Day 229/365 of Steel – Stageco

Steel on stage!

Stageco was founded exactly 35 years ago in the wake of the Rock Werchter Festival. Born and bred Werchter resident Hedwig De Meyer organised a local festival in the 1970s. The event soon burst at the seams and they had to look for a bigger stage.

Stageco Stage
Fig 1: Stageco Stage
Photo: © dpw

Since the only alternative from Britain did not meet the requirements, they decided to build one themselves. Fellow organisers faced the same problem, so Stageco also began to deliver stages to other festivals.

When Genesis ordered a stage structure for their ‘Invisible Touch Tour’ in 1981, international expansion began. Hedwig De Meyer decided to leave traditional scaffolding behind and developed his own system.

Stageco Stage
Fig 2: Stageco Stage
Photo: stageco.com

This system is less labour-intensive, has more carrying capacity and offers more safety. In 1987, Pink Floyd also ordered a Stageco stage for their ‘Momentary Lapse Of Reason Tour’. The tour took Stageco to Australia, New Zealand and Europe and put the company on the map for good. In 1992, Genesis led Stageco to America with the ‘We Can’t Dance Tour’.

U2 Stage 360 Tour
Fig 3: U2 Stage 360 Tour
Photo: scia.net

Stageco built a fully customised stage without a roof for the first time. In the following years, more branches were opened in addition to the Dutch branch, including in France and Germany.

Stageco Stage
Fig 4: Stageco Stage
Photo: timmers.be

Yet it doesn’t all have to be “big” and “rock ‘n’ roll”. Besides stages in various sizes and weights, Stageco builds all kinds of temporary constructions for the most diverse events, such as sports happenings, dance events, fairs, theatre productions, television productions, etc.

About the Author:

Bruno Dursin – Managing Director at Believe in Steel. Bruno has more than 30 years of experience in promoting steel & steel solutions. His clients benefit from his extensive network within the building industry.

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