3 Questions: Christie Opens Up About Low-Cost Competitors

How can a high-quality, high-cost manufacturer compete with low-cost alternatives in categories like video walls and projection? Christie Digital opens up about this challenge, and why it will succeed.

Tom LeBlanc

Put yourself in Christie‘s shoes. The Kitchener, Ontario-based manufacturer has been providing the building blocks for video walls since before that term was widely known. Now video walls exist just about everywhere you look and so do low-cost competitors.

Andy Clipsham, Christie’s product manager for flat panels, talks to CI editor Tom LeBlanc about how times have changed its market position and more.

How has the evolving video wall market changed the strategy behind Christie’s long-standing video wall group?

When it comes to video walls Christie likes to focus on complete solutions, not just products. We work closely with our partners to ensure the best solution is provided with the lowest total cost of ownership … Christie sees opportunities at both the high end and the low end of the [evolving video wall market].

Five years ago in the video wall space Christie’s offerings were limited to projection cubes and Microtiles. Now we have expanded that [and] have a full range of LCD displays, many with narrow bezels, and we also have a full range of LED displays with various pitch options …. Through Christie 360 we provide customers with the content for these walls.

Hear from Andy Clipsham about low-cost competitors, video walls and projection or read on below.

The projection market has also changed a lot thanks to low-cost flat-panel alternatives. Where will projection be in five years and how will Christie fit into it?

Christie started in the projection market, we’re a leading innovator and will continue to grow with this market [but] we like to focus on solutions. So things like projection mapping using multiple projectors on buildings and other structures is gaining huge traction around the world and we’re big in that as well … Again we provide high quality content for these projection mappings via our Christie 360.

[But] there is a lot of growth in the LCD market and it will continue to grow as some facilities replace low-end projectors with LCD panels. Christie is a significant player in the LCD market.

In general, how can high-quality — but also high-cost — Christie continue to compete against low-cost alternatives?

Christie’s integrated solutions are custom-made for each project and we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Our focus is on solutions, not products … That is why we offer a full range of components toward the solution including Spyder, Phoenix, coolux, Brio and also content from Christie 360 … [We’re] there from the start to the finish of the projects and we stand behind our projects after they’re done.

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