When former Russian President, and current Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin decided he wanted even the delegates seated in the farthest reaches of a conference room in the Kremlin to have a clear view, he called on Panasonic Europe to produce the world’s largest plasma display. When he decided he wanted the screen hidden when not in use, TV lift specialist, Flatlift was contracted to manufacture the lift system.

Flatlift was founded in 2004, in Worms on Rhine, Germany, by Sascha Rissel, who started the company in his garage. Now grown to 15 employees working in a 3,500-square-foot space, Flatlift has built a reputation for innovative plasma lifting, TV tilting and TV pivoting systems.

Although they offer a full line of standard TV lift systems, Flatlift is no stranger to being called on to build the exceptional. They recently created the world’s most expensive TV lift sideboard, in cooperation with furniture maker, Schnizer, for an American billionaire.

This ruby-red sideboard is encased in 25 layers of high-gloss lacquer to which 50 carats of fine diamond dust was added. A flush-locking lacquered wooden panel emerges and closes the hole under the TV, creating a perfect visual appearance. An integrated bar made of glass also appears if desired at the touch of a button, as does a hi-fi rack. Four motor-operated drawers open and close silently when lightly tapped. And an LED band runs the length of the unit at the rear side and on the base to provide additional shine effects that can be adjusted to 1.4 million colors.

The Kremlin job required less sparkles and more heavy lifting. Working on a two-week timetable, the company created a lift system that is able to lift the 485-pound, 103-inch display without a sound. (Full lifting capacity is nearly 1,325 pounds.) The huge screen is raised nearly 5-1/2 feet in the air to full height in just over a minute. The AV company in Moscow installed the lift in a mere two hours by following Flatlift’s instruction manual. Cabinetmaker Corbel covered the outside with white lacquered wood trimmed with 24-carat gold.

Rissel is also pleased to announce that Flatlift has expanded operations into the United States. A new branch office recently opened in Las Vegas, NV.

“We already have many customers and requests from the USA and Canada,” Rissell explains, “because in the region of avid technology and television fans, the interest in TV lifts and swivels is high.”

Rissel also points out that the company (www.plasma-tv-lift.com) is striving to receive ISO 9001 certification, and that they are active in a charity to help 3rd World children.

Behind the Iron Curtain, or just hidden from sight? Germany’s Flatlift built the largest TV lift in the world for a conference room in Russia’s Kremlin.