Spotlight falls on growing special effects firm
A COMPANY which supplies a wide range of lighting and special effects for the world’s leading music artists is relocating from Crawshawbooth in Rossendale to Burnley to accommodate rapid growth.
BPM-SFX has received a £90,000 grant from Lancashire Business Growth Fund to assist with the purchase and refurbishment of their its building, Oak Mill, on the outskirts of Burnley.
Catherine Chadwick, financial director, BPM-SFX Ltd said: “We’ve been looking for the right building to accommodate our expansion plans for some time.
“With assistance from Burnley Council’s Business Support Team we found Oak Mill which is perfect to suit our plans for future growth, and they put us in touch with the LBGF team who supported us with our grant application.
“The Mill does require some work to transform it to our specific requirements but the LBGF grant,which has contributed towards the purchase and refurbishment of the mill has greatly helped us with the implementation of the building improvement works.
“The proposal we have for the mill is amazing. We plan to include our trading company on the ground floor and then provide a training college in this industry on the second floor, and then on top level, accommodation for touring artists and their crew, from which they’ll have some fabulous views across Burnley’s surrounding countryside.
“2016 should be an exciting year for us, with our new premises taking shape, and our prestigious nomination for the Favourite SFX Company Award at the Total Production Awards is amazing, just to be nominated is a major achievement.”
Burnley Council leader Cllr Mark Townsend said: “This is a really exciting company and I’m delighted to welcome them to Burnley, and really pleased they’ve received grant support from the LBGF.
“It works with top artists across the world, and with some major music events including the BBC Music Awards, Radio One in Ibiza, and some top names including Calvin Harris, Will Young, The Script, the lists goes on, and we are delighted they’ll be linked to Burnley, and once the BPM project is complete perhaps visiting Burnley to stay in the planned artists accommodation.
Mandy Lockett, International Business Director of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said: “This is a prime example of a fast growing and enlivening business being able to utilise and harness capital investment grants to bring forward their investment plans and create ten new jobs within the Burnley area. We look forward to seeing this company winning more awards, leading the way in SFX technologies and promoting the Burnley Brand around the world.”
