As posted on AVNetwork.com
There were 7.5 million pounds of thrust that catapulted the historic Saturn V rocket from the ground at the Kennedy Space Center, bound for lunar orbit in July 1969. That enormous level of force didn’t just open a whole new frontier of human exploration, it was also responsible for the first American space station. Saturn V was launched 13 times in its working lifetime—a duration of just six years.
The number of monumental feats achieved by NASA in a very short time span is astonishing. It serves as a good reminder of how quickly things can evolve, even if in our quest to achieve lofty goals we sometimes lament the limitations of 24-hour days.
The best part of each year drawing to a close is that we get to zero in on the growth of the AV industry and dole out fresh results concerning which integrators are driving that progress. We call that the Top 50 Systems Integrators, of course. This industry exclusive is a coveted position for those firms generating top revenue in commercial AV installations for the year, and for others, it remains an inspiring achievement to work toward. For the many people working in some other capacity of the industry, the Top 50 is looked upon as an informational tool.
Over the years, we’ve worked to add value to the Top 50 list, so it’s not simply about name dropping and revenue ranks. This year, in addition to our annual commentary assessing areas of business growth and challenges, we’ve also noted which of the Top 50 most successful integrators are participating in AV-iQ. To further illustrate the successful strategies of these firms, we’ve also provided a snapshot of the projects that helped to thrust them ahead this year.
1. AVI-SPL
2. Whitlock
3. Diversified Systems
4. AVI Systems
5. Technical Innovation
6. CCS Presentation Systems
7. HB Communications
8. Ford Audio-Video
9. Electrosonic
10. SKC Communications
