Lightning History

1933

Coemar Lighting Srl was founded as a developer, manufacturer, and seller of lighting products and industry innovation for entertainment, architectural, and commercial applications.

1963

Century Lighting sold to Progress Manufacturing Company of Philadelphia (parent company of Singer sewing machines)/Lighting Corporation of America (LCA)

1964

Ariel Davis Manufacturing Company purchased by Electro Controls

1966

Lighting Corporation of America (LCA) merges with Walter Kidde & Company

1967

Micro-Set by Electro Controls, developed by Jack Halvorsen (first installation in Banff, Alberta)

The Rank Organisation buys Strand Electric Holdings

1968

Century Memo-Q by George Van Buren

(UK) Thorn Q-File (sold by Kliegl Bros. in the US beginning 1970)

1969

Rank buys LCA and forms Century Strand, "A company within the Rank Organisation"

Electro Controls Micro-Set MkII

1971

Van Buren Industries Sweet 16, First board to use solid state memory

Van Buren Industries System 128, Larger version of Sweet 16 as chips got bigger

1972

Electro Controls Micro-Set MkIV

1973

(UK) Thorn Q-Level (sold by Kliegl Bros. in the US)

(UK) Rank-Strand MMS

1974

Van Buren Industries Compuset 2000, developed by David Cunningham

Skirpan AutoCue (used a "light pen" for setting levels)

Altman introduces the axial 360Q ERS

Century-Strand name changed to Strand-Century

1975

Electro Controls Micro-Set 96

Electronics Diversified LS-8, developed by Gordon Pearlman and used on the Broadway production of A Chorus Line.

SGM Technology for Lighting was founded in 1975 in Italy, by Gabriele Giorgi and Maurizio Guidi — the company name a truncation of ‘Societa Gabriele Maurizio’. In the early days they were known for producing a diverse catalogue of products for the emerging disco industry — ranging from illuminated dancefloor modules, ‘bubblesmoke’ machines and controllers — from their base in Pesaro.

1976

(UK) Rank-Strand Lightboard

Datacue manufactured by Marketronics - Sold to Teatronics in 1979

1977

Strand-Century Multi-Q

Strand-Century Micro-Q (first microprocessor console?)

1978

Berkey-Colortran ChannelTrack (built by ETC and based on its MegaCue)

Electro Controls Plexus 1000

Kliegl Performance, developed by Steve Carlson and Gordon Pearlman

1979

Strand-Century Light Palette, developed by David Cunningham

Strand-Century miniPalette

Berkey-Colortran ColorTrack (a monochrome monitor with gels taped to portions of the screen, thus the first "color" monitor)

Kliegl Performer (I)

1980

(UK) Strand Galaxy

ETC ELC (Entertainment Lighting Console), proprietary product developed for use at Disney's EPCOT

1981

Kliegl Command Performance

Strand-Century Mantrix with Memory

1982

Studio Due was founded.

MicroStar (on Apple IIe; a PC-version came later, called ProStar, then TechStar, all made by WestStar)

ETC Concept (96) 125

Kliegl Performer II

1983

Kliegl Performer III (the II indicated analog output, while the III used K96 protocol)

Kliegl Entertainer

ETC Idea (wood sides)

Electro Controls Celebrity

1984

Berkey-Colortran DimensionFive

Electro Controls Premiere (only console ever with a "heads-up" display)

1985

LEE Electric of the UK buys Colortran to form LEE Colortran

Strand-Century Light Palette Two

Strand-Century Mini Light Palette

ETC Vision

GAM Access.pdf (reportedly cost $140 to build, retailed for ~$1799)

Colortran Prestige 1000, 2000, 3000

Vari*Lite Artisan

Strand-Century LightBoard M

1986

Strand-Century buys Electro Controls, keeps selling EC products for a few more years

USITT publishes the DMX512-1986 and AMX192-1986 standards.

1987

ETC Expression (I)

Kliegl Performer IV

GAM AccessPro

Strand-Century Light Palette 3

1988

LEE Colortran Scenemaster 60

LMI Designer

1989

Strand-Century drops Century name, becomes Strand Lighting

(AUS) LSC Precept 12 Precept 12

Strand Light Palette 90 (over 700 are sold, more than all other LightPalettes combined)

GAM Panache (a re-branded Performer IV)

Strand Impact (another re-branded Performer IV)

Martin 2032 Controller

1990

ETC buys dimmer manufacturer LMI (Lighting Methods, Inc.)

ETC MicroVision

ETC MicroVisionFX

1991

Kliegl Bros. ceases operations

LSD (Light & Sound Design) Icon Console

1992

Flying Pig Systems Whole Hog (I)

Compulite Animator

ETC Obsession

Strand Impact II (a repackaged version)

Strand Mantrix MX

ETC introduces the Source Four ERS, Sensor dimmer

EDI EnAct

1993

Studio Due launches Stratos moving luminaire.

LEE Colortran Gold Medallion

LEE Colortran Encore

Strand GSX

ETC Expression2X

1994

Horizon Controls (software to allow any Win3.1 computer to control lighting)

Strand 430 and 520

Flying Pig Systems Wholehog II

High End Systems Status Cue

Martin 3032 Contrroller

1995

Strand LBX

Strand 530

ETC Express

ETC introduces the Source Four PAR EA

1996

NSI buys the assets of Colortran, forming NSI/Colortran

Strand 550i

1997

ETC ObsessionII

1998

The first CityColor 1800W is presented at the SIB in Rimini by Studio Due.

ETC Expression3

Rosco/ET Eclipse (dedicated control surface for Horizon Controls)

Martin LightJockey

Vari*Lite Virtuoso

1999

Leviton buys NSI/Colortran

Strand 300

High End Systems buys Flying Pig Systems

ETC introduces the Source Four PARNel

2000

MA Lighting grandMA

Vari*Lite Virtuoso DX

2001

High End Systems HogIII

2002

ETC Emphasis, (an add-on to extend the feature set of the Express/Expression line)

Martin Maxxyz

2003

ET/Horizon Marquee

ETC buys AVAB Transtechnik None of the previous are still in production.

2004

Jands Vista

PRG (Production Resource Group) merges with/purchases VLPS (Vari*Lite Production Services)

2005

ETC/AVAB Congo

High End Systems Hog iPC

2006

Genlyte buys Strand, Vari*lite, ET

Strand Light Palette Classic/Live/VL; Basic/Classic/Preset/Sub Palette (ALL using HorizonOS on Strand hardware)

ETC Congo jr

ETC Eos

2007

ETC Ion

High End Systems Road Hog, Road Hog Full Boar

2008

Strand Palette VL

Philips buys Genlyte

High End Systems discontinues Hog iPC (a dual-boot II/3 console), and ceases support of Hog2 software.

Jands ends production of Hog 500 and Hog 1000, which also used Hog2 software.

ETC discontinues Emphasis, Expression, Express, (reportedly the most popular console line ever, with 19,000 units sold; 14,000 of which were Expresses).

MA Lighting grandMA2 series

PRG V676, the successor to the Vari*Lite Virtuoso DX2

Strand Palette II (family)

Barco buys High End Systems

Martin Maxxyz Compact

2009

ETC Element 40, 60

Zero88 ORB

Martin MaxModules

In April 2009 SGM ownership was passed by president Gabriele Giorgi and his daughter Alessandra to long-standing Italian pro audio company, RCF Group.

2010

Peter Johansen was brought in to SGM to head up R&D in late 2010 — marking his return to the industry following a ten-year absence, after earlier setting up Martin Professional which he subsequently floated on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange.

Martin M1

Philips/ET Marquee discontinued

Barco/HES ceases repair support for Wholehog II consoles

PRG V476, a smaller version of the V676

2011

Cooper Controls closes Hillsboro, OR facility of Electronics Diversified (EDI)

ETC Congo Kid

ETC GIO

Acuity Brands acquires Horizon Controls, Pathway Connectivity

2012

Jands Vista L5

MA Lighting MA onPC command wing and Martin M2PC. Both systems require a user-supplied personal computer.

Martin M2GO

Pathway Connectivity Cognito

Lighting & Electronics, Inc. (L&E), in business since 1960, announces plans to cease operations. Some product lines sold to Apollo Design. Discussion thread.

Barco/High End Systems Hog4, Full Boar4, Road Hog4, Nano Hog4

PRG V276 On Mac, a playback/programming wing for use with a user-supplied Apple Mac computer.

2013

Martin M6.

ETC Eos Ti (Titanium), replaces original Eos.

Wybron announces closure. Reborn under new ownership as Gel Services, Inc. Discussion thread.

Jands Stage CL

ETC Cobalt

2014

ETC Nomad software

Strand Lighting NEO

Osram buys Clay Paky

ETC Nomad Puck

2015

MA Lighting dot2

Pathway Connectivity, Cognito2

ChamSys MagicQ MQ80 Compact Console

Syncrolite of Dallas TX buys assets of Strong Lighting, including Super Trouper™

2016

Osram acquires ADB with intent to merge it with previously owned subsidiary Clay Paky.

2019

In October 2019, Peter Johansen stepped down from his role as SGM Light's CEO.

2020

An arson factory fire in December 2020 (plus COVID) forces the discontinuation of a number of Apollo products, including ApolloGel, Right Arm, Apollo Color Scrollers, DMX cable, Crushed Dichroics, gel frames, and donuts.

2022

Strand Lighting LLC files for bankruptcy link.

ETC releases EOS APEX console line.

2023

Robe Acquires Avolites link.