One of the most exciting aspects of the live sound business is that things never stand still. Whether a sound designer, manufacturer, engineer or rental company there are always new techniques to perfect, new equipment to explore or new methods to adopt. For Orbital, innovation is in our DNA and we are passionate about what we do. That is what has made the past 20 years so exhilarating and continues to fire us up daily. There is also another essential ingredient that makes us unique – quite simply it's the people behind Orbital Sound as a company.

On the innovation front, we started 2014 by taking on the distribution of Flare Audio's incredibly exciting loudspeaker range. There aren't many occasions when you uncover something that is potentially game-changing. We believe Davies Roberts' patented designs are just that and we're very excited to be introducing the Flare X2A line array system into our touring inventory for Christmas.

Clear-com's FreeSpeak II digital wireless intercom system, launched at InfoComm in June, is another exceptionally clever piece of equipment that has come into service this year,. Designed for large-scale operations, we are truly impressed at its ability to maintain a strong and dependable wireless connection without any degradation of audio. It really is the perfect solution for live events and big productions in an ever more demanding RF world.

With nearly 20 years as a d&b audiotechnik partner behind us we are delighted to have taken delivery of our first Y-Series loudspeakers and continue to supply this international marque to a large variety of hires and instals with outstanding success. Our deep and thorough knowledge of d&b systems brings huge benefits to many satisfied customers.

Team spirit is the glue that holds Orbital together and over the years we have looked at lots of ways of making ourselves more efficient whilst retaining the fresh and vibrant approach that has always made us stand from others. Our guiding principles are to combine technical excellence with creativity, consistency and outstanding service – delivered by a sizeable and still expanding team.

We are one of very few companies in this sector that has genuine hands on product experts – all fully capable of offering combined technical, practical and consultancy expertise on a brand-by-brand, or individual product basis. This dedicated knowledge base is something that we believe is essential with the degree of complexity involved in modern audio equipment. Our approach is based on much more than supplying units: it's all about providing the know-how to help you select the right kit in the first place, as well as the installation aspects, matched by ongoing support and comprehensive maintenance. Our product experts actually use this stuff themselves, in the real world, every day of the year. It's not just "sales talk" – it's from the heart.

As we look ahead to the 2015 season, one thing is absolutely certain - there is a huge amount to look forward to and a lot of exciting work to challenge. For all of us at Orbital it's about combining a love of innovation with a passion for what we do, underpinned by a truly knowledgeable team – an essential mix of ingredients!