Christie, a visual displays and audio technologies supplier, has acquired Cologne-based coolux GmbH (“coolux’), a world-renowned developer and supplier of 3D
compositing and rendering systems, best known for its Pandora’s Box product
family. coolux will be integrated into Christie’s Global Market Solutions team,
maintaining its office in Cologne, Germany.
Jennifer Smith, executive vice president, Global Market Solutions, said “Christie is
committed to deepen its marketplace lead in supplying a total solution for advanced
applications such as projection mapping, broadcast delivery and all manner of
large-scale digital canvas creation, so the fit between our products and services and
those of coolux is a natural one.
“Pre-visualisation capability when creating stunning, experiential events – including
real-time rendering of same – is increasingly important in the creative plans of
entertainment designer and creative visionaries. The acquisition is a boon to those
who need multiple display technologies to come together to create both continuous
and non-continuous digital canvases, but most importantly, to be able to create and
manage the content that flows onto these canvases.’
coolux CEO Jan Huewel, who will report to Jennifer Smith in his new position of
senior director, Processing Solutions, commented that “In a world where visual and
audio experiences are assuming new importance in inspiring and moving audiences,
content orchestration and synchronised content delivery is paramount and with
today’s news, Christie, with its already impressive presence in this arena, has
gained another leading-edge product line and development team to ensure it keeps
its lead.’
Initial reactions to the news of the acquisition was positive among global leaders in
augmented reality and experiential-marketing projects, exemplified by award-winning projection designer Bart Kresa of Bartkresa design Inc., who said “I’ve
used coolux and Christie products in a number of my productions and value both for
their feature-rich gamut and reliability, so I’m excited about what Christie will come
up with in future, leveraging its expertise and that of the coolux team.’
