[Greece] Follow-Me has agreed a strategic sales partnership with Kariotis Audio & Lighting, a prominent provider of audiovisual integration solutions serving Greece and Cyprus. The arrangement encompasses the full Follow-Me product range, and is operational across the Greek and Cypriot markets.
Kariotis Audio & Lighting has been a family-run business in audiovisual integration since 1967, operating in its current form since 2003. The company distributes leading brands for AV equipment and carries out projects with consultants and integrators across the region.
“It is fantastic that Follow-Me can work with any type or brand of lighting fixture – this was a key catalyst for starting the conversation,” says Pandelis Kariotis, sales manager and technical advisor at Kariotis Audio & Lighting. “The new DELT∆ system is particularly exciting for us, because space constraints are a real challenge in Greek live venues. Being able to remove the need for two or more followspot operators on the floor opens up a whole new way of thinking about how we run live events.”
Kariotis plans to drive adoption of Follow-Me through its well-established programme of free technical seminars, delivered by experienced lighting engineers and aimed at helping professionals understand and integrate new technologies into their workflows. The company has already opened discussions with theatres about installing Follow-Me, and is targeting rental companies looking to replace legacy followspot setups. The broader ambition is to grow Follow-Me’s presence across both live performance and theatre in a market that Kariotis sees as ripe for development.
“Our philosophy is centred around making people understand the technology – becoming truly familiar with the products,” says Kariotis. “Greece is a bit behind some other regions when it comes to theatre, and that represents a real opportunity. There is no other system like this available in Greece right now, and we are confident we will get good results.”
“We are very happy to start this cooperation, knowing we can rely on the experience and network of Kariotis to grow Follow-Me’s presence in Greece and Cyprus,” adds Marc van der Wel, managing director of Follow-Me. “Our intention is to get an even closer connection with lighting, audio and video designers, as well as technicians and operators in the region, to present and support Follow-Me effectively.”
The partnership will make its public debut at The Immersive Experience, a two-day event produced by Kariotis Bros Co. on 1-2 April at Anassa City Events. A live performance with musicians will form the centrepiece of the demo. Follow-Me’s technical sales specialist Menno Appelhof will be present at the show, which has already attracted strong advance registrations.
“In this seminar we want to combine lighting with sound, and the recipe for that is Follow-Me,” concludes Kariotis. “It will be a good start to unlocking a new world for us.”