REPORT
INTERVIEW
Kam at PLASA 09
but no-one would push us.”
The following year Lamba started to visit China on a more
frequent basis as KAM’s brand extensions started to roll out -
with KAM Karaoke, KAM Lighting, Kamkases and Kamstands. “We
were preparing ourselves to take on the worldwide market. After
all, we had successfully distributed Martin, COEF and Genie, so
had experience of lighting.”
But to build the range (and have it regarded as more than an
entry level brand) they had to have the right personnel, as well as
products in place. The shake up began in 2006. They took on as
Brand Manager the experienced Charles Ward, the driving force
behind DJ Magazine, and one of the leading figures in the dance
market. He helped establish the brand at key conventions like the
Miami Winter Music Conference and on the Ibizan summer circuit.
And this year’s appointment of Steven Schiffman will further the success of the Star Cluster 3D DMX laser last year.
underpin KAM’s growing gravitas. “We have gone heavily into LED and also have a range of 23
Frustrated with the company he was working for, Schiffman had lasers. In fact the mobile DJ has been helped by the recession as
been ready for a change. “Over the last three or four years I had with LED he can buy a product for £99, with no heat dissipation
seen the KAM brand grow and grow and was ready for a new and never needs to replace a lamp.”
challenge,” he said. Meanwhile, at the top end, Most Technical’s Dave Parry specified
Frank Irish had long been aware of the American’s peerless KAM LED and strobes at top London venues, KOKO and matter,
reputation and boundless enthusiasm and it seems a marriage while Bryan Adams has been using LED 800 lighting strips on tour.
made in heaven, particularly since the international sales manager And as the KAM catalogue continues to expand Lamba are also
can use his experience of selling Gemini’s Lytequest in nurturing finding themselves at the vanguard of innovation. Brand KAM has
the growing sales in KAM lighting. now become desirable, and without disrespecting the past, it is
“This has changed everything,” acknowledges Frank. “With unlikely that customers would have beaten such a path to their
aggressive marketing the export turnover has doubled year on door 20 years ago.
year since 2006 — even last year in the height of the recession. But equally who would have contemplated a day when a small
In fact, there are now over 60 distributors worldwide and KAM is venue or DJ could have a good DM laser for under £200, with four
visible on every continent except Antarctica. modes of remote control? Or where ‘prosumer’ sales would be
With their experienced Product Development Director man Paul stimulated thanks to a Games Console product called ‘DJ Hero’?
Bierton making regular trips to China with Frank Irish backed up Above everything, Frank Irish still retains an entrepreneur’s spirit
by their Chinese Logistics Manager, Steven Sun back at base, any of adventure and challenge, and a rich sense of humour - with a
cultural difficulties are quickly overcome. rare fund of ‘road tales’ in his locker room ... great attributes in
Part of their success has been based on the steady incursion made these corporate-dominated times.
into MI, largely with their lighting products. “We have the right But maybe his dad shared the same mischievous humour in naming
combination of sound and lighting, and see the growth in the his company. Unable to get his first choice ‘Lambda’, which was
international and MI side as big for us.” already taken, he settled for ‘Lamba’. On an early trip to the Far
Products like the Parbar Mk 2 Lighting Kit, KAM’s portable all-in- East Frank was politely informed that ‘Lamba’ had a different
one DMX LED lighting system, have not only penetrated the MI meaning in Taiwanese ... and that over in the Orient KAM has
shops but also won a Product Award at PLASA this year following simply taken the market by the lambas.
028 January / February 2010
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