings.
The first event doesn’t necessarily have to include a 400 meter ice channel. Big Air ramps for snowboarders and freeskiers are constantly being built in cities at unusual locations.
The best athletes of the snowboard and freeski scene, as well as the best BMX and FMX riders, meet up year after year at the Freestyle on the Landiwiese in Zurich,. Against the backdrop of Lake Zurich and in a location easily accessible both by public and private transportation, the freestyle event presented the biggest names for the Big Air ramp and the BMX/FMX scene. Via a lift, athletes reached the starting point at the top of the structure made of system material.
Big Air 2016 in Mönchengladbach
Big Air is a fitting name for something with a height of 35 m and a length of 77 m. NUSSLI had previously built the very same structure in Graz for the Nokia FIS World Cup on the roof of an underground parking garage, on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam, in the Palau Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona, at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, at the Kniaz Aleksander/Batenberg Square in the centre of Sofia and at Battersea Power Station in London.
However, these already impressive dimensions will be surpassed at Mönchengladbach in Germany. A 49 m high and 120 m long ski jump will be installed by NUSSLI for the event in December. 800 cubic m of snow will be necessary to prepare the Big Air ramp.
130 of the best international snow sports athletes have already confirmed their participation. This event is their ticket to qualifying for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Of course, the party zone will also be a part of the event, where four DJs will be working up the crowd to a fever pitch as the athletes make their jumps and flips. -
Populous: Design that makes a difference
Temporary event and infrastructure design is increasingly becoming recognised as the most cost effective and sustainable solution for organising committees and venue managers planning to host major international sporting events.
As temporary systems become increasingly sophisticated and trusted to provide world-class competition standards, the methods of integration and appropriate use are continuously evolving to match the complexity of the design ambition. The flexibility capacity added to a venue, and the embodied efficiency of a tailored business solution, can lead to year-round use and increased profitability. As a result, the potential for temporary works should be considered in the first stages of any event bid planning process.
Legacy strategy
From the outset of the design process, we consider the way in which the venue will be used in future phases at the very heart of the project. Event design in this way can be considered the first stage of construction.
The legacy strategy guides how the temporary venue begins to take its place on site. Certain services such as technology spaces and broadcast facilities can be embedded entirely into the permanent infrastructure, while other components such as seating bowls and ground works can be partially retained to maintain future expansion capabilities. Other areas are configured using components such as tents, canopies, cabins and fences that can be removed in their entirety, packed up and used at another event.
Enhancing character
The first step in creating an appropriate design that perfectly suits the event is to consider all aspects of the character and spirit of the occasion, and to react to it with built forms that frame and enhance that character rather than imposing a design upon it. The result is designs which respond to the way in which the event is watched and experienced, and can help to enhance that feeling amongst the spectators.
At London 2012, loud music and constant cheering played a huge part in creating the atmosphere for a number of sports; in these venues we worked hard to bring the spectators as close to the action as possible so as to spur the athletes on. By contrast, in other arenas silence was requested during the competition and applause came only on the completion of a performance. The explosive eruption of applause, within enclosed and intimate seating bowls following a tense silence, had a drama of its very own.
Of course, some sports had a completely unique character, such as the party nature of the beach volleyball tournament. At London 2012 and at Baku 2015, dancers would emerge between matches in cheerleader style and energise the audience. Though an elite sport was being played, putting on a spectacular show was also a key part of this event.
Invisible by design
The careful layout of each constituent element of the functional areas, their juxtapositions and arrangements, enables efficient venue operations and easy orientation.
A critical aspect of operational design is knowing and understanding how to separate the public-facing areas from the back of house facilities. Security systems, crowd management planning and all-accessible integration are crucial to the staging of any event, but each must be designed to integrate as seamlessly as possible, to have the smallest visual impact.
The most challenging, yet rewarding piece of our work, is to understand and choreograph all the thousands of moving elements into one organised celebration of sport, without anyone noticing all of the work behind the scenes.
Spectator experience
Naturally, different sports encourage different behaviors in spectator movement. From the arrival profile of fans, the frequency and method of occupying the spectator plazas, all the way through to the way they time their departure, successful temporary overlay design is all dependent on the nature of the event. In designing for and predicting spectator movements, we can collaborate with transport consultants early on in the process in order to use existing transport systems to their optimum level, and design to support it.
Although the same quality of experience is required in whichever location an event is being held, the way in which it is designed and operates can take on the flavour of its host country. In London 2012 the design of the Olympic Park areas were inspired by the theme of the English garden and street parties, with these iconic British community celebration motifs enlivening the spectator plazas. And as we saw recently in Rio, a carnival atmosphere influenced the entire Olympic and Paralympic event, informing all elements of the design and the event identity.
With the makeup and traditions of fans varying greatly across different sports, cultures and parts of the world, there is a fantastic opportunity for the host country to inject its own local flare, showcasing and making the most of local products, industry and youth programs.
Lasting influence
With the unanimous approval of Olympic Agenda 2020 in 2014, it is clear that the Olympic Movement is fully behind the considered use of existing and temporary venues wherever possible, with the goal of reducing costs, improving sustainability and allowing the hosting of global events to become accessible to a greater number of nations and communities.
This design approach is becoming increasingly desired for events at all levels, and the opportunities that event and overlay design affords for regeneration, activation and innovative design can have a lasting influence on everyone who is drawn together around these spectacular occasions.
Sooad Islam spoke at Host City 2016 on the panel “Making Event Infrastructure More Sustainable”. Listen on audioBoom -
Exclusive Q&A: Why is sustainability so important for major events?
Why is sustainability so important for major events?
Gary Meador (GM): Organising committees and bid cities are always weighing up the cost benefit of permanent versus temporary infrastructure; and creating a lasting legacy versus leaving things as the way you found them. A lot of the LOCs (local organising committees) are considering, along with the public consciousness, the most efficient and sustainable way to host major events, whether it is an international sporting event or music festival.
What a lot of the events are looking at now is they don’t necessarily need to build everything as a legacy. Not every city has the need for a permanent velodrome or a rowing venue. One of the things that Aggreko is really good at is working with customers to find innovative solutions to challenges around temporary power, air-conditioning and heating, or whatever their needs may be – to come in and help them make as little impact on the venue. At the end of the event we pick our stuff up and go away.
On the other hand, we also work with event organisers to help design what are meant to be legacy venues. We use our experience and key learnings during the planning phases, acting as a strategic partner as early as possible, to contribute to ideas on how infrastructure can be built or where it will have a fair use afterwards for example.
The benefit of adopting temporary power and cooling systems means you don’t have to build a venue to meet its peak requirements. You can build it to be somewhat less than that and supplement with on-site services to meet the additional capacity demand during the event.
For example, for a building that would normally seat 20,000 for a regular sporting event but has to seat 30,000 for a major event, you don’t have to put in an air-conditioning system that will cool 30,000 people, just one for 20,000 people that can be supplemented.
There’s all kinds of different ways we can work with LOCs to help them meet those goals.
You mentioned LOCs, do you work with them at this stage when they become an organising committee or is this something that potential event bidders can be thinking about earlier in the game?
GM: I think it’s definitely beneficial to think about sustainability earlier because a lot of people don’t have a great deal of experience with the temporary. Their only base of knowledge is working with a design-engineering firm, for example, that have only ever designed permanent structures. The earlier we can get involved the greater the opportunity is to improve efficiency and help create lasting benefits for the organising committees as they move forward.
It doesn’t have to be an organising committee, it could be the PGA of America, the US Golf Association or Formula 1, that’s just something we have developed a special niche for in the past 30 years.
Do you think that the rights holders and event organisers are fully aware of the possibilities of how solutions, like your temporary power solutions for instance, can make an event more sustainable?
GM: We are trying our level best to raise awareness of the benefits of temporary systems, but no I think that knowledge is still low. We have a lot of work to do moving in that direction. It’s not just our discipline; it’s the tent companies, the bleacher companies, the restroom trailer companies, everyone. We have mastered the ‘art of the temporary’ and either supplement or fully provide services for an event from start to finish but need to spread the word on the benefits of this approach.
Which particular events have you been working on recently to enable these sustainable solutions?
GM: We have supported quite a few major events on the world’s stage lately: the Ryder Cup in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the Trump inauguration in Washington DC. We didn’t have a huge amount of time to think about sustainable solutions for the inauguration as it comes together virtually in a week after the election, but at the Ryder Cup we were able to do some neat things.
We introduced some LED lighted balloons that replaced standard diesel-generated light towers. We took some of those to the site, plugged into the on-site power source we were already providing, and helped the PGA of America eliminate the need for 20 light towers they would have had to rent. I think this saved about 40,000 tonnes of carbon across the length of the job.
We are trying to find innovative ways to work with event organisers and help them to meet their sustainability goals too. We are looking at battery technology to come in and maybe take over a small load at night, so the generator can shut off and the load can run on battery. Then when the load grows larger than the battery system, the generators start back up during the day.
We are continuing to look at new innovations likes these to really help events lower their carbon profile and meet their sustainability goals as well as cost savings. We owe it to our customers to help them find better and economical ways to do things. That’s part of our mission.
Energy storage is becoming increasingly important for a whole range of industries, but you can see why in the major events sector…
GM: Yes, we are waiting for that magic battery to be built that makes it ultra-efficient to store this power too. The technology isn’t quite there on the batteries, but it’s getting better. -
De Boer to create Middle East’s biggest semi-permanent exhibition hall
De Boer Middle East has won the contract to build a high-specification semi-permanent exhibition hall at King Abdullah Economic City located close to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
At 6,500 sq m useable space, the King Abdullah Exhibition Centre will be one of the largest temporary structures to be built in the region.
Sustainability is a key feature of the building, which has an expected life span in its current location of between five to ten years. Following this, it can be dismantled and reused in a new location, as exhibitions move to a permanent facility being built in the coming years.
Furthermore, specially insulated wall panels on the Delta Emperor structure will be added to reduce air conditioning requirements especially during the summer months, improving overall energy efficiency.
The semi-permanent structure, which has a 60 m x 90 m footprint, will house exhibition and meeting space of more than 6,500 sq m – larger than a football pitch. The turnkey venue combines the latest temporary structure technology combined with traditional building techniques to deliver the look and feel of a permanent building. The whole venue is designed with a high specification interior fit out encompassing adaptable conference rooms and retractable exhibition hall divides.
Another advantage of the De Boer temporary structure solution is rapid build-times with construction to be completed within two to three months instead of the usual one to two-year timeframe for permanent builds.
The hall will be centrally located in the King Abdullah Economic City project, situated 100 kilometers north of Jeddah. This newly planned city has injected around SR207 billion ($55 billion) into the local economy, with 260,000 apartments and 56,000 villas planned for completion by 2020. The King Abdullah Exhibition Centre is expected to be the centrepiece in the economic city and a draw for visitors to the region.
Commenting on the contract win, Edward Gallagher, De Boer Middle East’s Business Development Director, stated: “We’re delighted to be partnering with one of the most innovative, forward-thinking organisations and cities in the Middle East in delivering this exhibition centre project. As a result of choosing De Boer Middle East the city can expect to be delivering exhibitions and events by October – drawing thousands of people, driving tourism and bringing in revenue.
“With our continued developments in construction technology, De Boer can now deliver full, turnkey venues for any need, from temporary airport terminals to warehouses and sports facilities to exhibition venues in weeks instead of years. These are facilities that will last at least 10-15 years without any maintenance overhaul.
“In a growing, forward-thinking environment such as the Middle East where governments, developers and companies are continuing to invest, whether building new cities or just expanding their operations, we are seeing ever-increasing demand for our solutions as people realise it’s possible to have something akin to a permanent facility but in a fraction of the time,” Gallagher concluded.
With around 500 projects per year, De Boer also delivers the world’s largest temporary exhibition hall for the bi-annual Farnborough Airshow in the UK and installs temporary structures annually at the largest global trade fair – Bauma in Germany.
Source: De Boer Middle East -
Losberger De Boer appoints Arnout de Hair as new CEO
[Source: Losberger De Boer] Arnout de Hair succeeds Berndt Zoepffel who steps down from his current position as CEO and will be joining the Supervisory Board of Directors of the company.
The Supervisory Board is grateful to Berndt Zoepffel for his contribution to the successful growth of Losberger De Boer. “Losberger De Boer has undergone an impressive development under the leadership of Berndt Zoepffel since he joined the company in 1996. The merger with De Boer Structures in May of 2017 was an important milestone in a period of strong internal and external growth. Today, Losberger De Boer is a leading global player providing a wide range of products and services to many highly recognized customers.
The merger between Losberger and De Boer is a major step in becoming a leading provider in temporary space solutions and we are on the threshold of a new phase in the further development of our company. We came to the conclusion that in the coming years, strong emphasis will be placed on the further integration of the various companies that were acquired during the last few years to fully benefit from all the available capabilities. Arnout de Hair has shown strong leadership during the transition of De Boer into a strong and profitable company. We are convinced that with him we have a very good candidate to fulfil that future role at Losberger De Boer.”
Peter Rijkoort, current Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors of the Losberger De Boer Group, will be appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Losberger De Boer on 1 February 2018.
He will then step down from his position in the Supervisory Board of Directors. Peter Rijkoort has extensive international experience and has built a strong track record in senior management positions at various companies. He was a member of the Supervisory Board of Directors of De Boer Structures from 2010 until 2014 and is acting Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors of Losberger since 2016.
Arnout de Hair joined De Boer Structures in 1998 and was appointed as COO in 2001 and as CEO of the company in 2012. After the merger with Losberger, he was appointed as COO of Losberger De Boer. Arnout de Hair has built extensive operational and general management experience during his various senior management roles at Losberger De Boer. He studied Economy and Logistics at the Royal Military Academy and Business Administration at IBO, the Netherlands.