Specialist manufacturer representative 3LR Lighting has announced Simon Needle as its newly appointed director of special projects. Simon, well-known throughout the global lighting industry from his varied career including his former role as international projects director for White Light, begins his new role at 3LR Lighting with immediate effect.
Founded in 2019 by Matt Lloyd, 3LR is an architectural manufacturer representative working closely with ETC, Studio Due and Schnick Schnack Systems and in Film & Broadcast lighting with Sumolight, offering expert advice on lighting and control for auditoriums, cruise ships, concert halls, theatres and themed environments plus television and film.
Lloyd comments:“Being able to welcome Simon to 3LR is a huge deal for me personally and for the company as a whole. I’ve known him for a long time and admired his contributions to so many shows and projects over the years. He will be an enormous asset to our business, and I am beyond delighted that he is joining us.”
Needle has been a prominent figure in the lighting world for over 30 years. A graduate of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, he worked at the Piccadilly Theatre in London’s West End before starting his own lighting company, Electrolite Entertainment Services (along with John Hastie, later a co-founder of Stage Technologies). EES provided stage automation, electrics and production lighting services to a string of large-scale West End and touring theatre productions. His resumé includes such classics as Miss Saigon, Les Miserables, Oliver, Carousel, Oklahoma, We Will Rock You, Mamma Mia!, Sunset Boulevard and many others.
“By representing the best manufacturers, 3LR can help clients in all areas of architectural lighting, broadcast lighting, rigging and control, by bringing together our collective expertise,” added Needle. “I hope to open up their offering to a wider audience and bring new local and international opportunities.”