H1: REGIONAL SPLIT UK............................52 Belgium ....................16 France ........................8 Netherlands ...............8 Sweden ......................4 Norway.......................4 Ireland ........................4 Denmark ....................4
H3: COMPANIES’ EXPECTATIONS FOR AN INCREASE/DECREASE IN PAID RENTAL DAYS
% in each group 2010-2012
10 20 30 40 50
0
2010 2011 2012
H2: ESTIMATED NUMBER OF DAYS OF PAID RENTAL PER SYSTEM
1-50
51-100 101-150 151-200 201-300
2010 8 8
16
24 8
% in each group 2011
12 12
23 12 12
29
2012 6
13 31
44 6
300+ 16 0 0 Don’t know 20
N/A
H4: COMPANIES’ EXPECTATIONS FOR AN INCREASE/DECREASE IN OVERALL VALUE OF WORK % in each group 2010-2012
10 20 30 40 50 60
0
2010 2011 2012
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
0
H5: COMPANIES’ EXPECTATIONS FOR AN INCREASE/DECREASE IN AVERAGE RENTAL RATES % in each group 2010-2012
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
0
2010 2011 2012
2010 2011 2012
48%
of rental houses have increased staff levels
“Loudspeakers/ amplifiers have eclipsed consoles to emerge as the chief priority for new system investment”
8 l PSNLIVE 2012
After the long-running domination of medium-sized commitments (800-2,000), large events edged into the lead this year, constituting 49.4% of all hires (H6).
The topic of new equipment spend also revealed some interesting developments. For the first time, loudspeakers/ amplifiers emerged as the chief priority for new investment, indicating the high-level of demand for the latest line array systems and high-output, low- consumption power amps. Consoles – historically priority
numero uno – still figured very prominently, however, although the microphone fraternity might feel a twinge of concern (H7). Manufacturers and
distributors in general will be cheered by details of a reversal in the emphasis on system upgrade versus expansion. Underlining the impression of market stagnation, the 2011 survey reported that, on average, 61% of participants’ capital expenditure went on upgrading existing systems. This year, however, 57% will be going into new systems – a result that
suggests both renewed confidence and an awareness that fresh investment is required to maintain parity with the competition (H8). There was also encouraging
news for non-freelance staff. A robust 48% of respondents said that permanent staff levels had increased between June 2011 and June 2012, with a combined total of 88% reporting either an increase or no change. These solid figures suggest that fears are receding about the impact of both the slowdown in the live music market and more general
economic factors (H9).
CRYSTAL BALL DEMAND In time-honoured fashion, PSNLive completed the rental market survey with a few general questions inviting participants to comment at greater length about new equipment aspirations and changing customer expectations. Reinforcing the results depicted in H7, new consoles and loudspeaker systems featured prominently in responses to a question about the piece of equipment they