Ruben Rengel, managing director Absen Europe and Oceania reveals the importance of the company’s partners and sharing recognition with the entire team.
How did it feel to receive recognition at last year’s InstallAwards?
The pace is such in this industry that you rarely have the opportunity to look back at what was achieved. We are constantly working on new exciting projects and launching new products, so receiving recognition at last year’s InstallAwards not only gave us incredible pride, but it was also a great opportunity to associate our partner to the win and give them the recognition they deserved.
Being awarded in front of your peers is simply an amazing feeling, which we hope to experience again in the future. The InstallAwards are so much more than an industry accolade; receiving this from a leading international publication reinforces your reputation in the industry, and is a true recognition of the hard work. From R&D to sales, from customer service to technical teams, the InstallAwards celebrates all our employees, whether they have been involved directly or indirectly in the project.
How important are partnerships such as the one between Absen and Clear Channel?
We were lucky enough to be among the winners of the InstallAwards for two years in a row, and on both occasions, it quite simply wouldn’t have been possible without the help of our fantastic partners. You can manufacture the most efficient, reliable and best performing product in the industry, it is only as good as the partners who distribute, select and integrate your product. And we, at Absen Europe, are extremely lucky to have partners such as Clear Channel who use our LED solutions for their OOH projects.
When we got called up on stage, we couldn’t reap all the benefits, so we asked Clear Channel’s airports director Jonathan Goldsmid (pictured second from left) to join us on stage. Clear Channel masterminded the revamp of what would become the world’s most digitalised airport. Not only did they install digital media throughout Fiumicino airport, they transformed it. Being able to deploy hundreds of square metres of digital signage in a high profile, high security, and high footfall location without disrupting its operation is simply a tour de force. We are very proud to count Clear Channel as our partner.
What prompted you to enter last year?
First of all, we were confident that, with the digitalisation of Fiumicino airport, we had a top contender that would be high on the jury’s list. Also, Installation is a highly respected publication, which sees hundreds of installations each year, and we knew that it could help our partner and ourselves to get the recognition that was deserved. Finally, the prospect of spending an afternoon with your peers in an amazing venue in London is always an attractive proposition.
What advice would you give to those considering entering this year?
You can only win awards in the pro AV industry when you are surrounded with amazing people: employees, partners, distributors, integrators, clients, all these people have the ability to make a good project an amazing one. Get your partners involved, make sure you write a solid entry that is backed up with high quality pictures, and don’t be shy. If you have the right product, and the right partners, you deserve industry recognition.
To enter this year’s InstallAwards go to: www.installawards.com
