Robe
Robe is a privately held Czech manufacturer of professional moving-head luminaires, LED fixtures, and remote follow-spot systems, selling globally through six subsidiaries and a distributor network in 100+ countries to rental companies, venues, broadcasters, and architects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersNorthampton, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Robe does
Robe (legal entity ROBE lighting s.r.o.) is a privately held Czech manufacturer of professional entertainment lighting, founded in 1994 by Ladislav Petrek and Josef Valchar and headquartered at a 130,000 sqm facility in Valasske Mezirici with a second production site in Karvina. The company designs, manufactures, and globally distributes moving-head luminaires, LED profile and wash fixtures, laser-phosphor sources, and remote follow-spot systems under the Robe, Anolis, RoboSpot, iSeries, FORTE, ESPRITE, MegaPointe, and GigaPointe brands. Its product portfolio is built around a deep stack of patented proprietary technologies including TE Transferable LED Engines, MSL Multi-Spectral Light Source, RAINS active ingress protection, EMS motion stabilisation, GLINT optics, and Cpulse flicker-free PWM control, supported by in-house plastics moulding, metalwork, PCB production (via subsidiary Dioflex), and optical testing.
Robe operates a hybrid go-to-market model, selling direct through six wholly-owned subsidiaries in the U.S., U.K., Middle East (Abu Dhabi), Singapore, France, and Germany while reaching more than 100 countries through a network of distributors and exporting to 82 countries. Revenue is generated almost entirely from hardware sales of moving lights, LED fixtures, follow-spot systems, and related accessories (flight cases, fog/haze, networking, the IP65 PowerDolly platform) to rental companies, production houses, venues, broadcasters, theme parks, and architectural customers. End-customers span live touring (Metallica M72 2026, Hans Zimmer, Lucie 40th Anniversary Tour), broadcast (Eurovision Song Contest 2026), theatre and opera (Lviv National Opera, Theater aan de Parade), theme parks (Duinrell), and architectural installations (Llewellyn Hall via the Anolis brand). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and follows standard B2B manufacturer practice through subsidiaries and channel partners.
The company is intentionally independent and family-controlled: Petrek serves as CEO overseeing fiscal and operational infrastructure, while Valchar acts as the public face engaging distributors and customers globally. There are no disclosed institutional investors or parent company, and the business is managed for agility and reinvestment rather than short-term exits. The addressable market is the global programmable stage lighting segment, sized at US$1.89 billion in 2025 with a projected 7.05% CAGR to US$3.49 billion by 2034, in which Robe competes as one of a small group of dominant global vendors.
Robe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Robe
- Legal name
- ROBE lighting s.r.o.
- Website
- https://robeuk.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Robe is a privately held Czech manufacturer of professional moving-head luminaires, LED fixtures, and remote follow-spot systems, selling globally through six subsidiaries and a distributor network in 100+ countries to rental companies, venues, broadcasters, and architects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Robe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Entertainment Lighting Equipment
- NAICS
- Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Electric Lighting Fixture Manufacturing (335132)
- SIC
- Electric Lighting & Wiring Equipment (3640)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Commercial Luminaires (High-bay, Low-bay, Troffers, Downlights) (IMAGAIAA)
Keywords
Where Robe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Northampton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
Robe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Professional Stage Lighting Equipment Sales: Robe generates revenue through manufacturing and selling professional entertainment lighting equipment including moving head fixtures, LED luminaires, follow spot systems, and related accessories to distributors, rental companies, venues, and production companies worldwide
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels11 records
Robe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Robe designs, develops and manufactures professional entertainment lighting equipment — moving head luminaires (profile, spot, wash, beam), LED fixtures, laser-phosphor fixtures, IP65-rated all-environment luminaires and remote follow-spot systems — at its Czech factory and distributes them to rental houses, production companies, venues, broadcasters and theatres worldwide through 6 wholly-owned subsidiaries and a global distributor network.
Product overview
Robe is a leading global manufacturer of entertainment lighting offering a comprehensive portfolio of professional moving lights and LED fixtures. The core product range includes profile spots (ESPRITE, FORTE Series), wash/beams (MegaPointe, MiniPointe, GigaPointe, Spiider, Tarrantula), multi-source fixtures (PAINTE), and the specialized T-Series for theatrical applications. The iSeries line provides IP65-rated all-environment variants of key products (iFORTE, iESPRITE, iPAINTE, iWTF, iBOLT) for outdoor and challenging conditions. Supporting technologies include the RoboSpot remote followspot system with Multi Device Control for managing up to 12 fixtures, TE Transferable Engine technology for interchangeable LED sources, and the Anolis architectural lighting sub-brand. Accessories include PowerDolly mobile power, flight cases, fog/haze effects, and networking equipment. All products feature Robe's proprietary technologies including MSL multi-spectral LED engines, Cpulse flicker-free PWM control, L3 low-light linearity dimming, and various optical innovations. The company operates from a single manufacturing facility in the Czech Republic.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Anolis: Architectural LED lighting brand established in 2005 for architectural and environmental illumination
- RoboSpot
- iSeries
- FORTE
- ESPRITE
- MegaPointe
- GigaPointe
Products and services
- FORTE Series High-output LED profile moving head available in standard and LTX (Long-Throw) variants, used by touring productions and large venues needing stadium-class output.
- ESPRITE LED profile moving head with TE Transferable LED engine technology (HP/HCF/TGW), targeted at theatre, broadcast and touring productions.
- PAINTE Multi-source LED wash luminaire with versatile colour mixing and beam shaping, used in theatrical and event applications.
- MegaPointe Multi-functional moving light combining intense beam work with crisp gobo projection for concerts and live events.
- MiniPointe Compact version of the Pointe family offering versatile beam and effects capabilities in a smaller form factor.
- GigaPointe Laser-phosphor multipurpose luminaire with GLINT optics, delivering safe, consistent incoherent laser light at high intensity for headline shows.
- T-Series (T1, T2, T3, T11, T15, T32 Cyc) Family of profile and wash fixtures (T1, T2, T3, T11, T15, T32 Cyc) with LED and discharge source options for theatre and TV applications.
- iSeries (iFORTE, iESPRITE, iPAINTE, iWTF, iBOLT) IP65-rated, all-environment line of luminaires (iFORTE, iESPRITE, iPAINTE, iWTF, iBOLT) for outdoor festivals, stadium shows and maritime installations.
- LEDBeam Series (LEDBeam 150, LEDBeam 350) Compact LED wash fixtures with rapid movement for installations and touring rigs requiring a smaller footprint.
- Spiider Multi-coloured LED wash fixture with patented MCFE flower effect and Kling-Net pixel-mapping for dynamic effects.
- Tarrantula Large LED wash-beam fixture with high output and pixel-control for large-scale tours and installations.
- Tetra / Tetra2 Linear LED fixtures providing sheet-of-light effects and pixel control for cyc/banner lighting on stage and in architectural settings.
- PATT Series Retro-styled tungsten and LED luminaires for theatrical and architectural applications requiring classic aesthetics.
- WTF! IP65-rated LED strobe-wash-blinder with controllable pan/tilt and pixel mapping for stadium and touring use.
- SilverScan LED scanner luminaire with retro mirror movement and patent-pending pan/tilt feedback control.
- FOOTSIE LED footlight range with BluMark performer-safety edge markers and SPREAD diffusion for stage-edge lighting.
- RoboSpot System Remote follow-spot control system using camera-enabled Robe fixtures, allowing one operator to manage up to 12 fixtures simultaneously from a separate position.
- PowerDolly IP65-rated mobile power platform (200 kg load, 5,000 Wh LifePO4, wireless DMX, solar/mains charging) for portable power at events.
- Anolis Architectural LED Lighting Anolis — wholly-owned architectural LED lighting brand offering permanent-installation luminaires for facades, interiors and themed environments.
Quantifiable outcome
- Fixtures specified for major productions including Metallica M72 tour, Eurovision Song Contest, and Hans Zimmer world tours
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Robe
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Robe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature12 records
Robe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AnoliscoreAnolis is Robe's architectural LED lighting brand established in 2007, offering architectural lighting solutions that complement Robe's entertainment lighting products. The brand focuses on permanent installations requiring aesthetic and functional architectural illumination.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Robe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- High End Systems (ETC): US-based moving-light manufacturer (Sola, Halcyon) acquired by ETC. Competes in the same touring and broadcast segments with comparable LED moving-head fixtures.
- Chauvet Professional: US manufacturer of professional entertainment lighting (Maverick, Rogue, COLORado series). Competes in the same concert, theatre, and architectural installation markets as Robe.
- Ayrton: French designer and manufacturer of premium LED moving-light fixtures for entertainment. Directly comparable in product line, target customers, and global touring-rig specifications.
- GLP (German Light Products): German manufacturer of professional LED moving lights (X4, impression series). Closely comparable in product technology, customer base (rental houses, broadcast), and distribution model.
- Clay Paky: Italian manufacturer of professional moving lights and spotlights, now owned by Signify (Philips). Directly competes with Robe across concert, theatre, and broadcast segments with comparable product categories (Sharpy, Mythos, Axcor).
- Martin Professional (HARMAN): Danish-origin moving-light and effects manufacturer owned by HARMAN (Samsung). A long-standing direct competitor in the MAC series of professional moving heads serving the same touring, theatre, and architectural markets.
- Elation Professional: US manufacturer of professional entertainment lighting (Proteus, Artiste, Fuze series). Overlaps with Robe in IP-rated outdoor fixtures and theatrical/touring applications, often at lower price points.
- Vari-Lite (Signify): Originator of the modern moving light, now part of Signify/Philips. Directly comparable in the high-end concert and theatrical moving-light segment served by rental companies.
Emerging players
- SGM Light: Danish manufacturer of IP-rated professional LED fixtures for entertainment and architectural markets. Direct technical overlap with Robe's iSeries in weatherized, all-environment luminaires.
- ADJ Group: US-based manufacturer of entertainment lighting and effects with growing professional line. Competes in the lower-mid segment of moving lights and washes; partial overlap with Robe in clubs, houses of worship, and smaller venues.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Robe social profiles
Digital presenceRobe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Robe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Robe subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
Robe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Robe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Robe
What does Robe do?
Robe designs, develops and manufactures professional entertainment lighting equipment — moving head luminaires (profile, spot, wash, beam), LED fixtures, laser-phosphor fixtures, IP65-rated all-environment luminaires and remote follow-spot systems — at its Czech factory and distributes them to rental houses, production companies, venues, broadcasters and theatres worldwide through 6 wholly-owned subsidiaries and a global distributor network.
Is Robe a public or private company?
Robe is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Robe founded?
Robe was founded in 1994. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Robe based?
Robe is headquartered in Northampton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Robe make money?
One revenue line is on record: professional Stage Lighting Equipment Sales.
Who are Robe's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are High End Systems (ETC), Chauvet Professional, Ayrton, GLP (German Light Products), Clay Paky, Martin Professional (HARMAN), Elation Professional and Vari-Lite (Signify). Emerging players are SGM Light and ADJ Group.
Does Robe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Robe.
What industry is Robe in?
Robe's product category is Professional Entertainment Lighting Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAIAA, Industrial & Commercial Luminaires (High-bay, Low-bay, Troffers, Downlights). Its NAICS code is 335132 and its SIC code is 3640.