Australian company, Laservision has had huge successes in Asia. The company’s MD, Paul McCloskey spoke to Sophie Loras about the perks of being based in Hong Kong.
As early as the 1970s Paul McCloskey had imagined the possibilities for lasers. By 1984 he had formed Laservision in Sydney’s leafy suburb of Dural, inventing and patenting a unique and innovative method to harness the power of laser energy.
Now, almost 30 years later, and with offices in Hong Kong and Singapore, the business has a lengthy list of accolades under its belt including the production of several of Asia’s highest profile light shows.
Today Mr McCloskey is Laservision’s Managing Director. He has been personally awarded the Australian Entrepreneur of the Year by Telstra and the Australian Government for his vision and tenacity in creating this revolutionary new medium, and was this year granted the prestigious Australian Export Hero award – an award which recognises those Australians who have made a significant and unique impact in their international marketplace while achieving success for their organisation, and Australia.
Other awards include Australia’s Best Small Business, NSW exporter of the Year and Team Entrepreneur of the Year. Laservision is an accredited Australian Federal Government Research and Development Facility and the Department of Industry, Science & Technology continues to invest in Laservision’s Research & Development through a variety of partnership agreements.
Laservision specializes in architectural lighting, tourist attractions, theme parks, major events and spectaculars, laser bill boarding and consultancy.
In 2002, the company expanded into the architectural lighting sector and has most recently produced the ‘Symphony of Lights’ spectacular in Hong Kong. In the past 18 months the show has increased from 18 buildings to include 43 of Hong Kong’s prominent skyscrapers. The show recently received the prestigious honour for the worlds ‘Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show’ as awarded by the Guinness Book of World Records.
*Pictured: Laservision’s Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong.
In addition to creative and technical consulting and concept development for laser shows and event production and installations, Laservision is a developer and manufacturer of hardware and software products to control these mediums in concert. This enables one single system to coordinate all elements of a large event. Large Scale Multi Mediums may be controlled with frame accuracy to a 1/1000 of a second so that they can be truly interconnected.
The company’s creations integrate large multi mediums – high impact, high retention mediums for the masses. These include the integration of lasers, architectural lighting, surround sound, fountains, aqua screens, digital maquinas de slots image projection, pyrotechnics and special effects.
High profile Laservision attractions include Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights – the world’s largest light and sounds show, Singapore’s Wonder Full, Marina Bay – South East Asia’s largest water show and most recently, Laservision was selected from a world audit to design, develop and deploy a state-of-the-art outdoor media attraction for Las Vegas Sands Corporation.
In 2003 the business opened its Hong Kong office, followed by a Singapore office in 2010, to capitalize on its primary target market – the Asia Pacific region.
Both offices were opened to better resource its two flagship projects – Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong and Wonder Full in Singapore.
Paul McCloskey says the vast majority of Laservision enquiries originate from the ASEAN region therefore establishing offices in the two major hubs in Asia was logical.
“With the development of a Laservision branch office in Hong Kong and more recently Singapore, the Southeast Asian markets have become more accessible,” says Mr McCloskey.
“Servicing enquires from this region has also become more efficient due to the establishment of the Laservision branch office.”
Mr McCloskey says Hong Kong is one of the world’s best examples of an open market economy.
“There are no local content requirements and there are no import duties for this market. There is no legislation or practice which restricts access to the Hong Kong markets by foreign exporters or which mandates preference for locally manufactured products,” he says.
*Pictured: Laservision’s Wonder Full in Singapore.
*Pictured: Laservision’s Wonder Full in Singapore.
He says Hong Kong companies (and the Hong Kong Government) do not tend to favour any one supplier over any others “and are far more inclined to purchase based on the terms of price, delivery, quality and service.”
Mr McCloskey says one of the greatest benefits of being based out of Hong Kong is quicker and more efficient access to the regions where the majority of Laservision’s enquiries originate.
“With the Symphony of Lights flagship project dominating the Hong Kong Skyline, we can easily demonstrate to clients first hand on an unprecedented scale, Laservision’s capabilities and success on the international market,” he says.
Due to the increase in demand for Laservision’s service and products, future offices in Korea and India have been identified as potential locations for further growth.
The business has also considered opening a branch office in China however with the establishment of the Hong Kong and Singapore offices and the ability to access anywhere in the China Region within 24 hours, the immediate necessity for a branch office in China is still under consideration, says Mr McCloskey. ■
