The film supply and logistics provider opens two more regional hubs, including their second Scottish depot, as business continues to trade ahead of forecast.
For the last thirteen years, Supply 2 Location, the UK’s leading supplier of film location services and logistics support, has been working behind the scenes of hundreds of film and High-End TV productions, supporting location and production managers with the infrastructure they require for film-making. From one-day commercial shoots to HETV shows and multi-million pound blockbusters, the Supply 2 Location teams are one of the mainstays of this sector, which spent £6.7 billion in the UK last year, up 11.1% on 2021.
In June 2022, following a management buy-out, the Directors consolidated the company’s network of four regional distribution centres in London, the South East, Wales and Scotland into the Supply 2 Location Group Ltd.
James Williams, the Group’s CEO, issued a trading statement this week to give the industry an update and some insight into their vision for the future.
I’m delighted to announce that, in line with our initial plans, since June last year, we have added three new regional distribution centres to our existing network bringing the total to seven. These new locations have been negotiated by our Regional Director, Ian Pearce, who established our first Scottish depot. Our new Birmingham depot covers the West Midlands and the central belt, our new Northern hub is in Merseyside and Ian has just finalised negotiations for our second Scottish ‘yard’ within the Pioneer Film Studios complex. Together, these strategically located hubs give us a highly efficient integrated service capability through a UK-wide hub and spoke distribution network. What is particularly pleasing is that our hubs are all part of the existing film production community infrastructure.
I am also delighted to announce that throughout this period of internal activity, we have increased our client base, which has contributed to our first half year figures being 18% above our forecast of £4.7m. This is a reflection not just of the vibrancy of our industry, but also the fantastic efforts and commitment our regional teams and colleagues have demonstrated, ensuring our clients’ productions stay on track, on schedule and on budget.
Over the next year, the Group’s revenues will further benefit from our decision to launch a new division – S2L Productions Ltd – which provides a turn-key operation focusing on overseas’ inbound productions from development to distribution. We have recently completed our first project for a major European Netflix production, for which S2L Productions provided location and initial production services.
We are actively moving the group towards a greener and carbon neutral future and we are looking to further develop partnerships with environmentally and sustainably sound sector suppliers and organisations. One example of this activity is the development of a new battery power system in association with a major UK blue-chip, and we have recently signed a contract to handle the entire maintenance and repair work for a market-leading generator supplier as we prepare for a transition to biofuel and other alternatives. Investment in training, new technologies and product updates also continue to serve that goal.
Everything we do is about getting things moving, efficiently, effectively and sustainably. While we continue to maintain our premier position in the industry, we will continue to grow our company, increasing employment opportunities, our levels of service, and developing our range of sustainable equipment.
James Williams, CEO of Supply 2 Location Group Ltd.
