The new order was delivered via Robe’s Benelux distributor, Controllux and the lights have been busy ever since on a wide variety of projects – from TV shows to major live events.

AFR’s lighting operations manager Marco de Koff explained how Robe has been on their radar for some time, but it was 2010 when they started looking more closely at the brand with the launch of the ‘ROBIN’ range, including the MMX Spot and the LEDWash series.

‘It was clear that Robe was taking a very innovative route in its product development, a trend that’s continued and impressed a lot of people,” says Marco.

As AFR has started receiving more artist rider and event design requests for Robe they have boosted their own stock to meet this demand.

The first actual purchase of Robe kit was 100 x Pointes in 2013, quickly followed by CycFX 8s, then last year, the first 32 BMFL Spots to join Utrecht-based AFR’s inventory … was also the largest BMFL order in Netherlands at the time.

With the latest 160 fixtures ... AFR is certainly putting its money where its mouth is!

The LEDBeam 1000s were selected for their output and versatility as a ‘hybrid’ beam / wash fixture after they had been a massive success on the 2016 Vrienden van Amstel Live shows at the start of the year in Rotterdam’s Ahoy arena – with lighting designed by Gert Jan Schreuder.

The DL7Ss were purchased as Marco and the AFR lighting team saw the potential for this flagship elegant, high quality LED profile luminaire to become a ‘workhorse’ luminaire for the company, spread across all their primary markets – theatre, television and live events.

‘It’s still rare for an LED source to be able to deliver the intensity, colours, smooth dimming, quiet operation and refined movement of the DL7S,” says Marco, adding that it is stylish, adaptable and does not need replacement bulbs – a winner to any rental operation, making the ‘cost-of-ownership’ calculations very quick and extremely attractive.

Marco also observes that the quality of the DL7S is so good that it can be mixed and matched seamlessly with other discharge fixtures that might happen to be on a rig.

Recently, LD Martin Beekhuizen used 40 of AFR’s DL7S Profiles on the latest series of wacky scientific games show, Professor Nicolai & Dr. Beckand, recorded at Aalsmeer Studios.

Marco mentions in the same breath that the DL4S range is another excellent ‘mid-range’ multi-use option that can be used across all sectors and genres.

Marco recently visited the Robe factory in Valmez for the first time which was interesting and inspiring.

“You can tell a huge amount about the company by looking around the factory” he says, “The staff really believe in what they are doing and work diligently and at every stage of the manufacturing process … the focus is on quality”.

Photo Credit: Andre van Wijhe (Tribe Company)