FORWARD- THINKING FOR 40 YEARS SOLOTECH CELEBRATES A MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY By Kevin Young ince being founded in 2017. He boasts years of experience in en- question he poses is: “What is the business in 1977, Solotech has become a tertainment and technology, having served going to look like, say, five years from now?” world-class provider of technical as president and CEO of Ubisoft before Obviously, the need for traditional pro- solutions and services for a broad moving to L.A. to fill the role of president/ duction technology – audio, lighting, video, S and so on, will continue. “But everything is range of clients, market sectors, and appli- CEO and, ultimately, president of world- cations worldwide. wide studios for Vivendi Games, and later turning to IT now,” he offers. “It’s extremely Since marking their 35th anniversary as president of Warner Brothers Interactive complex. The technology is mind blowing.” in 2012, the company has continued to Entertainment (WBIE) and executive VP of Knowledge is key, he continues, add- expand and evolve with the goal of bet- strategy and development for the Just for ing that he’s impressed with the capabili- ter serving its growing client base while Laughs Group. ties that Solotech brings to the table. “We’re adopting and deploying leading-edge Tremblay’s diverse experiences in the looking at the business, not as it is now, but technologies from the various tech seg- entertainment and technology fields are what it’s going to be, and we want to be ments it covers. a good fit for Solotech’s ongoing growth among the enterprises and companies that For insight into their recent efforts, and evolving vision and there’s definitely a exist within this space and innovate.” operations, and future trajectory, Profes- connection between his background and Solotech’s insistence on innovation is a sional Sound approached Philip Giffard and Solotech’s expertise. In each case, he’s been part of the reason that the company main- Martin Chouinard, presidents of Solotech’s integral in providing support and tools tains so many long-term clients. It’s a con- Sales and Integration and Rental Divisions, to colleagues, clients, and consumers in stant willingness to provide state-of-the- respectively, as well as President and CEO terms of design, engineering, and ensuring art, larger-than-life experiences for clients Martin Tremblay. that products that may not necessarily fit and their patrons, audiences, or consumers. together at first glance, work flawlessly to That’s true of every facet of the busi- realize a common vision. ness – from touring and rentals to integra- Solotech announced Tremblay’s appoint- Tremblay's current focus for the com- tion and beyond. “The promise we make to st ment as president and CEO on June 1 , pany is unsurprisingly forward-looking. The them is to keep them involved, make them

26 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND look good, and be in the back,” Tremblay reach and variety of services. In 1984, they our staff in new technologies and investing says, laughing. “We’re not the star of the acquired premier lighting firm in our people, we ensure our ability to realize show, but we’re providing them quality. I Éclairage Tanguay and moved into the the customer’s vision within their budget.” admire our staff. If there’s one thing they rental, sale, and servicing of professional Giffard joined Solotech in 2016 but is and we are, it’s passionate. I relate to that. lighting gear. well acquainted with the company’s trajecto- It’s all about passion. You don’t do what we By 1990, they’d added video technol- ry and the steps they’ve taken, both domes- do without that passion.” ogy, bulked up on staff, and in the next five tically and internationally, to expand. Among The Montreal-headquartered company years, added multimedia and complete AV them is the purchase of Toronto-based has become a powerhouse over time, boast- system services and established an integra- lighting and video firm Midnite Hour in 2015, which became Solotech’s Toronto office. ing a roster of clients that includes some of tion division. That office is bound to grow rapidly as it rep- the world’s most successful performers and As it acquired more businesses, such as resents the biggest Canadian growth oppor- entertainment firms – an arc rooted in Solo- Audio Analysts’ U.S. operations in mid-2011, tunity for Solotech. tech Founder Denis Lefrançois’ initial efforts. Solotech continued to grow internationally. Also in 2011, they established a new Mon- In March 2016, Solotech opened an

AGROPUR MEETING ROOM 40

SOLOTECH OFFICE CIRCA 1970S/’80S MOBILE TV STUDIO

In 1975, Lefrançois, then a loudspeaker de- treal headquarters – a 265,000-sq.-ft. facility office in Nashville, marking the beginning signer and manufacturer, was approached in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve area, within of additional U.S. expansion – an effort on by Montreal’s Olympic Committee to provide sight of Olympic Stadium, which serves as a which they doubled down in October 2016 and operate audio systems for the 1976 constant reminder of the opportunity that with the establishment of their DeKalb, IL Montreal Summer Olympics. Lefrançois rose sparked their inception. office. Although, for now, those two locations to the challenge and, over the next year-and- Ultimately, the company was sold in are used mainly by the Rental Division, in the a-half, provided the staff and inventory nec- 2013 to a trio of stakeholders: Claridge Inc., near future, Solotech plans on using the ex- essary to cover the vast audio needs of the Capital régional and coopératif Desjardins, pertise of the teams in place to accelerate its games. Following the Olympics, Lefrançois and Investissement Québec (IQ). That said, growth in the U.S. market. Giffard's main focus, integration, has and partner André Riendeau purchased one Solotech’s approach and core values remain, also grown apace. “We recently finished the of the primary companies they’d worked as ever, on an innovative, inspiration-fuelled, Park Theatre in Las Vegas at the Monte Carlo. with for the events, Audio Analysts, and client-based approach to growth. We’ve also done most of the work at Montre- launched Solotech as an audio sales house al’s Bell Centre and Quebec City’s Videotron in 1977. Within a year, they’d tripled their “Our main goal is to be able to execute our Centre, and at The Colosseum at Caesar’s income and soon embarked on a series of customer’s end vision and what they want Palace, where Celine performed.” Other major acquisitions and expansions. the experience to be,” Giffard says. “Through integration projects include various sports Having become a major force in Que- innovation and inspiration, we’re able to venues, educational institutions, hospitals, bec’s audio market, Solotech extended its provide the best technology, and by training and airports, including the provision of digital

PROFESSIONAL SOUND • 27 signage for applications including public, retail, and anticipate, see, and develop the systems, equipment, 40 residential spaces. “So everything from an AV perspec- and technologies that will be the future game chang- tive, that’s where we play now,” Giffard says. ers for both their traditional clients and the growing Solotech is now a one-stop shop for virtually any range of sectors that depend on technologies that, application that involves lighting, sound, video, and previously, were the purview of large-scale perfor- related infrastructure and, additionally, the provision mances, events, and facilities. “The question,” Tremblay of security systems for clients across the board. offers, “is how can we create value?” Integration has long been part of Solotech’s of- While a company can survive and even thrive ferings, Giffard says, “But in the last 10 years, as more by staying the course, offering more – by looking sports venues are built, more AV components are forward and relentlessly innovating – is a preferable included in shopping centres, hotels, and residential model. Innovation was key to the products with developments, we’ve grown our integration division.” which Tremblay worked in the gaming industry, and At this point, integration accounts for approxi- the same holds true in this job. Shared innovation is 40 mately 40 per cent of Solotech’s overall revenue, but key going forward. sales and rentals – given their expertise and purchas- “I would say that most of our clients are pushing ing power – are also integral to Solotech’s growth the envelope, so we have to challenge ourselves,” overall, and to the integration division’s ongoing says the CEO, and that’s integral to Solotech’s growth success. In every case, Solotech “evaluates and under- in every area. “It’s not about how much it costs; it’s a stands the customer’s need, finds the right product, question of perception. Artists want to be different. network, application, and ensures we’re able to use it They want to push the envelope.” to the end of its capabilities to fulfill our client’s needs Doing so with existing products is fine, but unless on the integration side.” So, too, do the company’s you consider what may be – in terms of products and complementing divisions. services that are either becoming relevant now, or test the imagination in terms of VR, AR, and real-time inter- actions on multiple platforms – you will not progress. 40 Now, Solotech offers 360-degree services: lighting, Solotech is determined to progress. AV, videoconferencing, video encoding, digital sig- nage, paging, intelligent transportation systems, and more, plus integration, installation, custom fabrica- Solotech has been involved in projects running the tion, maintenance, and service for applications in the gamut of applications, including the biggest enter- broadcast, corporate, cultural, educational, govern- tainment brands and artists in the world. ment, health, hospitality, retail, sporting, and transport “As you know, Solotech was doing many sectors. A-list tours for a number of years,” Chouinard says. “We’ve moved into the growing video side of the “Cirque du Soleil and Celine, obviously, but we’re business,” Giffard adds about the company’s recent now working with Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, and developments, and given that lighting and video are . We’ve also upgraded on major increasingly intertwined, that deepens penetration corporate events with the likes of Amazon, Ali Baba, 40 into the lighting market. and Walmart.” While they continue to expand globally, their Many of the company’s recent purchases came Montreal headquarters is key in ensuring continuity through its American corporation, Chouinard adds. “So in terms of resources and staff. And, although Solo- we’re becoming more of a global touring company. tech has purchased various companies over time to We’re on tour now with . We’re just finishing deepen their presence in specific sectors, currently the world tour with The Weeknd, and so now we have the focus is on purchasing equipment and being a a lot more of those major acts all over the globe.” part of the R&D process of that gear. “We’re not just The consistent growth and success, Chouinard buying gear off the shelf. We do have our own LED says, isn’t just based on resources, but on the level of screens, brand new and made by SACO in Montreal creativity and quality behind any delivered job, which – the S6, S12, and S28 – but we’re not building them, is a product of Solotech’s talented team. While they’ve we’re part of their development, so that gives us an expanded into other markets, the work done within 40 edge on that side.” the company and with close collaborators – particu- It’s a culture of shared innovation, which benefits larly in terms of R&D – is integral to fulfilling clients’ Solotech and its clients regardless of the market sector needs and allowing those clients to push the bound- they play in. Again, Tremblay poses a question: “What aries of what’s possible for their own patrons, clients, about the gear that we haven’t heard of – what we and stakeholders. believe will be trending in a year, or two, or more from “We’re just seeking really good, talented people now? We’re also working on that.” for our staff. That’s the most important thing,” Choui- Providing what their clients have come to expect nard offers. The company’s growth in scale and is fine, he says, but it’s critical to look down the pipe to revenue – including the 100 per cent increase in 4028 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND PHOTO: RALPH LARMANN RALPH PHOTO: PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPHIE PANATONIC PHOTOGRAPHIE PHOTO:

SOLOTECH FOUNDER DENIS LEFRANÇOIS OUTFITTED VENUES WITH AUDIO SYSTEMS FOR MAISON SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTREAL MONTREAL’S 1976 SUMMER OLYMPICS

CELINE DION LIVE IN PARIS PHOTO: RALPH LARMANN RALPH PHOTO:

THE WEEKND’S STARBOY: LEGEND OF THE FALL TOUR IN-THE-ROUND AT QUEBEC CITY’S VIDEOTRON CENTRE

rental revenue over a period of five years – touring artists, as an example. “He’s going all was previously only installed in specialized has largely been achieved by “finding good over the world and we’ve worked with him for environments becomes more ubiquitous and people and bringing them into the team. It’s 20 years. There are many clients who’ve been touches every part of our lives, that new world not all about gear,” he sums up; “It’s about really close and happy to work with us and, will become increasingly important. people.” again, using our experience and the knowl- “Again, that’s why Solotech’s capabilities edge of our people, we’re trying to take this to are crucial,” Giffard reinforces – “because we the next level.” have the means to invest in our employees, Their efforts remain, at every level, client-driven. In short, their efforts involve delivering a in research, in areas that are going to be Cirque du Soleil and Celine Dion are global turnkey solution to save their clients money good prospects for us in the future and to household names, but in the beginning, they and time, while reducing the hassles of deal- train our staff accordingly. That’s a key differ- were known only in Quebec. Similarly, other ing with multiple providers. entiator for us.” clients such as the Comedy It’s a focus that continues to inform their As far as physical expansion overseas Festival and Montreal International Jazz Festi- approach as they work to incorporate new goes, Tremblay says: “We’re always looking at val have grown exponentially over the years. technologies in new applications and markets. this. The thing is that we’re going to find the Cyclically, the revenue generated by these Giffard explains: “A lot of technologies are be- right way to do it. Rather than looking at it high-profile brands allows Solotech to contin- ing commoditized, so we constantly have to from an ego perspective, being global and ue to support other, lesser-known artists and reinvent ourselves, and reinvest in and retrain everywhere, I’m looking at this from a market projects at the ground level. our people. But, for example, on the video segment perspective, and we’re trying to nail Put bluntly, Solotech has thrived as long side, there’s been a lot more applications – down market segments we’re excited about as it has not only through the evolution of its digital signage on billboards, in smart cities, and good at.” technologies and services, but by establish- in parking lots and everything transit-related, If the past 40 years have been any indica- ing and maintaining close relationships – in high-end AV in hotels, shopping centres, and tion, it won’t take them long to do it. many cases, friendships – with their clients, condominium developments. Where we used which says something about the culture of to play much more in the sports and enter- the company. tainment venues, now we’ve really diversified. “That’s right,” Chouinard says, referencing A whole new world has opened up for us.” Dutch violinist André Rieu, who’s often listed As the average consumer becomes Kevin Young is a Toronto-based musician and in Pollstar’s annual topOVO 20 highest-generatingFest stage in daylight with Adamsonmore sophisticatedE-Series & S-Series and PA the technology that freelance writer.

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