ETC purchases Vortek rigging division of Daktronics

ETC and Daktronics have announced that ETC has acquired the Vortek rigging division of Daktronics. All Vortek rigging products will be integrated into ETC's rigging portfolio, and operations will be consolidated with ETC's primary manufacturing locations in Wisconsin by the year's end.

 The transition of Vortek into the ETC Rigging™ family will double ETC's current stage-machinery offerings. They will be able to provide customers with a wide variety of custom-engineered, heavy-lift, high-lift and high-speed rigging solutions, which include orchestra shell, grand drape and scoreboard lifts, along with synchronized acoustic panels, and motorized packaged hoists.

"On the heels of a successful launch of the new Prodigy P75 Hoist and with the incorporation of Vortek's engineering expertise, ETC is preparing to open up our solutions for theater systems," says ETC Rigging General Manager David North. Prodigy® P75, ETC's newest rigging hoist solution designed specifically for larger venues, has over 75 feet of vertical travel and up to 3,300 pounds of lift capacity. Its unique and compact design allows it to be mounted nearly anywhere and has the option of SoftLift technology, which provides smooth stop/start transitions while lifting or lowering heavy scenic elements.

 The company's acquisition of Vortek will allow ETC to offer advanced rigging solutions for the entertainment market on an international level. By building on the engineering experience of Vortek, ETC also plans to maintain a custom engineering-design center. "We see a great synergy between ETC and Vortek," says ETC CEO Fred Foster. "The complementary strengths of rigging products as well as the combination of the skills and experience of the two companies will be a great benefit to our customers, old and new."

ETC will maintain an active, ongoing relationship with Daktronics to continue to provide high-quality hoists and lifts for Daktronics' scoreboard systems customers. And ETC will continue to sell its award-winning Prodigy hoists, QuickTouch®, QuickTouch+® and Foundation® controls, along with Vortek's Classic and custom hoists and full control-solution line.

Vortek's operations will be integrated with ETC over the next three months. Product manufacturing will be consolidated into ETC's new manufacturing facility in Mazomanie, Wisconsin, while a design and engineering center will remain in Victor to support custom products, customer support and service. "We are committed to providing a smooth and seamless integration of these two companies," explains Foster. "The entire Vortek team will be helping us through the transition and we will offer them opportunities to continue to work with ETC in the future." The company also ensures that Vortek customers will continue to have access to the equipment and services they have come to expect from Vortek over the years.

"ETC's continued dedication to innovative rigging solutions for the entertainment market follows the historic path blazed decades ago in lighting," describes North. "ETC has been providing entertainment and architectural customers with cutting-edge rigging products and services since 2009. We are eager to show even more solutions in the near future as we continue to fill out our products, solutions and services for theatrical rigging. Vortek's product line and design staff give us a broad set of motorized rigging solutions that customers have been asking for and we are pleased to provide."

About Daktronics

Daktronics helps customers impact audiences throughout the world with large-format LED video displays, message displays, scoreboards, digital billboards and control systems for sport, business and transportation applications. An American-based manufacturing company founded in 1968, Daktronics has grown into the world leader for audio-visual systems and implementation, with offices around the globe.

Discover more at www.daktronics.com.