PLDA Faces Biggest Challenge Yet

The Professional Lighting Designers’ Association (PLDA) has informed members that it has been forced to ‘question its future’ after a long and expensive legal battle and the withdrawal of most of its sponsorship.

The troubled organisation is now facing the possibility of being declared insolvent by the German courts. Four board members have quit and the lighting equipment manufacturers who support the organisation, known as the circle of sponsors, have withdrawn their support.

The PLDA has also suffered expensive legal setbacks in its dispute with its former publishing and events partner company, Via. Last year VIA won the first case, the PLDA has appealed and a second legal action has been started by VIA. Earlier this month, its bank account was frozen, bringing its executive activities to a virtual halt.

In a statement, the organisation told members: ‘Legal conflict, open membership fees and the recent termination of sponsorship from the circle of sponsors have created a financial situation where PLDA is now forced to question its future. PLDA now waits for a court decision on this matter which if accepted will result in the legal procedure of the court appointing an insolvency administrator. The insolvency administrator will survey all financial matters and then conclude with a professional assessment of PLDA’s financial status.’

‘The decision of the members of the circle of sponsors to dissolve itself was received with heavy heart by the board.’

The remaining board members have now asked the German court of Amtsgericht Bielefeld to appoint an insolvency administrator who will consider making the organisation insolvent in the case of eventual bankruptcy.

The board concluded: ‘We now face our biggest challenge yet: the rebirth of our association.’ It has called for a debate among members about the association’s future ahead of its AGM at the Light + Building show in Frankfurt in April.

08 Feb