Current Issue #488

Novatech Has the Skills and the Technology

Novatech Has the Skills and the Technology

For the last 16 years local production company Novatech has been a technological backbone to events and festivals by providing the audio and visuals for entertainment and corporate events in South Australia, interstate and even internationally.

Started in 2001 by Leko Novakovic and his brother Milenko, the duo is still in charge today. Back then they saw a gap in the market for providing innovative and creative technology to productions and, according to Leko, it went gangbusters from the get-go.

“It was a combination of corporate and event-based entertainment work and that’s a philosophy we’ve stuck with,” Leko says. “We cover all aspects of the corporate market – gala dinners, conferences, product launches, and national roadshows – and in the other market, entertainment; we do music festivals, concerts, national tours and big sporting events.”

Novatech works with clients as diverse as WOMADelaide, the South Australian Museum (for their current immersive exhibition Yidaki) and sporting codes such as the AFL and A-League. From 2001 to 2017, their ethos has remained the same.

“We haven’t changed our philosophy and that’s to provide cutting edge technology to our clients, to exceed their expectations and guarantee high quality event execution delivery,” Leko says. “I guess in summary, it’s just grown in scale: the shows are bigger, there are more of them, they’re more high profile and they’re national. Even though we’re a South Australian company, we do a lot of work around Australia and a little bit internationally now as well. So, while there is a lot of demand for us to set up shop on the east coast, we’re committed to remaining South Australian-based but servicing our clients nationally and globally.”

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The company now has 50 full-time equivalent employees and despite providing AV work for festivals and clients outside of South Australia, they don’t have satellite offices interstate or overseas and prefer to remain based in Adelaide.

“We love the state,” Leko says. “We’re passionate about the state; we want to contribute to it. We enjoy the lifestyle and this way our clients are committed to using us, they’re happy to take us on the road. We get to travel but we always get to come home.

“We operate purely out of our South Australian base,” he says. “When those national shows and opportunities come, the equipment gets transported around the country by an entertainment transport company and our crew get flown around and accommodated. It’s pretty exciting for the guys as well, they work for an Adelaide company but they get to work in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Singapore and Vietnam.”

So why do Asian and interstate clients seek out Novatech when they could use a company closer to home?

“A lot of that is around our people. Our biggest asset beyond any core gear or fancy equipment is our people. They all carry that same ethos around passion and high quality event execution. Our clients see that and get used to that and are happy to pay for that as a premium to know that they’ve got the Novatech team supporting their event.”

For Novatech, who recently ran a design competition for a limited edition T-shirt, one event that is close to their heart is WOMADelaide, as they are the exclusive provider for the annual global music festival, and even have their own stage.

“Several years ago we provided one stage and at that point WOMAD had maybe seven providers technically, and we now do absolutely everything. We’re really proud of that. It’s a highlight of the calendar that our guys really enjoy working. Again, it’s such a great South Australian event and to be able to contribute on a local level is something we’re proud of.”

ncet.co

This article is sponsored by   Bentleys_Master_REV 2.2 x 0.94

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