Look for equipment from Martin Professional to turn up at weddings... in India, anyway. The firm has opened Martin Professional India, a joint venture with its former Indian distributor, Esco Audio Visual.
India is virgin territory for professional lighting equipment, says Martin managing director Peter Johansen. "The potential applications for Martin lighting equipment are immense," he says, mentioning the country's "Bollywood" film industry as one candidate. "Similarly, the Indian wedding market, where entertainment budgets are truly amazing, has immediate prospects."
Martin has consummated another agreement, this one in Japan. Matsushita Electric Works is now marketing and selling Martin equipment in that country, in a deal that does not affect its relationship with its present Japanese distributor, Media Face.
Martin hopes to realize market share in Japan equal to its world market share, which it says hovers around 11%. Matsushita has a quarter-share of the Japanese intelligent lighting market, valued at $400 million.