About Lawo
Your Global Technology Partner
Lawo is a global technology partner with a long history of providing innovative solutions for live media production workflows. Our holistic approach combines workflow management, physical signal interfaces, audio and video processing, as well as physical and virtual user interfaces with professional services. This enables us to implement optimized live production solutions for television and radio stations, opera houses and theaters, stadiums and arenas, as well as professional AV applications in companies.
Lawo’s product portfolio includes IP-based media infrastructure solutions, control and monitoring systems, digital audio mixing consoles, and software-based audio and video processors. All products are developed by our international Research and Development team and manufactured to the highest Quality standards at our headquarters in Rastatt. We create additional value for our customers through intuitive usability, agility, and technical and commercial flexibility – and with a team of experts who are passionate about world-class media productions.
Our Vision
We enable world class content production by leading innovation in media infrastructure, cloud and workflow solutions.
Our Values
We care about our people.
People are the focus of our company. Providing a working environment based on respect, quality, empowerment, personal development and ownership are fundamental to the way we treat our colleagues.
Our relationships matter.
The importance of personal relationships developed around honesty, trust and integrity will drive the success of our business both internally and with our customers.
We live by our promise.
Delivering on our promises will ensure that we continue to strive for excellence, provide highest quality and maintain our reputation as a reliable and trusted partner.
We are committed to collaboration.
Our focus on partnership and collaboration ensures we stay closely connected and committed to our customers by listening first, being transparent in communication and acknowledge understanding to their goals and objectives.
We think ahead.
Ensuring sustainable and long-term success, we approach responsibly, balanced decision-making across all aspects and their expected consequences and impacts, considering the stakeholders involved with a focus on a strong future.
Our Values
We care about our people.
People are the focus of our company. Providing a working environment based on respect, quality, empowerment, personal development and ownership are fundamental to the way we treat our colleagues.
Our relationships matter.
The importance of personal relationships developed around honesty, trust and integrity will drive the success of our business both internally and with our customers.
We live by our promise.
Delivering on our promises will ensure that we continue to strive for excellence, provide highest quality and maintain our reputation as a reliable and trusted partner.
We are committed to collaboration.
Our focus on partnership and collaboration ensures we stay closely connected and committed to our customers by listening first, being transparent in communication and acknowledge understanding to their goals and objectives.
We think ahead.
Ensuring sustainable and long-term success, we approach responsibly, balanced decision-making across all aspects and their expected consequences and impacts, considering the stakeholders involved with a focus on a strong future.
Over 50 years of engineering the future
In 2020, Lawo celebrated 50 years of engineering the future. Founded initially as an engineering office with a focus on audio and broadcast, the privately-owned corporation grew into an industry-wide accepted innovator who continues to actively shape the future of broadcast and media production.
How We Became Who We Are
Early Years
In 1970, engineer Peter Lawo founded his own engineering company, which initially specialized in the development of devices for electronic music.
His first project was the “Halaphone”, an innovative electronic instrument developed for the experimental studio of the Heinrich Strobel Foundation of Südwestfunk in Baden-Baden. The sound generation of the Halaphone laid the foundation for electronic avant-garde music and influenced the work of renowned contemporary music composers. Lawo’s developments played an important role in the productions of musical pioneers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Boulez, and Luigi Nono.
Within a short space of time, the focus on sound generation was supplemented by other pioneering developments, including analog audio mixing consoles, lasers for medical applications, helicopter helmets with an integrated speech device, and programmable display systems for buses and trains.
- Development of electronic sound generators (Vocoder, Halaphon)
- Development and production of analog audio modules and modular mixing consoles
Focus on Broadcast
In the 1980s, Lawo ushered in a new technological era with the introduction of the PTR (an acronym for Programmierbare Tonregie, or Programmable Audio Console). As the first programmable mixing system, the PTR offered digital control of analog audio signal processing and set new standards in audio production. For the first time, it enabled functions such as mixing automation, the saving of settings, and the targeted loading of saved fader positions (fader recall).
The success of Lawo’s first fully digital mixing console in the mc series in 1994 was groundbreaking – and led to the strategic decision to concentrate exclusively on solutions for the broadcasting sector from then on. Lawo recognized the advantages of networked audio systems as early as 1998 and presented the modular mixing consoles of the mc² series, with data transmission based on MADI and ATM.
Since then, networking has played a central role in all product developments – even if the transmission Technologies have evolved. The current consoles in the mc² series use the ST2110/AES67/ RAVENNA standards for networking via IP-based networks.
- Introduction of the “Programmable Audio Console” (PTR) with analog signal processing and digital Control for saving and recalling console settings
- Development of the fully digital mc mixing console series
- Lawo introduces the network-compatible mc² mixing console family and the Nova router series
Engineering the Future
In the 2010s, Lawo systematically developed the technological foundations for today’s product portfolio. The focus was on IP-based solutions for Broadcast and live production as well as other application areas – with reliable LAN/ WAN networking, comprehensive control functions, and integrated audio and video technology.
As a founding member of the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), Lawo is committed to interoperability based on open standards such as ST2110 and AES67. The resulting solution portfolio already covered all relevant areas at the time: Monitoring, control, video processing, multiviewers, audio consoles, routers, and turnkey solutions for IP-based A/V infrastructures.
The new Lawo IP solutions are suitable for both fixed installations and mobile applications – from stand-alone systems to central data centers accessible from multiple locations. The spatial distribution of the components has played no role since then: Thanks to WAN support, networks can be set up nationally or internationally and operated across several continents. Numerous international sporting events – such as soccer, rugby, football, motor sports, skiing, and athletics – were produced across decentralized locations using Lawo Technology during this period.
- Lawo is awarded the “Emmy Engineering Plaque”
- Lawo’s KICK mixing automation for playing field sounds becomes a milestone in automatedaudio sports production
- Presentation of the software-defined IP routing, processing, and multiviewer solution V__matrix
- Presentation of the mc²96 Grand Audio Production Console for IP-based productions
Leading Innovations in Media Infrastructure, Cloud and Workflow Solutions
Moving into the 2020s, Lawo is setting new standards in the development of networked, software-based solutions for media production – consistently based on standard IT technology. As a driver of innovation, Lawo is pursuing the goal of significantly simplifying the installation and operation of IP-based infrastructures. A key milestone was reached with the introduction of the HOME management platform: It simplifies IP configuration, increases network security, and enables the remote configuration of all devices via a standardized user interface.
At the same time, the tried-and-tested VSM control system is being systematically enhanced with functions that meet the requirements of dynamic, IP-based production environments. Lawo continues to drive the shift toward software-based, cloud-enabled infrastructures. HOME Apps, a processing solution for audio and video applications based on standard server technology, makes it possible to set up agile media production environments in line with the EBU (European Broadcast Union) “Dynamic Media Facility” concept for the first time. This Approach enables the significantly more efficient use of the processing capacities of a media installation and thus actively contributes to reducing the ecological footprint.
Today, Lawo technology forms the basis for pioneering broadcast infrastructure projects in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. Installations in parliaments, theaters, and opera houses, as well as at leading companies in Silicon Valley, underline the flexibility and scalability of Lawo solutions – and the worldwide demand.
Numerous product awards confirm this innovative approach – including the “2021 NAB Show Product of the Year Award” in the “IT Networking/Infrastructure & Security” category for HOME. Outstanding projects based on Lawo Technology have also been honored – such as the “2020 Public Sector Project of the Year” AV award for the European Parliament, the “Best Innovative Integration 2021” AVard for Zurich Opera House, the “2022 Broadcast and Media Project of the Year” for Proximus, and the “2023 Broadcast/Media Company of the Year” award from IABM for Radio Canada/CBC and its new studio complex “Maison de la Radio”.
- Presentation of the IP-native A__UHD Core as Lawo’s new audio engine for mc² mixing consoles with 1,024 DSP channels in just 1RU
- HOME, Lawo’s management platform for IP-based media infrastructures, is presented
- Presentation of the modular diamond broadcast console for radio and TV applications
- Lawo introduces the .edge, a very high-Density SDI/IP interface for building IP-based video routing infrastructures
- Introduction of the HOME Apps Suite for server-based audio and video processing
- Introduction of the HOME mc² DSP app, the software-based counterpart to the A__UHD Core hardware
- Lawo presents HOME Workspaces – HTML5-native user interfaces for platform-independent remote access to HOME apps via desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or AR headset
IP-based media technology
Lawo recognized the potential of IP network technology for media production applications at an early stage. Industries such as finance and telecommunications had already successfully made the transition from proprietary to open, IP-based systems – resulting in increased system efficiency, scalability, and interoperability. It became clear to Lawo that sticking to isolated stand-alone solutions would not make sense for broadcasting and media technology in the long term.
Based on this conviction, we developed the vision of a uniform production infrastructure using open standards that integrates audio data, video data, control data, and meta data in equal measure. This vision became the basis of our corporate strategy: Step by step, an IP-based infrastructure was created that is still in place today – with the VSM (Virtual Studio Manager) control system, audio-over-IP mixing consoles, and video-over-IP solutions, which Lawo was one of the first providers worldwide to present back in 2013.
Advocate of open standards
As a pioneer of IP applications in broadcasting, Lawo has consistently focused on interoperability from the very beginning. Back in 2008, Lawo initiated the development of RAVENNA – an open standard for media-over-IP applications, which was first introduced in 2010. In the following year, we joined the AES X.192 Task Group, which was tasked with defining the AES67 interoperability standard.
This now established standard is largely based on RAVENNA technology and marks a milestone for open, manufacturer-independent audio networks.
In order to promote the industry-wide adoption of AES67, Lawo was one of the founding members of the Media Networking Alliance (MNA), which later became the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) – also co-founded by Lawo. AIMS is an association for the promotion of open standards and interoperable IP technologies in the media, entertainment, and professional AV industry. It played a central role in the development and global establishment of the SMPTE ST 2110 standard, which – like AES67 before it – is largely based on the principles of RAVENNA and is now regarded as the foundation for the IP-based transmission of audio data, video data, and meta data in real time.
Management
Lawo’s Management Board (from left to right) consists of:
- Jamie Dunn (CEO and ‘Vorstand’)
- Claus Gärtner (CFO and ‘Vorstand’)
- Andreas Hilmer (CMO)
- Phil Myers (CTO)
- Ulrich Schnabl (COO)
- Christian Lukic (CSCO)
Lawo Milestones
Lawo is a global technology partner with a long history of delivering innovative solutions for live media production workflows.
With a unified approach that combines workflow management and control, physical I/O, processing, and human interfaces, Lawo creates optimized solutions for productions including television broadcast and on-air radio, performing arts, houses of worship, and professional AV.
Sustainability
Innovation, creativity and technical excellence have always defined the media and broadcast industry. Today, these strengths must go hand in hand with responsibility and sustainable action. At Lawo, we believe that true progress requires foresight and balanced decisions—considering environmental, social, and economic impacts as well as the interests of our stakeholders.
As a global technology partner with a long history of providing innovative solutions for live media production workflows we are committed to embedding sustainability into our business practices. We have invested in structures, processes, and expertise to ensure that sustainability is not just a goal, but a guiding principle for the future.
Standards & Policies
Involvement in International Associations and Organizations
Lawo is a member of various industry associations and actively participates in the development of industry-specific standards. We are a member of the International Association for Broadcast + Media Technology (IABM) and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), among others, and have been actively and intensively involved in these organizations for many years.
Committed to the Media Industry
Lawo Offices
Lawo operates as a global technology partner with a strong international footprint, supporting customers across Europe, the Americas, Asia‑Pacific, and the Middle East. Our worldwide network of offices and regional representatives ensures that broadcast, media, and professional audio‑video organizations receive local expertise, responsive service, and direct access to our solutions — no matter where their productions take place.
With teams positioned around the globe, we stay closely connected to the needs of our customers, understand regional requirements, and deliver consistent, high‑quality support for IP‑based media infrastructure, workflow control, and live production technologies. If you’re looking for your nearest Lawo location or a regional point of contact, explore our global office directory.
