Market survey: Rental companies H7:TOP PRIORITY FOR NEW EQUIPMENT SPEND 2012-2013 5 4 3 2 1 0
Loudspeakers/ Consoles Microphones Cabling/ Network Outboard amplifiers
infrastructure technology/ processing/ controllers FX
H8:EXPENDITURE FOR STOCK EXPANSION VS UPGRADING
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
H9:PERMANENT STAFF LEVELS INCREASED OR DECREASED JUNE TO JUNE 2009-2013
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
0 Increase 10 l PSNLIVE 2013 Decrease Stay the same
2010 2011 2012 2013
Expansion Upgrading
Dave Arcari rocks out with his express train alt.blues at Charlie Wright’s in Hoxton...
2013, with 57% placing the emphasis on upgrades (H8). Similarly, after a modest
increase in the percentage of companies who reported that their permanent staff numbers rose during June 2011-June 2012, the normal pattern of personnel levels was restored in the latest 12-month period. But, most pleasingly, not one company reported that their permanent staff levels had decreased, suggesting that the rental sector remains a consistent source of employment (H9).
CONCERNS? WE HAVE A FEW…
Closing out the survey in by-now traditional fashion, rental companies were asked to consider two longer-form questions pertaining to their inventory and general feelings about the state of the European PA/rental business. There were no great surprises in
store when it came to an enquiry about the piece of equipment companies would most like to add to their inventories. Some 36% of respondents prioritised a high- spec loudspeaker system of one kind or another, with d&b, EAW and Meyer Sound among the cited brands. An equal percentage of participants, meanwhile, plumped for a digital console; the Midas PRO series (specifically, 2 and 6), DiGiCo’s SD9 and Yamaha’s CL5 were among the preferred choices here. Only a very small proportion of companies had no specific wish for a new system, or said that they required no new equipment at the moment. Whilst this question typically elicited considerable consistency
of response, there was rather greater variety when it came to the final query regarding participants’ greatest single long-term concern about the European PA/rental business at this time. Not for the first time, there
were several gripes about our promoter friends (“too many promoters don’t know what they’re doing,” sighed one contributor), while a perceived absence of sufficient events
companies are taking small gigs and undercutting the smaller companies”. There is no doubt that some consolidation is taking place in the rental market, and it’s a trend of which the industry must be mindful. And at least one contributor thinks there could also be trouble ahead at the top-end. “My biggest concern,” they said, “is how they operate. I worry that they will collapse or merge.”
“Bigger companies are taking small gigs and undercutting the smaller companies”Respondent
during the week also raised hackles: “I notice that people seem to be only organising events on Saturdays and not on other nights.” There was also evidence of concern about increased competition from, as one contributor put it, “previously non-viable European firms who have now got touring kit available. Equipment on finance to these firms means that we come up against competition against companies with which we never had to compete before…. It’s a real challenge.” But for the greatest single
share (40%) of companies, there was one overriding concern – that of larger companies possibly becoming too dominant in the market and squeezing out the smaller players. “Big companies are doing even very small gigs now, and [I fear] it’s taking my business away,” said one participant, whilst another voiced concerns that “bigger
SUMMARY The son et lumière spectacle that was the summer of 2012 was always bound to make its impact felt on the previous rental sector report. Numerous extra events – some of them with a global pull – made for extremely busy schedules. Conversations recalled from those months spoke of days and days without sufficient sleep as companies worked around the clock to fulfil their hectic agendas. Given this spectacular period, an ‘after the party’s over’ atmosphere could easily have been expected for this year’s survey. But in fact – and despite aforementioned festival market malaise – rental companies are both busy and upbeat. Habitual concerns – the state of the European economy, pressure on margins, etc – have not gone away, but they never threaten to overshadow a sector whose resurgence since the live events boom of the early Noughties seems to be beyond question. PSNLIVE2013
www.psneurope.com
2012 2013
...while Suede’s Neil Codling takes a more sedate approach to a performance for Absolute Radio with his DPA d:vote mic
% of respondents
% split
1= Highest Priority, 5 = Lowest Priority
(0)
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