AWE Highlights from EI Live! 2025 & Smart Building Awards

AWE marked its 90^th anniversary in style at EI Live! 2025, bringing an incredible line-up of brands, demo spaces, and exclusive product showcases to the AWE Village. Thank you to everyone who visited our stand, joined the team, and experienced the latest technologies shaping the future of custom installation.

One of the most exciting announcements from the show was the launch of our new partnership with RAY Lighting. Visitors had the opportunity to step inside an exclusive demonstration room to experience the RAY Spot Maxi Track lights and explore circadian-friendly lighting solutions. The immersive setup showcased how intelligent lighting design can positively impact wellbeing and elevate everyday living spaces.

“Maxine and I both had a fun time at EI Live! It was really good to get to meet and work with some of the AWE team. The contrast between natural sunlight and the exhibition centre’s lighting highlighted just how impactful high-quality Ray Lighting can be in an installation. We look forward to reconnecting with the team soon and following up on the enthusiastic account leads.” – Simon McCune, Director of RAY Lighting

AWE Highlights from EI Live! RAY — *(L to R) Busy RAY Lighting area, Sony BRAVIA Projector on display, and demo room featuring the BRAVIA Projector 7*.

*(L to R) Busy RAY Lighting area, Sony BRAVIA Projector on display, and demo room featuring the BRAVIA Projector 7*.

Projection and display technologies were centre stage – Sony’s dedicated demo room attracted strong engagement as guests experienced the new BRAVIA Projector 7 (VPL-XW5100) first-hand, with expert demonstrations led by James Drummie, Product Manager at AWE. Both Optoma, who were exhibiting with us for the first time, and Epson, also hosted demo areas in the AWE Village. Optoma showcased its latest home cinema projector, the UHZ68LV, while Epson featured the 10,000-lumen EH-QL7000 with an ultra-short throw lens on demo, as well as the brand-new LS9000.

“It was truly incredible to meet and collaborate with the AWE team at EI Live. The lighting at the Farnborough Exhibition Centre, combined with AWE’s expert positioning of the installation, showcased the remarkable quality of the Optoma UHZ68LV. This product excels in both home cinema and commercial environments.” – James Fitzgerald, UK Sales Manager at Optoma Europe Ltd

Meanwhile, Hisense wowed visitors with the unveiling of its super-sized 116-inch UX TV, while LG showcased it’s 100-inch QNED TV. These huge TV’s just show the evolving technology in large displays, and they are only going to get bigger!

“EI Live was jam-packed with discussions with partners across the custom install channel. I really enjoyed showcasing our latest technology and features, while also learning about other innovations in the world of CI. The AWE Village was all-encompassing, with premium products and a knowledgeable, friendly team on hand to support demonstrations and conversations.” – Ash Douglas, Distribution Channel Manager at LG

*(L to R) Optoma projector area, Hisense 116″ UX TV* on *display, and LG TV range on show*.

As always, the Bowers & Wilkins and Marantz area was buzzing, featuring Bowers & Wilkins speakers paired with amplification from the Marantz Model M Series (M1 and M4). But that’s not all – visitors could also admire the stunning, widely acclaimed Grand Horizon wireless speaker by Marantz, showcasing the brand’s continued leadership in high-end audio and design.

“Being part of EI Live on the AWE Village stand is always a pleasure. The show offers a brilliant opportunity to engage directly with integrators who specify our brands, and collaborating with the AWE team is always a highlight — there’s a reason they’re our exclusive UK CI distributor! It’s also a great platform to showcase our range of products and receive such positive feedback from both installers and audio enthusiasts alike!” – Toby Gibbs, Account Manager at Harman (Bowers & Wilkins/Marantz)

*(L to R) Marantz Grand Horizon in Champagne finish, Bowers & Wilkins static speaker wall, and the iconic Nautilus Loudspeaker.*

AWE’s Managing Director, Stuart Tickle, also took part in a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Built to Grow, Ready to Last: Nurturing Customer and Supplier Relationships.” The session explored key strategies for fostering long-term success through strong partnerships. Stuart was joined by Ketan Patel of KBB Custom Interiors and Simon McCune of Ray Lighting, with the conversation expertly moderated by Jeff Hayward from The Integrated Home podcast.

Stuart Tickle shared his thoughts on EI Live! 2025: “We need platforms to showcase our brands and EI Live is an opportunity to do just that. The show was not as busy due to pressures in the market, but the thing about EI Live is that our team are always speaking to visitors and everyone we see is either an existing or potential customer.”

Overall, the AWE Village was alive with activity as guests explored the latest offerings from Adeo, Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Epson, HD Anywhere, HEOS, Hisense, LG, Marantz, Panasonic, Polk, RAY Lighting, Sanus, Sony, Stealth Acoustics, and URC — a full showcase of solutions for today’s custom installation projects.

Following the show, on Wednesday 17th September, AWE celebrated five major wins at the Smart Building Awards, showcasing our team’s commitment to delivering industry-leading products and services. The ceremony took place at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, kicking off with networking drinks and light entertainment, followed by the highly anticipated award announcements and a three-course dinner.

AWE Highlights from EI Live! Stealth — *(L to R) Stealth Acoustics speakers on demo, Smart Building Awards collection, and some of the team in the AWE Village.*

*(L to R) Stealth Acoustics speakers on demo, Smart Building Awards collection, and some of the team in the AWE Village.*

It was a memorable evening with industry peers, celebrating our shared achievements. The awards we received reflect the innovation and quality across our distributed portfolio:

Marantz MODEL M4 – Best Multi-Zone Music System
ADEO MovieMask – Best Projector Screen
Hisense 110UX – Best TV Display (Conventional)
HDA/uControl MHUBS16 – Best Matrix / Signal Management Product
Kordz PRO4 HDMI Cable – Best Cable Solution

From ground-breaking partnerships and immersive demo rooms, to industry recognition through awards, EI Live! 2025 was a milestone event for AWE. We are grateful to everyone who took the time to visit us and celebrate 90 years of excellence.