Clay Paky
Italian stage lighting company
title: "Clay Paky" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["stage-lighting", "stage-lighting-instruments", "lighting-brands", "electronics-companies-established-in-1976", "italian-companies-established-in-1976", "2022-mergers-and-acquisitions"] description: "Italian stage lighting company" topic_path: "engineering" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_Paky" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Italian stage lighting company ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Claypaky |
| logo | Claypaky logo.jpg |
| founder | Pasquale Quadri |
| foundation | |
| key_people | |
| type | Subsidiary |
| industry | |
| location_city | Seriate |
| location_country | Italy |
| num_employees | About 200 |
| products | Professional lighting systems |
| parent | |
| website | |
| :: |
|name = Claypaky |logo = Claypaky logo.jpg |founder = Pasquale Quadri |foundation = |key_people = |type = Subsidiary |industry = |location_city = Seriate |location_country = Italy |num_employees = About 200 |products = Professional lighting systems |parent = |website = Claypaky is a developer of professional lighting systems for the entertainment sector (theatre, television, concerts, nightclubs and outdoor events ) and for architectural applications. The company is based in Seriate, near Bergamo, about 40 km from Milan, Italy.
It operates from a modern facility housing its R&D labs, main production plant and quality control, sales and administration departments. At present Clay Paky exports 95% of its production through a global sales and service organization represented by a dealer network active in more than 80 countries around the world.
On December 20, 2022, Osram sold the company to the Arri group. The company was then later sold to EK Lights.
History
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Clay_Paky_Astrodisco.jpg" caption="The Astrodisco by Clay Paky, a widely used disco light of the 1980s."] ::
The Claypaky company was founded in August 1976, taking its name from the shortened, anglicized form of the name of its founder, Pasquale (Paky) Quadri, one of the first entrepreneurs to realize that technological developments in lighting would have an enormous future in the show business and entertainment world.
In 1982 Claypaky presented the Astrodisco, which used a single lamp to project multiple rays of colored light across ceilings and dance floors. Five years later it launched Brilliant, a digitally controlled moving head and forerunner of a new generation of “intelligent” projectors. This was followed in 1988 by the programmable Golden Scan, a moving mirror projector and the first luminaire to implement stepper motor technology instead of servo motors.
Acclaimed by the specialised press as “the world’s most popular and best-selling projector”, the Golden Scan became a commonly used lighting effect at nightclubs and rock concerts during the late 1980s and the 1990s. The London rock band Klaxons claimed the projector was the inspiration behind their light-themed, hit single Golden Skans.
Since 2000, Claypaky has also been developing its offer for indoor and outdoor architectural applications. In 2002 it moved its headquarters to a new industrial complex in Seriate (Bergamo), achieving certification for compliance with the UNI EN ISO 9001 quality standard that same year.
Claypaky has experienced constant growth, reporting revenues of more than 50 million euro for 2011, up by over 50% from 2010 (33 million euro). It has a workforce of nearly 200 people.
Just before its founder died in 2014, the company was sold to Osram. Afterwards, Claypaky was acquired by the Arri Group in December 2022.
On 13 May 2025 Claypaky announced that Arri's share in the company had been purchased by Chinese company EK Lights.
Awards
::data[format=table]
| Year | Award | Award name | Nominated product | 2019 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2008 | 2002 | 2001 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1994, 1996 | 1993, 1995, 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993 | 1992 | 1990, 1991 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best Debuting Product in Lighting | LDI | Product: XTYLOS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Advancement in Lamp Technology | PLSN | Product: XTYLOS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outstanding Lighting Product Innovation | PALM Sound and Light Award | Product: Sharpy Plus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Hard Edge LED Spot | PLSN Goldstar Product Award | Product: Axcor Profile 900 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Innovation | Plasa Awards | Product: K-EYE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Product | World Show | Product: Scenius | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Innovation | Plasa Awards | Product: Scenius Profile | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indispensable Technology | Parnelli Awards | Product: Mythos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Debuting Lighting Product | LDI Awards | Product: Spheriscan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Product of the Year | Live Design Awards | Product: Mythos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indispensable Technology | Parnelli Awards | Product: A.leda B-EYE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Debuting Lighting Product - Honourable Mention | LDI Awards | Product: Mythos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Innovation | Plasa Awards | Product: Mythos | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Lighting Product | PIPA Awards | Product: A.leda B-EYE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Debuting Lighting Product | LDI Awards | Product: A.leda B-EYE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Innovation | Plasa Awards | Product: A.leda B-EYE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Debuting Lighting Product | LDI Awards | Product: Sharpy Wash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Product of the Year | Live Design Awards | Product: Shotlight Wash | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Empresa de iluminación del año | Premios Producciόn Audio | Company: Clay Paky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Most Creative Use of Lighting | LDI Awards | Company: Clay Paky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Debuting Lighting Product | LDI Awards | Product: Alpha Spot 800 QWO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indispensable Technology | Parnelli Awards | Product: Sharpy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rock Our World Awards | Plasa | Product: Sharpy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Product of the Year | Live Design Broadway Master Classes | Product: Sharpy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Debuting Lighting Product - Honourable Mention | LDI Awards | Product: Sharpy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Innovation | Plasa Awards | Product: Sharpy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Innovation - Special Commendation | Plasa Awards | Product: ALPHA PROFILE 700 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Important contribution to the development of the club industry | Ciribelli Awards | Company: Clay Paky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Innovation | PLASA | Product: ALPHA BEAM 300 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Lighting Product | LIVE AWARDS | Product: Stage Profile Plus SV | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Design Excellence | PLASA | Product: CP Color | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Product of the Year | BEDA | Product: Stage Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Lighting Fixture of the Year | LIVE AWARDS | Product: Stage Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club Lighting Effects of the Year | ETA | Product: Stage Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Budget Lighting Effect of the Year | ETA | Product: Stage Color 300 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Al Miglior Concerto | TELEGATTO TV Sorrisi & Canzoni | Company: Clay Paky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Art and Technology of Show Business | EDDY AWARD | Product: Stage Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luminaire of the Year | EN TECH | Product: Mini Scan HPE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Innovative Lighting Product of the Year | ETA | Product: Stage Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club Lighting Effect of the Year | ETA Disco International | Product: Golden Scan HPE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Product of the Year Entertainment: Most Promising Prototype | LDI | Product: Stage Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Honourable Mention: Best Big Booth | LDI | Company: Clay Paky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light Product of the Year | TCI | Product: VIP 300 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Award for Product Excellence | PLASA | Product: Stage Scan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best Light Show of the Year | LIGHTING DIMENSION | Product: CP Show | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Lighting Product of the Year | LIVE AWARDS | Product: Golden Scan HPE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full Sized Moving Light | EN TECH | Product: Golden Scan 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light Product of the Year | BEDA | Product: Golden Scan 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Innovative Light Effect | DISCO INTERNATIONAL | Product: Golden Scan HPE | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Effect | DISCO INTERNATIONAL | Product: Golden Scan 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| European Company | LIVE AWARDS | Company: Clay Paky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club Lighting Effect | DISCO & CLUB | Product: Golden Scan 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Automated Luminaire | LIVE AWARDS | Product: Golden Scan 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club Lighting Product | DISCO & CLUB | Product: Golden Scan 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer of the Year | DISCO & CLUB | Company: Clay Paky | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Award | BEDA | Product: Golden Scan 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lighting Effect | DISCO & CLUB | Product: Golden Scan 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| :: |
The MoMS - Museum of Modern Showlighting
A project conceived by Pasquale Quadri (1947-2014) and formally opened in 2015 — the UNESCO International Year of Light — the Museum of Modern Showlighting (MoMS) is the first European museum that specifically covers all the sectors where show lighting plays a vital role.
The museum investigates the chronology of advances in lighting technology in parallel with the development of the socio-cultural context.
After a brief historical excursus on stage lighting beginning in ancient Greece, the exhibition focuses attention on the 1980s and the development of lighting effects that have become part of our collective memory through musicals such as “Saturday Night Fever”. It then comes to the present and the complex motorised projectors available on today’s market.
The museum has a library consisting of an historical archive of reviews and a multimedia room.
References
References
- [http://livedesignonline.com/stagingrental/clay_paky_dancing_ice_0602/ "Clay Paky At Dancing On Ice"] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-11-29 , ''Live Design'', June 2008)
- [http://www.tpimagazine.com/News/200468/clay_paky_lights_the_acdc_tour.html "Clay Paky lights the AC/DC tour"] {{webarchive. link. (October 5, 2011 , ''Total Production International'', February 2009)
- [http://www.mondodr.com/venue/687627/clay_paky_at_the_xix_commonwealth_games.html "Clay Paky at the XIX Commonwealth Games"] {{webarchive. link. (2011-07-14 , ''mondo*dr'', November 2010)
- "ARRI acquires Claypaky". Arri.
- Mingone, Marco. (2025-05-13). "Claypaky joins forces with EK Inc. to drive future growth".
- Rushton-Read, Sarah. [http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?eid=bc21256a-a5ab-400c-8511-e8fedcbe8e2f&pnum=54 "Alpha Males"], ''Lighting and Sound International'', June 2009
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