BASF Pavilion

Headquartered in Ludwigshafen, Germany, BASF SE is the largest chemical producer in the world, supplying products to a broad range of industries with customers in over 190 countries. The company operates hundreds of production sites across Europe, Asia, Australia, the Americas and Africa. In North America, BASF Corporation is the largest affiliate of BASF SE with more than 100 production and research and development sites.

At a new BASF location in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, a large pavilion was built as a flex space for corporate events, gatherings, presentations and formal meetings. Originally, a projector and wall-mounted electric screen was used to support event activities, but in the outdoor setting, the system continually underperformed.

"Being outdoors, we had frequent issues with the projector system—from images being barely visible with so much ambient light to insects and pollen getting into the equipment and deteriorating image quality", said Jeffrey Coger, BASF facilities engineer. "The projector would also blind presenters on stage and set-up was a nightmare since the system was not permanently installed".

These ongoing difficulties called for a new solution.

"We needed a system that offered high image visibility and that would not be affected by the elements, including high temperature, humidity and pollen", Coger said. "It was also important that we could get time back from a maintenance perspective. We had to clean the projector and change bulbs often, and each event required a set-up and teardown".

Seeking a solution, BASF engaged audio visual systems integrator AVCON. "BASF built an incredible pavilion with beautiful woodwork and beams, but the projector system did not match the level of investment they made in the space", said AVCON Senior Project Developer Chuck Jones.

"They're objective was to create an environment that would appeal to their workforce—more companies today are investing in experimental facilities as a way to differentiate themselves and compete for talent. We began exploring LED technology, and specifically, a solution that was fully outdoor-rated with low pixel pitch and ultra-high brightness".

Featuring a high brightness of 5000-nits, the Planar VVR Series is a family of indoor and outdoor LED video wall displays that are designed for high ambient light applications including

large outdoor venues and events. Planar VVR Series LED video walls offer a wide range of configurations and easily adapt to various designs including hanging, stacking, wall-mounted or floor-mounted installations. With an IP65 Ingress Protection Rating, Planar VVR Series outdoor models feature a dust-tight enclosure to protect the LED display in harsh outdoor conditions. All electronics are contained in a single compartment on the back of the cabinet, which is easily removable to provide quick access to all components.

"The Planar VVR Series LED video wall meets all of the client's needs—it is bright, high resolution, weatherproof and blends with the pavilion from an aesthetic standpoint," Jones said. "They now have a display technology that gives the pavilion the impact they were looking for. It looks just phenomenal".
According to Coger, the vibrant and clear imagery provided by the new Planar VVR Series LED video wall has increased use of the pavilion.

"The imagery is unbelievably clear even in near direct sunlight," he said. "The reliability of LED means we are not fighting bulb burnouts anymore, allowing our maintenance team to work on other issues in the facility".