10 September 2009
We asked our overseas guests and suppliers who attended Mediatech to write a sentence or two in regard to their visit to South Africa and feedback on the show.
Bruce Riley with Harry von den Stemmen at Mediatech
“South Africa continues to be a gateway into the African continent, and due to a sophisticated banking system the country stands out from others and allows for reliable business. The partnership with major South African rental and production houses and the excellent relationship with DWR turned Mediatech into a family meeting. The exhibition has become a surprisingly professional event, which gave me an opportunity to really meet everyone I know, and it goes without saying that the DWR booth was perhaps not the biggest, but definitely one of the most crowded in the Coca Cola dome. With Duncan flashing around the show floor like a weasel and Robert, Dan, Bruce, Nick and the rest of the DWR crew constantly talking to customers, the show was a huge success for DWR, Robe and all the fellow manufacturers.
We are proud to work with DWR Distribution and I trust that the business will continue to be good even under the currently difficult economical circumstances. We already see signs of recovery in other countries and I am sure that South Africa will get some good impulses from the upcoming soccer championship.”
– Harry von den Stemmen, International Sales Manager, Robe
John Jones at Glen Afric during his stay in South Africa. “I visited South Africa to attend the Mediatech exhibition as part of the DWR group. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived at the show, it was a large exhibition with lots of interesting and new companies there, much bigger than I thought it would be.
The DWR and Tadco ‘’village’’ was very busy, it seemed the busiest area in the show. The DWR stand looked great with lots of existing and new clients. Once again I had a great time in South Africa, I have visited several times now with DWR and with Gearhouse previously, I love the country and especially the people.
Getting out to the park on Saturday was brilliant also, I have been to other parks in the past and thought this would be like a glorified zoo, how wrong I was. Seeing George Masek who seems to have a fetish about giraffes made us all laugh. Even Luc (Duncan and Sherryn’s baby) thought it was funny!!”
– John Jones, LTM
From the moment George Masek from Vari*Lite landed in South Africa, all he really wanted to see was a giraffe…. true happiness, he came, he saw and he actually got to feed his favourite creature.
“It was a true pleasure and honor to be part of Mediatech 2009 as well as to be newly associated with DWR as the sole Vari-Lite Distributor in South Africa. I was quite humbled by the positive and warm response to the arrival of Vari*Lite in the South African marketplace, and I look forward to great success there. DWR says that it is the “people that matter”, and gauging from the glowing responses of their customers at the show, I can see they really mean this. Everyone I met at the show assured me that Vari-Lite was working with the best distributor in South Africa and that we had chosen the best partner possible in the market.
With the impending arrival of the World Cup, I look forward to great success and a powerful partnership between DWR and Vari-Lite that will serve South Africa well during this event when the world will come to their doorstep. After spending a week with Duncan Riley and his caring and qualified team, I know for certain that they will serve South African Vari-Lite customers in the best way possible every time.”
– George E. Masek, Product Marketing Manager, Vari*Lite
Giorgio Molinari and Nicolas Saia from Molpass pictured with Dan Riley.
“We still keep good memories of our journey in South Africa which has proved welcoming and warm! As per the expo itself, this did not differ at all from any other exhibition we normally see here in Europe! Keep up good work! Many thanks again to all of you guys!”
– Nicolas Saia, Export Sales Account, GMep-Molpass srl
Alex Cowan
“Being international sales manager for Pixelrange its my job to look for undiscovered markets, l have been looking at South Africa for a while and DWR but had had no contact. With Mediatech show coming up it was an ideal time to think about contacting Duncan at DWR and introducing myself, we both have mutual friends in Dave and John from LTM so the introduction was made and l called Duncan. Right away we hit it off and plans were made to attend the show in Johannesburg and with trepidation l might say as the stories we here this side of the world are not always the best. Nothing could have be further from the truth.
Duncan had arranged for us to being picked up from the airport and had sorted myself and my colleague Paul Young out with the best guest house in Johannesburg. By the time we arrived from the UK the stand was almost complete except for our Pixelrange equipment good old British customs kit never arrived, change of plan. Thanks to Duncan who arranged for us to meet many of his influential customers we discussed products and the best way for them now to see it.
Again DWR to the rescue after agreeing to send demo kit over Duncan the famous Rob Izzett will run a road show for our now legendary South African friends Mike at MJ Event Gear, Ofer Lapid at Gearhouse, all the team at Blond and too many more to mention but you all know who you are, not forgetting Stevie the DJ, so alls well that ends well.
The show itself was also a pleasant surprise very well attended and well organized with most of the worldwide companies in our industry attending, friends like Harry from Robe and John from LTM, new friends as well like George from Vari*lite. So after my short little tale I would like to advise anyone who’s willing to take advice and gets the chance to work in South Africa in our industry do so, or if you are going to play, the drink, food and people are great. If you need to do business there you could maybe end up lucky like myself and end up with a great company like DWR and Duncan to distribute for you and not forgetting the team behind him with special thanks going out to Sherryn. You can’t go wrong when your new distributor is hard working known throughout his country and wins a gold stand award at the show – Christmas came early. So feel the love for South Africa.”
– Alex Cowan, International Sales Manager, Pixelrange, James Thomas Engineering Ltd
We saw you there! Below are some social pics taken at Mediatech.
