Pioneering Mobile Staging in Japan

How Shimizu Octo Brought Stageline’s SL260 and SL75 to a New Market

CLIENT : Shimizu Octo 

INDUSTRY : Event Production

LOCATION : Japan

PRODUCTS : (2) SL260 Mobile Stages, (2) SL75 Mobile Stages

WEBSITE : https://www.shimizu-group.co.jp/

This article is based on an interview conducted during Shimizu Octo’s visit to Stageline in June 2025.

Overview

Shimizu Octo is Japan’s leading provider of entertainment event infrastructure, offering stage construction, temporary structures, security, operational services, and facility management for concerts, sports events, and large-scale productions across Japan. Their clients include major concert production companies, advertising agencies, and sports associations.

Pioneering Mobile Staging in Japan: What initially drove Shimizu Octo to choose Stageline

When Shimizu Octo first explored the idea of mobile staging in 2018, there was nothing quite like Stageline’s products on the market in Japan. For decades, the company had built its reputation providing large-scale infrastructure for concerts, sports events, and entertainment productions across the country.

But an upcoming project — building and dismantling a stage almost every day for three months — pushed them to find a faster, safer, and more cost-effective solution.

”At that time, there was no proper mobile stage in Japan like Stageline’s. We introduced mobile stages for this project to save time, reduce manpower, and deliver the quality our clients expect. In addition, compared to other mobile stage brands, Stageline had higher hydraulic lifting capacity. – Tomoya Itagaki, Shimizu Octo. ”

The First Step: Bringing the SL260 to Japan

Originally considering the Promobile series, Shimizu Octo discovered that Japanese road regulations imposed strict limits on vehicle size and weight. The SL260 emerged as the largest Stageline model that could be adapted to meet those requirements.

Working closely with Stageline, Shimizu Octo requested highly complex custom modifications so the stages would comply fully with local regulations.

Once in operation, the benefits of acquiring a Stageline mobile stage to the fleet quickly became clear:

• Build costs dropped by one-third compared to traditional scaffolding.
• Fewer crew members were needed for setup, a major advantage in Japan’s aging workforce environment.
• Clients responded enthusiastically, sparking wider interest in mobile staging across the country.

”SL260 could become one of the solutions for Japan’s aging society, as it requires fewer crew. We can now take on more projects than before. – Tomoya Itagaki says.”

Expanding the Fleet: Adding the SL75 in 2023

Years later, Shimizu Octo recognized a new opportunity. While the SL260 performed flawlessly, it required prior government applications before operation. The lighter, more compact SL75 avoided that hurdle entirely — and can be towed without requiring a special license.

This gave Shimizu Octo new agility:

• Immediate deployment without permit delays.
• Efficient logistics — the same team drives and builds the stage.
• Compatibility with venues featuring interlocking floor systems, avoiding costly floor coverings.

”SL75 allows us to respond quickly to client needs—no permits, no special drivers, just rapid deployment.– Tomoya Itagaki mentions.”

Breaking Ground in the Japanese Market

Today, Shimizu stands as a pioneer in Japan’s mobile staging landscape. By offering both Stageline mobile stages and traditional Layher scaffolding, the company can tailor solutions to client needs, balancing budget, speed, and design flexibility.

”Even with our small order quantity, Stageline adapted their products to our market. That flexibility and partnership are rare.” – Shimizu Octo. Our contact at Stageline – Tony Beresford is always quick to respond and a big help of us.”

Looking Forward

The company plans to expand the use of mobile stages in Japan and hopes to eventually introduce even larger Stageline models with further local adaptations. For now, the SL260 and SL75 have already reshaped how stages are built, set up, and deployed across the country.

And for Stageline, the partnership with Shimizu Octo is a powerful example of what’s possible when engineering innovation meets local market expertise — anywhere in the world.

–

Ready to lead the charge in your market?

EXPLORE : Our wide range range of mobiles stages

CONTACT: Our team to build your own partnership

Join the pioneers like Shimizu Octo who are reshaping the event landscape with fast, safe, and efficient mobile stages.