Today, with 40 employees, ELO sells Robe fixtures primarily to professional markets, but they also supply smaller rental companies, nightclubs and semi-professional users with some lower-cost brands plus a huge variety of accessories.

A relationship with leading Brazilian sales and distribution company Newart began around 2001 and a few years later, Newart became Robe’s official distributor in Brazil. At this point Magoo’s interest in the Czech manufacturer’s products dramatically increased and in 2004, ELO became an authorised Robe reseller!

“In 2011, Newart’s Francisco Pinheiros and I went to the Prolight+Sound expo in Germany where we talked in more depth with Robe’s Josef Valchar and Harry von den Stemmen about how we could develop the relationship and Robe’s market penetration and support here in Brazil”, Magoo said.

From that moment, many local professionals decided to start investing and supporting Robe in Brazil, and Robe’s presence started growing fast. In the last three years alone … around 4000 fixtures have been sold.

Magoo continued: “I’ve always been a big Robe fan! I have had plenty of experience selling other brands too, but in my opinion, Robe is definitely one of the best. The products are tough and robust, always innovative, and now Robe is a major player worldwide”.

“Robe’s LEDWash 600 had been the most successful product in Brazil until the Pointe was launched in 2013 and rocketing sales saw it become the most sold product ever in the shortest period of time. However the LEDWash 600 continues to be the overall ‘most sold’ fixture to date”.

ELO’s many and varied clients include Brazil’s major rental companies which guarantees that most of the national and international shows staged in Brazil will be utilising Robe fixtures at some stage.

“Currently many band riders from abroad will already be asking for Robe. If they aren’t, then designers are usually very happy to accept Robe in substitution. This week, for example, rental company Apple will be supplying lighting including Robe units for American rapper Pitbull’s show in Rio de Janeiro”.

Commenting generally on the Brazilian market, Magoo confirmed that things are ‘challenging’ for selling high quality products!

However he does offer some positivity. “Certain key professionals are starting to realise that having the best products, service, back-up and support is preferable, especially in the long run, to the ‘false economy’ of paying rock bottom prices and getting inferior fixtures that do not last … with little or no support”.

He adds that it’s not unusual to find Robe products still working perfectly after more than 10 years of active service … at which point the value for money becomes an extremely attractive proposition!

“That’s definitely something to consider,” he concluded.