What is dry hire?
Dry hire means renting equipment without operators: you receive the screens, speakers or lights, and your own team runs them during the event. Wet hire, also called managed or crewed hire, includes the technicians who install, operate and troubleshoot the system. The terms mirror aircraft leasing, where a wet lease includes the crew and a dry lease does not.
Neither label is a complete description of the supplier's work. Delivery, installation, testing and support on the day still need to be written into the offer. The useful question is: who has the skills, time and authority to make the system work at each stage?
AV dry hire vs managed AV: who does what
| Stage | Equipment only | Installed, no operator | Managed (wet) hire |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery and collection | Confirm who transports the equipment | Confirm delivery times and venue access | Confirm logistics across the full programme |
| Installation | Name the team that installs and connects | Define the installed system and venue connections | Included, with integration of other sources |
| Testing | Agree what the receiving team checks | Test the actual files before handover | System checks and programme rehearsal |
| During the event | Your operator and escalation contact | State when the installer leaves and who takes over | Named roles, hours and live duties |
| Problems on the day | Agree the support contact and replacement procedure | Define what your host does and when to call support | Response and fallback handled by the crew |
| Removal | Name who packs and returns | Confirm the dismantling window | Included in the agreed schedule |
This table is a discussion framework, not a standard package. Put a named owner next to each task in your offer.
What a technical team adds
AVIXA describes support work across setup, configuration, testing and live troubleshooting; its overview explains these roles. Distinguish a technician who installs the equipment from an operator who runs the programme. A handover at noon does not cover an evening show.
When dry hire works, and when it does not
A familiar display. An internal meeting uses one screen and an approved laptop. A staff member knows the workflow and is free for the rehearsal and the whole meeting. Installed dry hire fits, provided the supplier tests the real files and briefs that person. Agree what happens if a different laptop arrives.
A live panel with a remote guest. A conference has a moderator, several microphones, video playback, a remote speaker and a stream. Someone must manage transitions and watch several outputs at once. That is an operator's job, not a task for an organiser who is also greeting guests. Do not decide by audience size alone: a small meeting can have a complex programme.
How REX Lab handles dry hire
- We always deliver and install. There is no self-pickup from our Warsaw warehouse. Our dry hire means the equipment is delivered, installed and tested, then handed over to your team with no operator during the show.
- Operators are optional. LED, sound, lighting and video engineer shifts can be added to any order and are billed separately. Every project has a technical lead on our side.
- Some items come only within a produced project. LED strips and LED mesh are not available as dry hire; we supply them only as part of a project we produce.
- Single items are possible. A NovaStar LED processor, for example, can be rented on its own.
Prices are net, per event day, and include delivery, installation, setup and dismantling. We deliver to any city in Poland, the same day in Warsaw, and across Europe for larger productions and trade shows, including unbranded work for stand builders. For fully managed events with our crew, see Flo Camp 25, five locations with LED, sound and light, and 100 years MAZOVIA SPORT CLUB.
For LED walls, check the price per m² in the LED screen calculator. For anything else, send the programme, the venue and the roles your team can cover through the contact form. You get a full net quote within 24 hours, with operator shifts listed separately so you can choose dry or managed AV equipment rental, or add on-site technical support. Book at least one week ahead.
Frequently asked questions
What does dry hire mean?
Dry hire means renting equipment without operators. The supplier provides the equipment, and your own team operates it during the event.
What is the difference between dry hire and wet hire?
Dry hire is equipment only; wet hire, or managed hire, also includes the technicians who install, run and troubleshoot it. Plant hire uses the same idea: a wet rate includes an operator, a dry rate does not.
Who is responsible for the equipment during dry hire?
Usually the hirer looks after the equipment from handover until it is collected, including loss or damage beyond normal use. The exact terms are set in the rental agreement, so read them before the event.
Can I pick up the equipment from your warehouse myself?
No. We always deliver and install the equipment, in Warsaw and in any other city in Poland.
Can I rent an LED screen without an operator?
Yes. We deliver, install and test the screen, and your team runs the content; an LED operator can be added and is billed separately. A NovaStar processor can also be rented on its own.