Wenger and Creative Conners to Showcase Spikemark Vantis at USITT 2026Wenger Corporation and Creative Conners, united under the Wenger portfolio since 2025, will be at USITT 2026 in Long Beach, California, March 18-21, to demonstrate Spikemark Vantis, a new handheld control solution built on the Spikemark software platform. Spikemark Vantis is said to simplify everyday operation of motorized rigging, venue machinery, and show motion technology while providing a clear path to more advanced automation solutions. "Venues shouldn't have to choose between a simple wall panel for everyday setup and a specialty automation system for performance," says Gareth Conner, director of controls technology at Wenger. "Spikemark Vantis bridges that gap -- simple when you need it and able to manage a sophisticated ecosystem when you're ready to do more." At its main booth (#927), Wenger and Creative Conners will demonstrate Spikemark Vantis workflows for jogging, grouping, and recalling preset looks, and show how it fits into the broader Spikemark suite -- allowing venues to modernize controls while keeping much of their existing machinery and equipment. Spikemark Vantis will be shown controlling a variety of devices in the booth, including a Floorpocket V2 pit lift, a Pushstick Mini deck winch, a Rotator with turntable, an H&H 400 Series track with traction-drive curtain machine, and a Summit Hoist equipped with the new Stagehand Lineset hoist-mounted motor controller. Wenger will also participate in the Automation Lab -- a separate area on the show floor where multiple manufacturers' equipment is installed in real-world configurations for hands-on learning. In this space, attendees will be able to operate additional Creative Conners machines such as Revolver and Pivot (alternative turntable solutions), Smart Chain Hoists (variable-speed chain hoists), Pushstick (the larger deck winch) and Spotline (a single-line overhead hoist), controlled via Spikemark Vantis and Spikemark Console. Spikemark Vantis pairs an intuitive touchscreen, responsive joystick, and preset looks to support fast, repeatable room setups, with Spikemark software enabling deeper automation as needs grow. The modular upgrade path incorporates Stagehand motion controllers (the system's "brains") and Showstopper E-stop systems (the safety chain). Many venues now have multiple motorized systems -- rigging, screens, masking, acoustics, lifts - often operated by separate controls that don't communicate. Spikemark controls unify systems under a single control environment, including mixed equipment and machinery of varied ages, from multiple manufacturers. 
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