of negotiation.”
Looking ahead, 2018 looks promising. Cochrane says:“ We can cope with many large and complex projects simultaneously. What we never do, however, is trying to take on‘ just one more job’ – this only compromises everything we are trying to achieve.”
Pop-up solutions
In 2017 Neptunus supplied temporary structures to more than 70 events and businesses and was also able to attract some new regular events into its portfolio, including‘ Glamour Women of the Year Awards’. At the same time, the company has been developing relationships with existing clients including the Royal Horticultural Society and the Harrogate Flower Show.
“ We have a wide range of temporary structures for every occasion but one of our most popular, and probably most versatile, is our Evolution structure,” says Neptunus MD April Trasler.
The Evolution boasts the look and feel of a high-quality permanent building but with the flexibility to provide space for a multitude of uses.
“ In the events world, the Evolution is used to create a bespoke exhibition space for the Masterpiece Art Fair,” Trasler says adding that it also can be transformed into a 2,000-seat capacity performance theatre.
Indeed, the company supplied the Evolution to the National Eisteddfod of Wales and it was also used the pop-up Pantodrome for the star-sudded Jack and the Beanstalk in Newcastle’ s city centre.
“ The Evolution accommodates hospitality facilities at major sports events and exhibitions and is also very popular for semi-permanent uses such as sports halls, car showrooms supermarkets, warehouses and temporary airport terminals. It really is an immensely versatile structure,” Trasler comments.
“ We have great structures, but so do our competitors. However, no other company has our team of people”
John Cochrane, Losberger De Boer UK
The Neptunus boss points out that customers are frequently looking for something bespoke for their event but to try and start to develop something from scratch.“ That is exciting and different, but can be out of reach because of the cost implications,” she says.“ At Neptunus, we have been able to offer our clients bespoke solutions thanks to our in-house design team cleverly adapting existing models with unique add-ons, transforming a standard structure into something exceptional. Our latest addition, the circular Salacia, was created by exactly this method. It means we can come up with really cutting-edge solutions that are affordable,.”
Neptunus is confident in 2018, and Trasler says the team is looking forward to the spectacular Dinosaurs in the Wild event, which comes to London in February.“ We are supplying the venue for its eight-month long run in Greenwich. It really is a jaw-dropping event.”
Continuing growth
GL events reported another year of growth in 2017. David Tunnicliffe, commercial director, GL events UK, says the company’ s performance is in keeping with its long-term growth strategy.“ What has been particularly pleasing though is the long-term contracts that we have
WORLD CLASS STRUCTURES
Work by Neptunus, GL events, Losberger De Boer UK and Acorn Event Structures secured with some of the best events in the world,” he says.
Tunnicliffe explains: We’ ve really shown our specialism across horse racing, golf, tennis and Formula 1 – as well as Formula E, for that matter. We’ ve also secured long-term relationships across the outdoor exhibition market, which is really pleasing.”
The portfolio of GL events features multideck temporary structures, traditional and contemporary marquees and tiered seating. Tunnicliffe is quick to point out the move by many of its customers towards premium products, which has pushed the company to make key investments.
“ We’ ve made two major capital expenditure investments. The first was more than £ 500,000, the second just a little less – so we invest a lot!” Tunnicliffe says.
Beyond the continual upkeep of the materials we use. GL events investment aimed to meet the demand for premium features and fixtures.“ As clients commit to longer partnerships with GL events, we’ re keen to ensure that their investment goes right back into the product itself,” Tunnicliffe explains.
This increased investment in comfort and bespoke factors can be seen in new offerings such as automatic doors, designer interiors, branding, and bespoke event overlay.
“ In the area of seating, clients including Lancashire County Cricket Club are increasingly opting for the most generous seating products available. Tunnicliffe says these details make a massive difference to visitors’ experience.
The GL events boss admits that organisers need to source the best possible event infrastructure and to source the specification that suits their budget. They also want, Tunnicliffe, a supplier who can be trusted to get things right the first time.
“ We’ ve been working proactively with the National Outdoor Events Association, as part of its Futures Supporter initiative, to develop better conversations between buyers and suppliers across the outdoor events industry. We believe this conversation has been key to a large amount of our success as a business, and we’ re keen to share our experience with others in the industry,” Tunnicliffe concludes. AAA
42 FEBRUARY 2018 ACCESSAA. Co. UK