Adcomm's first two issues Adcomm August 2013 Relaunch issue | Page 34
Eventing
Gap Factor
What’s in a tent?
Floor space is under-utilised! So is counter space. Kleen-Tex South Africa is confident that with its market offering marketers
and advertisers now have unexplored options when rolling out campaigns.
Filling the ‘gap’
Celebrating 10 years’ of business this year, Gap Factor husband and
wife owners, Jodie Cunningham and Greg Howarth, have grown the
company from an events company to an events infrastructure solutions
company.
Stages
100% waterproof. Offer protection
from all weather elements, cost effective,
superior in strength and available in a
range of colours and sizes.
The evolution began when the
couple realised a need for a
reliable staging supplier. Gap
Factor Staging was formed.
Beginning with 20 stage pieces
comprising heavy duty decks,
the company now has over 3
000m² of staging and decking.
Stretch tents
Stretch (Bedouin) tents were
the next acquisition. “Our rigging systems are so far advanced that we
have managed the successful completion of jobs some competitors
have termed ‘impossible’,” says Jodie. One example is the company’s
involvement in the TBWA’s building launch in Sandton. “The company
used a kite as a theme
for the launch. Using a
stretch tent we created
a ‘kite’ which extended
from the top of the
building to the bottom,
and allowed for a
projected presentation
Offer unique and exciting branding
on to the symbol. The
opportunities, certified by engineers, short
kite doubled as a roof
construction time, flexible and versatile.
for the party.”
Gap Factor has a number of tents for hire, the smallest 6m X 6m and the
largest approximately 20m X 50m. “We have a unique guttering system
allowing us to join any quantity of tents while ensuring the structure is
leak-proof.”
The tents comprise
three layers, the
middle layer
a membrane
ensuring it is 100%
waterproof” All
seams are waterproof
– a new innovation,
Offer covering solutions were before
and tents are fire
there were none. Safe and visually
retardant. Gap Factor
striking with leading edge technology.
uses a trussing
system when erecting tents, making it possible to include AV and
lighting. “An entire stage of almost any proportion can be covered with
all equipment easily installed and covered.”
centre for Sun International in
Nigeria. A number of factors,
including cabling, weather
and drainage, needed to be
taken into consideration for
the project to be successful.
The company has invested in a
cable locator system known as
a Cat Scan, which determines
the location of underground
pipes and cables.
Our decking makes an ideal tent floor
or sub floor. We are able to accommodate
large orders of up to 3000 m/s and can level
surfaces from 10cm to 1.5m.
Making the difference
The company’s decking system evolved from a board and rafter system,
limiting height and causing complications on uneven surfaces, to a steel
framework and screw jack system which denies these complications. The
next step was temporary flooring and turf protection making use of a
modular plastic flooring system. The
latter was used at Orlando Stadium
for the Vodacom Unlimited Festival
in 2011.
All structures designed and
implemented by Gap Factor are
signed off by an engineer.
“We provide concept drawings to
manage client’s expectations,” Jodie
concludes. We plan to concentrate
on ‘green’ infrastructure solutions
made from recycled materials.”
The company has branches in Cape
Town, Durban, Johannesburg and
Port Elizabeth and the UK.
A portable temporary
flooring system that can be
quickly and easily set up.
Case study
Gap Factor won a platinum award
for its infrastructure solution at the
2011 Durban Indaba. A 10m x 15m
yellow stretch tent was used to provide cover, water ballasts were used
instead of driving pegs into the concrete. An aesthetically pleasing
appearance was achieved by covering these with stretch covers. An
8m x 12m truss box was used to rig the tent over allowing for a greater
ceiling height; a clear
area on the stand
without hindrance of
poles was achieved;
and rigging points
for lights, sound and
LCD Screens installed.
A 10m x 15m deck
was built to level the
area and covered
Our client’s brands are important to us! So
with a combination
much so, that we ensure we fully understand what
of interlocking
makes your brand tick, applying this to everything
Additional developments
we do in order to provide our clients with an event
flooring and dance floor
The company began providing decking and stage decks to cover water
experience that exceeds their expectations.
to separate the different
surfaces. “The stages we had at the time were heavy duty,” Jodie stresses,
areas in the lounge.
“so we designed lighter decking.”
It can be used from ground level up to 1.5m high. Large decking
* For more information please contact Jodie on: 011791 6741 or
projects include the flooring for the temporary terminal at OR Tambo
[email protected], alternatively go their website:
International Airport in 2010 for the FIFA World Cup (approximately 3
www.gapfactor.co.za
000m² which took 10