PARIS — Several PA companies in France have joined forces with one another, and with loudspeaker manufacturer NEXO SA, to create a new shared-inventory scheme: NEXSTEP. Among those already signed to the agreement are ATech, Blue Squares, C.S.E., Euroson, Even On, Novascene, Melpomen, Twin Audio Live and Z Professionel. Negotiations are still underway, and the list is expected to grow.
The basic concept of the NEXSTEP community is to share resources when and where necessary. NEXSTEP members will be able to pool their inventories to create larger systems for major events. The network also provides a degree of convenience for tour managers, who can take advantage of identical NEXO systems located around France to make cost savings in transport.
Jean Jacques Vias, NEXO's representative dedicated to the touring market in France, points out that, "every summer, there is a festival in every major town and city. When these major events occur, they make considerable demands on the resources of local PA companies; however, events of this size may not occur often enough to justify a significant investment in new technology. A system which pools resources is cost-efficient and logistically very friendly for all participants."
NEXSTEP has developed from an informal gathering of PA companies at a NEXO product demo. NEXO is confident that the NEXSTEP initiative can serve as a model for other countries, and will be promoting the advantages of the concept through its international distributor network.
For more information, visit www.nexo-sa.com.
