This is a large annual event for this successful international corporate client, which seeks to engage its people and communicate to them the future plans of the business.

It is also a good opportunity for the teams from the firm’s 17 offices to get to know each other better at the evening awards event, with a DJ and dancing to follow until the small hours.

The Radisson Blu Hotel is a popular venue for conferences and corporate presentations. It was selected by TMB for the professionalism of the hotel’s event team, transport links that allowed international executives easy access and the ability to book out the entire hotel.

Around 400 people were expected to arrive for the first session at 9.30 on the Friday, having previously booked into the hotel. The entire hotel was taken over for the event, with the corporate client branding replacing the hotel’s own, throughout reception and public areas.

A client out to impress

Having previously undertaken the organisation and management of a large successful golf day for the client, TMB’s first event for them, they were invited to pitch for this large live event.

For more than 30 years TMB Events has successfully delivered events of all sizes and complexity, delivering on its promise to ensure the objectives of every client will not just be met, but exceeded. The TMB Events team enjoys a hard-won reputation for delivering memorable events for attendees that also deliver value for money for the client.

To further enhance the reputation of TMB Events the day had to be a success, running smoothly and to schedule, with no last-minute problems that might disappoint, which is why they turned to TechPro, their trusted partner for flawless delivery of live events.

TechPro resources match ambition

TechPro was appointed to organise and manage the lighting, video, sound, set and stage for this prestigious event, with the team at TMB Events led by Account Manager Sarah Moore, recognising we have the experience and resources to reduce the pressure and deliver an impressive event.

Planned months in advance, we were able to supply almost all of the required equipment from our large inventory held in our Tamworth warehouse. Whilst the Radisson Blu Hotel offers technical equipment, we were more confident specifying our own quality assured equipment.

Following the site survey well in advance of the event, undertaken by our Director and Project Manager Mark Stokes, all the required equipment was specified, supplied, installed and managed by the TechPro project team.

Working closely with the TMB Events team and Event Producer Jo Strudwick, who had helped the client produce the content for the day, the TechPro project team designed the event to exploit the large space available in the main conference hall.

There was also an exciting presentation and reveal event held in the hotel reception, which had to be altered significantly on the day, which was handled efficiently by our team. Breakout rooms were also staged, with an innovative bakery adding interest for the attendees.

Practice makes perfect

Although a single day live event for the client and their people, it was a four day event for TechPro, not including the days spent planning, specifying, picking and packing all the necessary equipment.

Day one on site was first spent unloading the 38-tonne articulated lorry containing the 303 flight cases containing, lights, sound, video and rigging equipment.

All 13 of the TechPro technicians were on site from 8am, to begin the long process of staging and setting the event, in readiness for a day of rehearsals on the second day.

The rehearsals were designed to stress-test all the event timings and the equipment used in each location throughout the hotel, with many last minute changes made to ensure the event was exactly as the TMB Events team and their client had envisaged it.

Video wall for impact

To deliver a real visual impact for the presentations of the day, TMB Events specified a video wall for the main theatre, in place of the more traditional projected video display.

For this event we created a 10 x 3m wall using 120 off Absen M2.9 LED panels, which deliver outstanding performance with high contrast, increased colour performance and uniformity from edge to edge of the full display.

The blended video was all managed and controlled by our versatile Barco E2 video processor system and E2 event master, all under the control of an experienced TechPro technician.

The presentations were also played on Samsung 55inch comfort screens, with the live action relayed around the theatre on Samsung 75inch LED monitors to ensure every word was heard and every graphic was seen.

Quality shining through

For events of this nature, where the client is trying to create excitement about the information being presented on the future of the business, lighting plays a massive part in setting the right mood.

We designed the lighting to deliver the necessary highlights for the stage walk-ups and presentations, with the total effect delivering a real sense of theatre – literally, with the Selecon SPX 800W Zooms we used, more commonly seen gracing concert halls and theatres.

The impressive lighting solution utilised favourites from our extensive quality assured equipment list, including Robe LEDBeam, ETC source 4, Clay Paky Axcor Beam and Spot, along with Chauvet COLORdash Par-Quad 18 LEDs providing the background colour wash.

The combined output of these 48 lights was controlled by our Avolites Quartz lighting console, combined with an Avolites ART2000 PowerCube, with two talented TechPro lighting technicians making sure it all fades in and highlights at the right time.

The set-up is sound again

With both video presentations of interviews and live presentations, high quality audio clarity was needed, especially in a room of 400 people, hanging on every word of their management team.

In addition, there were separate break-out sessions in adjoining rooms, all of which required their own video, sound and lighting solutions, with technicians on hand throughout to ensure everything ran smoothly and to schedule for all the presenters.

Having considered the shape of the main room from our site visit prior to designing the AV solution, we specified our current favourite, the 8-channel Sennheiser G3 system, running through a Yamaha QL5 digital mixing desk.

The Sennheiser wireless microphones and headsets delivered the required quality, using static-free UHF radio frequencies, for which OFCOM wireless licences were supplied.

From our large inventory, we specified a mix of Nexo PS15 R2 and Nexo GEO M620 loudspeakers, which we can safely drive with up to 2000 Watts supplied by our Nexo 4×2 mk2 digital amplifier to ensure every word was heard.

We used a similar mix of equipment for the band and DJ performing as part of the evening’s entertainment, with the addition of Shure and Neumann microphones, to help get the Essex suite rocking.

And finally…

An important event for TMB Events, as they sought to impress their new client, appointing TechPro proved a stroke of genius. Bring our unique brand of calm professionalism to events of this nature ensured an impressive engaging experience for all attendees.

On rehearsal day the client toured the event set-up and made a lot of minor amends, which might cause panic in less experienced live event service providers, but as usual the TechPro team followed through on its commitment to flawless delivery of live events.