IN PROFILE
and site management to lighting. You often find that TV production managers are very comfortable in a TV studio environment but as soon as they are on a green field site, they are out of their element.” It is for this reason that SLX remains in a strong position moving forward. It’s clear from the new website that SLX’s main focus moving forward is live, in-person events. “As great as virtual events are, there’s nothing quite like the ‘live experience’. For us, live is going to be back and stronger than ever,” stated Payne. “SLX is not just a rental house but a creative brand. We have the people within the company who can engage with clients so it’s very much in our control to produce a show.” Like many, during the early stages of 2020, SLX had to let some staff go, reducing its workforce to a ‘skeleton crew’ of 19 people, a number which has since doubled. “There has been a shift of people moving away from the industry. We remained loyal with many of our core freelancers, and thankfully, we have kept many on the books but we are still looking at bringing more people through,” stated Currie. “We have developed a programme, which allows prospective new starters to experiment with various elements of the business and discover their strengths.” Sustainability has been another key component that SLX has put forward as one of its key values. “Sustainability is something that all our customers are passionate about,” stated Currie. “In a previous season of Bake Off, we produced 53 tonnes of CO2, which we brought down to zero this year. This involved many incentives from using HVO fuel as well as hybrid generators, a feat which earned the show an Albert Certification,” Currie said. “We are also currently working to receive a B Corp, which is considered the ‘platinum standard’ when it comes to sustainability accreditation,” concluded Payne. With a busy year ahead, the SLX team are excited to reintroduce themselves to the industry at large both in the services it can provide and the internal ethos of the company. “The one benefit that COVID-19 brought was a time to reflect and allow us to refocus on our goals,” concluded Currie. “We’ve given the entire brand an overdue refresh which better reflects our core values and we’re now excited for what the rest of 2022 has to offer.” www.slx.co.uk
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