Instrument firm takes centre stage with MoD contact
A MAJOR contract has been won by Centre Stage Group to supply percussion instruments to the Ministry of Defence.
The MoD contract runs for the next four years covering all types of percussion instruments and additions.
The firm, which has been backed by £600,000 of Finance Yorkshire money in the last three years, supplies uniforms and instruments to bands and orchestras across the world.
Established by percussionist Martin Gernon, Centre Stage exports its products to Europe and is growing its export business in Australia and New Zealand.
Mytholmroyd-based Centre Stage, supplies the Halle Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic and the Royal Ballet Sinfonia as well as the Black Dyke and Cory brass bands.
Martin Gernon said: “Finance Yorkshire’s investments have been invaluable in enabling us to not only grow our uniform business but to expand into the new areas of percussion instruments and soft furnishings. Its investments are now enabling us to create some additional posts in the business and an infrastructure that gives us the ability to cope with large contracts across all three areas of the Centre Stage Group.”
In addition to its uniforms and instruments businesses, Centre Stage also runs a soft furnishings company, called Hannah Williamson, whose 100% UK manufactured upholstered furniture and soft furnishings range has more than 200 UK stockists.
Finance Yorkshire chief executive Alex McWhirter said: “Our investments and continued support have helped to transform the Centre Stage business, enabling it to achieve sustainable growth year on year to the point where it is now the UK market leader for the supply of band uniforms. Not only that, our support has allowed Martin and his team to exploit new opportunities which have seen the development of the instruments side of the business.
“Centre Stage is an excellent example of Finance Yorkshire’s role in providing investment which in turn delivers business growth and job creation to the benefit of the regional economy.”
