STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery BV)

What STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery BV) does

STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery B.V.) designs, manufactures, and installs bespoke theatre and show automation systems for musical productions and performing arts venues worldwide. Founded in 2001 in partnership with Joop van den Ende Theaterproducties BV and headquartered in De Kwakel, Netherlands, the company has built a portfolio of over 100 automated productions including Tarzan, The Lion King, Rocky, The Lord of the Rings, Mamma Mia, Frozen, Hercules, and Stranger Things: The First Shadow, serving marquee clients such as Disney, Stage Entertainment, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Cameron Mackintosh across the West End, Broadway, Continental Europe, and Japan.

The technical stack spans four integrated layers: Operate (Composer cue-sequencing software and Piccolo manual control), Control (IPC Central Control industrial PC platform and Servo drive systems), Move (winches, chainhoists, hydraulics, friction/pinch drives, toothbelt/chain, cranes, spira/pushchain), and Construct (grids, galleries, pulleys, foundations, automated stairs, grandstands, portal bridges, gantries). These combine into turnkey installations including SIL3-certified flywalls, revolves, lifts, travellators, sliders, show floor automation, and performer flying systems (pendulum, 2-D, 3-D). SIL3 Safety Integrity Level certification on flywall systems is a key safety differentiator in a regulated installation context.

Commercially, STS operates as a private B.V. (Dutch private limited company) with approximately 25 employees and a fully direct enterprise sales model — there is no reseller or self-serve channel. Revenue is generated through two streams: project-based custom design/manufacture/installation contracts (one-time project fees) and recurring maintenance, service, and commissioning engagements for installed systems. All engagements are bespoke and quote-based. The company maintains a single integrated headquarters and workshop facility in De Kwakel, and reaches global markets through on-site installation teams. Marketing relies on industry reputation, LinkedIn/YouTube/X/Facebook presence, and trade shows such as the Dutch CUE exhibition.

Name

STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery BV)

Legal name

Silicon Theatre Scenery B.V.

Website

https://stsonstage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery B.V.) designs, manufactures, and installs bespoke theatre and show automation systems for major musical productions and performing arts venues worldwide, integrating mechanical, electrical, and proprietary control software with SIL3 safety-certified flywall technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theatre Automation Systems

NAICS

Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Staging & Rigging Services (MPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Event Production & Technical Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound, Video) (MPAGAAAG)

Keywords

• Theatre automation systems
• Stage machinery
• Flywall systems
• Performer flying systems
• Show automation

Headquarters

HQ city

De Kwakel

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Theatre Automation Systems — Design, Manufacture & Installation: STS designs, engineers, manufactures, and installs bespoke automation systems for theatres and musical productions. Revenue is project-based, earned through engineering contracts, equipment fabrication, and on-site installation and commissioning. Projects range from permanent theatre infrastructure (flywalls, control systems, structural elements) to temporary show-specific automation for touring productions.
2. Maintenance, Service & Commissioning: STS provides ongoing service, maintenance, and commissioning for installed systems, including inspections at theatres worldwide and maintenance for running musical productions. This generates recurring service revenue.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery B.V.) designs, engineers, manufactures, and installs custom theatre and show automation systems for permanent theatre installations and touring musical productions. The company produces winches, chain hoists, hydraulic systems, flywalls, stage lifts, revolves, travellators, sliders, performer flying systems, and structural elements (grids, galleries, gantries), integrated with proprietary control software (Composer, Piccolo, IPC Central Control) and servo drives. STS delivers turnkey, project-based automation solutions combining mechanics, electrical engineering, and software under one roof.

Product overview

STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery BV) is a market leader in theater and show automation, founded in 2001, providing comprehensive total solutions for the global theater and entertainment industry. The product portfolio is organized into four integrated categories: Operate (Composer and Piccolo control software for programming and manually executing cue sequences), Control (IPC Central Control and Servo systems for orchestrating automation), Move (comprehensive motion hardware including winches, chainhoists, hydraulics, friction drives, cranes, and various transmission systems), and Construct (structural elements such as grids, galleries, pulleys, stairs, grandstands, portal bridges, and gantries). Additionally, the company provides turnkey Installation solutions including flywalls, revolves, lifts, travellators, sliders, and performer flying systems. The products form a complete, integrated automation ecosystem where the software controls coordinate mechanical hardware to deliver complex, safe, and reliable stage movements for musicals, theatrical productions, and permanent theater installations worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Winch Electric winch systems for lifting and lowering stage scenery, available in preset configurations, used in theatre automation installations.
• Winch Preset Preset-configuration winch systems designed for standard theatre automation applications.
• Chainhoist Chain-driven hoisting system for heavy-duty stage lifting applications in theatre and show environments.
• Hydraulics Hydraulic power systems for large-scale stage movements and heavy-load applications in theatre settings.
• Spira/Pushchain Push-pull chain drive system for linear stage movements and transitions.
• Friction Wheel/Pinchdrive Friction-based drive system for moving stage trucks and scenic elements along floor tracks.
• Toothbelt/Chain Toothed belt and chain drive systems for reliable power transmission in stage automation.
• Crane Theatrical crane systems for suspended scenic elements and performer flying effects.
• Grid Theatrical grid structure providing the overhead support system for flying rigs and rigging points.
• Galleries Overhead gallery structures for mounting stage machinery and equipment.
• Pulleys Theatrical pulley systems for redirecting cable and chain paths in fly systems.
• Winch & Pulley Foundations Structural foundations and mounting systems for winches and pulleys in theatre installations.
• Stairs Automated stair systems for dynamic stage configurations and access solutions.
• Grandstand Retractable or movable grandstand seating systems for flexible theatre configurations.
• Portal Bridges Portal bridge structures for spanning stage openings and supporting scenic elements.
• Gantry Gantry crane systems for overhead lifting and positioning of heavy stage sets.
• Flywall Automated flywall system for vertical movement of backdrops and scenic panels, available in SIL3 safety-rated versions for theatre installations.
• Revolve Rotating stage platform for smooth circular movements of sets and performers.
• Lift Stage lift systems for vertical stage elevation and lowering of scenic elements.
• Travellator Linear travel track system for moving scenic trucks and elements across the stage floor.
• Slider Horizontal sliding mechanism for stage scenery and screen positioning.
• Performer Fly Performer flying system enabling controlled flight effects for actors, including pendulum, 2-D, and 3-D configurations with anti-swing algorithms for safety.
• Show Floor Automation Complete floor automation systems including winches and automated floor sections for dynamic stage surfaces, enabling rapid scene changes, rolling cases, and rigging positioning within tight timeframes.
• Maintenance, Service & Commissioning Ongoing service, maintenance, inspections, and commissioning for installed theatre automation systems worldwide, supporting running musical productions and permanent venue installations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 shows automated worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tait Towers: Tait Towers is one of the world's leading scenic automation and staging solutions providers for live entertainment, concerts, theatre and themed attractions. It is a direct competitor to STS, supplying winches, automation, performer flying systems and show control software for major productions and permanent venues.
• Waagner-Biro Stage Systems: Waagner-Biro Stage Systems is an Austrian-based specialist in stage machinery, theatrical rigging, fly systems and auditorium engineering, with installations across European opera houses and theatres. It is a direct competitor to STS in the European theatrical automation market.
• Stage Technologies (now part of PRG): Stage Technologies pioneered theatrical automation control and is now integrated into PRG's portfolio. It is a direct peer to STS in stage machinery, automation control and fly systems for major West End, Broadway and global theatre productions.
• JR Clancy: JR Clancy is a long-established US manufacturer of theatrical rigging, hoists, winches and stage machinery. It is a direct peer to STS, serving Broadway, regional theatres and performing arts centres with comparable mechanical and control solutions.

Broad incumbents

• Production Resource Group (PRG): PRG is the world's largest entertainment technology and production services company, providing lighting, video, rigging and automation for concerts, theatre, broadcast and corporate events. Through Stage Technologies and other brands it overlaps with STS's automation offering for live productions, though PRG operates at much broader scale.
• Bosch Rexroth: Bosch Rexroth is a global industrial automation and motion-control powerhouse whose servo drives, hydraulics and control platforms are also used in stage automation applications. It competes with STS indirectly as an incumbent in the underlying motion-control technology that theatrical automation vendors integrate.

Others

• Bosch Sicherheitssysteme (Bosch Building Technologies): Bosch Building Technologies supplies safety, security and building automation systems that often sit alongside theatrical automation in major venues. It is an adjacent/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Emerging players

• Sapsis Rigging: Sapsis Rigging is a US-based entertainment rigging and automation services company providing custom rigging, automation design and installation for Broadway, concert tours and special events. It overlaps with STS in custom automation and performer flying services but is smaller and more focused on rigging services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stsonstage
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZOqiKKZBK6cVsWuHl8zttg
• Facebookfacebook.com/STS-On-Stage-903743336359381
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/silicon-theatre-scenery-bv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about STS on Stage (Silicon Theatre Scenery BV)