Funds advised by Providence Equity Partners, the parent company of Sziget/Flow Festival owner Superstruct, have bought into industry leading staging specialist Tait
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Providence-backed Tait acquires UK’s Kinesys
The merger of Tait and Kinesys "will take the choice of automation available to every tour, production and venue to a whole new level", says the latter's CEO
By IQ on 04 Jun 2019
The Kinesys team
Tait, the US-based production/staging equipment powerhouse, has acquired Kinesys, a London-based company which designs, manufactures and sells motion-control systems used on shows by the likes of Ed Sheeran, U2 and Garth Brooks.
The deal, terms of which were not disclosed, unites the “global leaders in entertainment automation”, reads a statement from Tait, which received “major” investment from Providence Equity Partners, the parent company of festival operator Superstruct Entertainment and technology firm Patron (Greencopper, Marcato), in February.
Tait core offering centres on Tait Navigator, an automation/show-control platform used to control machinery, lighting, audio, pyro, fountains and other special effects for live shows, while Kinesys’s Elevation, Libra and Apex product lines – used by venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Sydney Opera House – are among the most-used solutions for modular automation (ie controlling hoists, winches and scenery and lighting rigs).
Post-merger, the companies will link together their automation technologies and Kinesys will offer Tait products via its global distribution network.
“offering the power of both Kinesys and Tait to our customers creates a market-leading platform”
“I have long admired the amazing work that the team at Tait have delivered over the years,” comments Dave Weatherhead, CEO of Kinesys. “From groundbreaking touring shows to epic installations, they really have earned their reputation for quality and innovation. Being able to bring that magic to our Kinesys family of customers and rental partners is exciting.
“This will take the choice of automation available to every tour, production and venue to a whole new level. By sharing our respective experiences and expertise we can bring extraordinary solutions to an expanded customer base in integrated and affordable packages.”
Adam Davis, chief creative officer of Tait, adds: “Kinesys’s success in show control and automation products is unparallelled. We believe that offering the power of both Kinesys and Tait to our customers creates a market-leading platform. Together, Tait and Kinesys will continue to develop cutting-edge automation technology, to focus on our core client bases and to provide the highest level of excellence and service to our customers.”
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