Plas‐Tech was awarded the plastic fabrication portion of the new Roger’s Sportsnet Hockey Night In Canada television set. The design was ambitious and non‐traditional, with transparent plastics taking center stage and huge domes enveloping each studio space. On the tenth floor of the CBC building in downtown Toronto, the 11,000 square foot studio is the largest in the country and was divided into nine different sets that allowed for 360‐degree recording. Jack Morton PDG developed the design. It heavily relied on plastic to achieve its special aesthetic, a gleaming, modern look.
“Our hosts and commentators gasped when they saw the studio in action for the first time,” said Gord Cutler, then Senior Vice President of NHL Production at Rogers. He added, “It’s cutting edge and allows us to showcase the game in ways never seen before that will keep fans on the edge of their seats.”
Plas‐Tech worked for the better part of 3 months to build the many plastic components needed for the set. Several plastic materials, as sheet rod and tube, were cut precisely, formed and finished.
We used thick cast acrylic, frosted acrylic and roll stock white polycarbonate as our primary plastics, and used several different fabrication techniques including:
- 3 and 5‐Axis CNC machining
- Laser cutting
- Vacuum forming
- Drape forming
- Polishing/Finishing
This project was one‐of‐a‐kind, with many unique challenges to get the precise look the designers were envisioning. Plas‐Tech worked closely with the architects to give our expert advice about which materials and fabrication techniques were best suited to each plastic component while keeping costs down and keeping to a very strict timeline. You can trust Plas‐Tech to take on challenging projects like this, which put high demand on our expertise and fabrication capabilities, without missing your deadline.
The keys to the new studio were two unique plastic puck walls the designers were envisioning. The walls would be transparent, with 30 finely cut pucks, each with an NHL team logo. Each wall would be dedicated to a separate conference. Every detail would light up, in order to catch your eye on television. The designers wanted to achieve a fun function, hoping the anchors would be able to remove a puck from the wall, place it in a monitor, and have that team’s stats pop up.
Plas‐Tech used our expertise to accomplish their vision. Then we delivered and installed all of the components. We worked closely with other professionals from the metal and wood worlds to install the studio properly and on a quick timeline.
Since completing this large project, Plas‐Tech has grown. We can now perform the millwork, metalwork, painting, and other non‐plastic aspects of larger projects like this. If you have a complex project that you need built, we’re ready to complete it all. Reach out to us to discuss your needs.
