Cineom has concluded more than $2.7m of business in the region, with close to 70% of it being related to ARRI, said Deo, Cineom founder and Director.
India-headquartered media solutions company Cineom Broadcast DMCC, which set up ARRI operations in Dubai last year to provide sales and support for ARRI products to end-users in the MENA region, has announced on the occasion of its first anniversary that it has successfully delivered and serviced several new and pre-owned ARRI cameras and lenses to rental houses, freelance professionals and production firms in the region. Cineom owners Vinayak Deo and Shailesh Parab claimed that the company is currently the “only authorised ARRI distributor for the Middle East”.
“We were very flattered when ARRI – Germany approached us to serve as their distributor in the MENA region, in addition to India, where we have successfully distributed ARRI products for the last six years,” commented Deo. “In the MENA region, we decided to offer full-fledged service for ARRI products to cater to market needs. Our strategy over the last year has been very successful.”
Parab added: “We are one of three non-ARRI subsidiaries around the world who own an ARRI authorised service centre for camera systems and lenses, in India and now Dubai. We are authorised to carry out advanced level servicing of the camera systems along with sensor replacement and calibration, which is akin to factory service. In India, we service ARRI cameras, lenses and lighting. In Dubai, we currently carry out camera services but will soon be able to service lenses as well.”
Nithin Panicker, who heads business development at the company, added: “With factory-trained engineers, investment in a state-of-the-art service facility and a well-stocked inventory of all essential spares, we ensure that every camera is fully repaired and aligned for the best performance. Clients need not take their cameras to Germany for repairs.”
The Dubai office has sold a number of ALEXA MINI LF and ALEXA MINI cameras to key rental houses and freelancers in the UAE, such as Action Filmz, Filmquip Media and Filmgate Productions, as well as to rental companies and production houses in Morocco, Kuwait, Tunisia and Mauritius, revealed Panicker. The ARRI ALEXA MINI LF is a large-format small camera approved by Netflix for 4K UHD shoots.
“There is a huge demand for the MINI LF cameras and the Signature prime lenses around the world, with a long waiting time. We have predicted the demand and pre-ordered the MINI LF so that MENA clients do not have to wait long for delivery. We also stock demo equipment to ensure users can experience the products should they want to do that before making a purchase,” Panicker commented.
He added that Cineom has also seen “significant demand for certified pre-owned cameras, lenses and accessories in this market” and has catered to this need.
“We have sold more than 27 brand-new and pre-owned cameras along with lenses and accessories in the MENA region in the last 12 months, including 10 ALEXA MINI LF cameras,” Deo said.
