Cinionic is the new name of the previously announced joint venture between Barco, Appotronics, China Film Co. and CITICPE. It was announced at CinemaCon 2018. The name is a combination of cinema and ionic, defined as the “coming together of forces to create energy in the Cinema industry.” (Barco/Appotronics J/V Has a New Name)
The new company will focus on a combination of innovative cinema solutions, flexible financing and a comprehensive service model that enables exhibitors to focus on engagement with their moviegoers while simplifying their technology and operations.
About 100 of Barco’s 3600 employees will move the new company, including Wim Buyens who takes over as CEO. Barco will be the exclusive supplier for all projection and image processing technologies in the joint venture and take a 55% share of the new company. Appotronics (ALPD) has supplied the laser phosphors solution to Barco for some time and will continue in this role for new and retrofit solutions (20% share). CITICFE, a unit of the CITI banking group, will offer financing. China Film Co. already authors PLF content (450 titles including many Hollywood movies) and operates 300 PLF screens under the Cinema Giant Screen (CGS) brand. It is kind of like an IMAX solution, but China-based. They will continue to be a customer for Cinionic solutions and provide content.
“In a post VPF world, it’s no longer enough to provide superb engineering and market leading products,” explained Buyens. “Our customers are asking for more complete financial and service solutions.” As a result, the company is looking at a number of different business models besides simple financing. One idea is “laser as a service” where the exhibitor pays by the hour of use or by the number of tickets.
In addition to consolidating Barco’s sales, services, and marketing teams in Cinionic, Barco is also moving cinema manufacturing and engineering departments to the same location in Kortrijk (Belgium). Barco’s brand-new and state-of-the-art production facility called, “The Engine,” is geared to create the cinema projectors of the future, it says., both in terms of volume and technology. Here, some lamp-based but primarily laser illumination-based projectors are made. The different laser technologies such as RGB and laser phosphor are manufactured, assembled, and tuned in this facility. This includes the laser retrofit engines that allow exhibitors to upgrade their lamp projectors with smart laser technology.
The production facility covers 15,000 sq m (161,458.66 sqft) in total, including 1,500 sq m (16,145.87 sqft) state-of-the-art clean rooms. About 250 people work in the new facility with a focus on operational excellence, automation, and quality.
The Engine features an investment in a multimillion-dollar clean room where Barco makes its sealed optical engines and patented engine cooling. As a result, no contamination can affect the optics of the DLP cinema chips, which guarantees undiminished brightness and contrast.
The core of the Factory of the Future is a clever way of working that encompasses different pillars. This includes digitally connecting employees and systems worldwide as well as automating the warehouse (fully operational beginning 2019) and key assembly activities.
“The new site, and accompanying infrastructure, is a major step-up of our manufacturing capabilities and helps us respond quickly to new market trends,” says Filip Deruijck, Barco’s VP Operations Belgium. “The design of the manufacturing floor, for example, is flexible and multifunctional. Through automation and innovation, we can shorten lead times and increase production. It’s how we can keep delivery times short and produce cost-effectively.” – CC
