CLSA Turns 50!

Fifty years ago, two Monash engineering students decided to take their hobby of building, installing, and operating stage lighting and special effects seriously.

Trevor Lloyd and Peter McCrindle left their ‘proper’ jobs to form Concert Lighting Systems Australia.

 They were full of enthusiasm with little idea of what stage lighting would become.

Dirty, heavy, bone-breaking, risky work, with regular meals and sleep hard to come by, became the norm. Along the way, there were motorbike, car, and truck accidents; electric shocks; pyro explosions gone wrong; falls from great heights; and remarkable stories of survival. Yet friendships, good times and a few remarkable strokes of luck made it all worthwhile.

CLSA eventually grew into one of Australia’s main lighting production companies, supporting a host of famous acts such as U2, Simply Red, The Beach Boys, Cher, Diana Ross, Mick Jagger, Sade, Bryan Adams, James Brown, Cyndi Lauper, Tom Waits, and many, many more.

They worked on musical theatre productions including Aida in Singapore, Cats, Les Misérables and The Rocky Horror Show, as well as The Three Tenors, corporate events and many new car launches.

CLSA gradually moved from touring to designing and manufacturing high-quality equipment for sale, hire or installation. Today, the company designs, builds and delivers stages, outdoor roofs, lighting and rigging components. Its quality truss systems are widely used for events, exhibitions, concerts and stage productions, valued for their lightweight design, ease of setup and durability.

“To stand the test of time, a company must be willing to adapt,” commented Trevor Lloyd. “Adapting to change has always required a willingness to learn, as well as to share knowledge with others. Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to have some excellent mentors, including John Abbott of Dane Hiring, John McKissock of Clearlight Shows, Ron Blackmore of ACT, Eric Robinson of Jands and Peter Trojkovic of Troy Balance.”

Trevor is equally proud that some former employees have gone on to start successful businesses of their own. Tim Hall of Resolution X, Matt Hansen of MPH, and Denis Bourke of Republic Technology are just a few examples. For Trevor, seeing people develop their skills and build their own businesses is one of the most rewarding aspects of a long career in this industry.

Another important factor in CLSA’s longevity has been diversification. The business world is full of competitors, changing markets and unpredictable events. When CLSA peaked in the concert touring business, it would have been tempting to focus on touring and sell off the manufacturing side of the company. Instead, Trevor chose to reinvest the profits in warehouse properties in central Melbourne and Sydney.

“That decision helped provide the business with greater security and a solid foundation for future growth, while allowing us to continue expanding our sales and manufacturing operations,” he remarked. “Looking back, I believe our ability to embrace change, learn from others and invest for the long term has been central to CLSA’s survival and continued development.”

To celebrate this incredible milestone, CLSA held a 50th anniversary party at its Port Melbourne premises in late October, attended by clients, staff, friends and family from around the country.

A full gallery can be viewed on CLSA’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php? id=100063672817284

www.clsa.com.au