17 WORLD GLOBAL IMAGES SECU DAILY PLANET AT THE NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCES - See Page 24 CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC PAGE 21 SCOttISH MEDIA CENTRE PAGE 8 SINGAPORE SHIPWRECK PAGE 31 TURKEY PLANETARIUM PAGE 50 WORLD 17 WFOE IN CHINA Electrosonic has had a representative office in China for several years. It was an essential resource when WELCOME Electrosonic was undertaking several projects at EXPO 2010 (as reported in ELECTROSONIC WORLD to the 17th Edition of No 16). However, it was not able to trade in China ELECTROSONIC WORLD. - all invoicing had to be in foreign currencies, and The “occasional publication” involved much bureaucracy. from Electrosonic that In 2012, Electrosonic’s Shanghai office was reviews some of the many designated a Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise projects undertaken by (WFOE), an officially registered limited liability the company over the corporation. This important step forward allows past couple of years. Electrosonic to continue to pursue new business It is unfortunately the opportunities in China as a legally licensed design case that a single publication cannot give a wholly consulting and systems integration company, able to balanced picture of the company’s business since the invoice in local currency, while maintaining full control majority of corporate customers, and a handful of of business operations. entertainment customers, do not allow information Electrosonic’s China operations conducts business about their projects to be published. Nonetheless under the new legal name, Electrosonic Audio- the sheer variety of the projects, both in terms of Visual Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. It is currently geography and technology, described in this issue will working with major owner-operators, and design give a good idea of the company’s broad experience and production companies, as well as developing and capabilities. partnerships with local suppliers, fabricators and installers. Electrosonic also maintains a Hong Kong ELECTROSONIC WORLD No 16 described how office for support and production. Electrosonic had withdrawn from its product business, and had invested heavily in expanding its presence in its core markets. These remain broadly “Corporate Solutions”, “Entertainment” and “Control Rooms”. WINNING WAYS However, the acquisition of Global Immersion, Industry awards are of different described on Page 4, has introduced a new market kinds; they may recognize for Electrosonic, which, while sharing many aspects individual projects, or companies, of technology and expertise with existing markets, or particular creative skills. requires dedicated market knowledge and some Electrosonic is pleased to be associated with some award winning projects, but unique capabilities. Thus Electrosonic, through its always recognizes that it is a team member, and that Global Immersion division, is now serving the needs of credit is also due to many others. The feature on the Giant Screen Cinemas and Planetariums. THEA Awards, on Page 46, makes this point. This edition of ELECTROSONIC WORLD is being The AV Awards, run in the UK by AV Magazine, published less than a year before Electrosonic are recognized as rigorously judged awards and celebrates its 50th Anniversary – the company was Electrosonic is proud to have won many of these founded in March 1964. Obviously this will be an awards since their inception in 1999. A typical year occasion of some jollity and nostalgia, but it will also was 2012 when Electrosonic won two awards. be a good time to review how Electrosonic has evolved One was a project based award for “Consumer and reacted to the great changes in technology that Installation of the Year” - the European Parliament’s have taken place over the years, and what lessons Visitors’ Centre (which as a project also won the there may be for its future development. prestigious Sinus Award) described on Page 40. However, the second award for “Integrator of ROBERT SIMPSON the Year” recognized Electrosonic as a company, independent of particular projects. The award EDITOR recognized both the variety of the work undertaken by the company, and the way it has developed the business in the face of changing market conditions. 2 ELECTROSONIC COMPANY NEWS 2 Editorial 2 CONTENTS WFOE in China 2 Awards 2 Global Immersion Joins Electrosonic Group 4 Electrosonic Operations Centers 5 CORPORATE, COMMERCIAL & ACADEMIC 6 Salford University Egg 6 Scottish Government Media Centre 8 LKAB (Sweden) Visitor Centre 10 Siemens Urban Sustainability Centre 11 Eaton Headquarters 14 The JCB Story 16 Hult International Business School in Dubai 18 CONTROL ROOMS 19 Hindhead Tunnels Control Room 19 Santa Barbara Emergency Operations Center 20 Caltrans District 7 21 Bristol Water 22 The Weather Channel 23 MUSEUMS 24 North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 24 New-York Historical Society Museum 26 Los Angeles Natural History Museum 27 Hollywood Wax Museum 28 Projection Mapping at IAAPA 28 V&A Museum “Ballgowns” 29 Horniman Museum “Body Adorned” 29 National Maritime Museum “Voyagers” 30 Maritime Experiential Museum Singapore 31 Vindolanda Museums 32 National Building Museum 34 Brooklyn Botanic Garden 34 Fort Nelson Artillery Museum 35 Museum of Tolerance (Hitler Letter) 35 VISITOR CENTERS 36 Dover Secret Tunnels 36 Mohonk Preserve 38 Ajax Experience 39 European Parliament 40 Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame 42 Kennedy Space Center 43 ENTERTAINMENT, GIANT SCREEN & PLANETARIUM 44 Theater Design in California 44 Electrosonic Design Consulting 45 THEA Awards 46 Peoria Riverfront Museum 47 Fleet Science Center 48 Planetarium Systems 50 3 The INTECH Planetarium In December 2012, Electrosonic announced its acquisition of Global Immersion, a leader in the design and integration of high performance digital immersive theater attractions. Global Immersion will continue to GLOBAL serve the planetarium, institutional theater and giant screen markets. The acquisition positions Electrosonic IMMERSION as the only company to offer digital immersive solutions across the theme park, museum, giant screen JOINS ELECTROSONIC cinema and planetarium markets. On completing the acquisition, Jim Bowie, President of Electrosonic Group, said, “This is a significant strategic move for both companies, and I am excited by the prospects presented by the acquisition. As a single operation, we will service an even broader range of markets, bringing further innovation and an expanded offering to our customers. Our goal to attract and develop the best industry talent has been one of the drivers of the acquisition. Together we will lead by consolidating our strengths and delivering the best visual systems in the world.” At the same time, Martin Howe, CEO of Global Immersion, commented, “I am delighted with this transaction with Electrosonic. It allows us to further expand our activities and develop our product and service offering, opening up new doors and bringing with it many synergies. The planetarium and giant screen markets are undergoing significant change as the digital revolution pace quickens. Electrosonic offers a range of benefits that our customers can immediately enjoy. Its international reach and broad technical expertise and capacity mean that we can more cost-effectively service a wider range of customers in more locations, while building upon our shared reputation for quality, performance and support.” One of Global Immersion’s customers is the INTECH Science Centre, near Winchester. This has the largest digital planetarium in the UK. Its 16.5m (54ft) dome seats 176 people and has a 360° × 165° field of view. It is fitted with a Global Immersion Fidelity Bright™ Planetarium system (see The 4D Theater at Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh. Page 50). 4 ELECTROSONIC COMPANY NEWS NEW SERVICES NEED VNOCs VN OCs HARTHAM PARK, CORSHAM Electrosonic’s principal managed services operation is based in a splendid “stately home”. This is where the main In March 2012, Electrosonic opened a new resource, a VNOC VNOC is sited and where worldwide videoconferencing connections are or Video Network Operations Center. This was to support set up and monitored. In addition to supporting outside clients, it also a growing demand for “managed services”. Such services manages Electrosonic’s own conferencing requirements. are needed by clients with many locations and are designed to ensure that both video and audio conferencing operate efficiently around the world. Such centers can also monitor individual items of equipment. The first VNOC is located in Corsham, near Bristol, UK. It offers a range of services, primarily concerned with video conferencing, that are complementary to those offered by Electrosonic’s service operation based at Hawley Mill, Dartford. This opened its own “SOC” or Service Operations Center in 2011, which is currently being upgraded. A second UK-based VNOC was opened in early 2013 to support financial services clients in the Canary Wharf area of London. It runs in tandem with Corsham, but also provides tailored remote assistance to Canary Wharf and City clients. Electrosonic completed the installation of its third VNOC at the corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, California, also in early 2013. The VNOC provides up-to-the-minute status on clients’ AV and IT infrastructure. Electrosonic has developed the tools to monitor and manage a wide array of projectors, conferencing equipment, visual displays, servers, computers, switchers and networking products. Alongside the Dartford Service Operations Centre in the UK, the Los Angeles VNOC enhances Electrosonic’s global service