PMC rocks the house at its conference and awards
The British Music Experience, The O2, London. In celebration of PMC’s 20th anniversary, the company hosted a conference, gala dinner and awards ceremony earlier this week for its international distributors and UK retailers, which concluded with an exclusive concert.
In his opening address to the conference, managing director Miles Roberts said: “We’ve come a long way in the last 20 years, from just one speaker in a workshop to a world class range of studio monitors used by the leading recording professionals and a critically acclaimed range of hi-fi speakers. It is testament to the hard work and dedication of you, our distributors and retailers, that we have been so successful.”
Following Miles’ introduction, special guest speaker and inspirational business thinker, Emmanuel Gobillott, spoke of the need to readdress the way in which we view the services offered to customers. Practical advice on how to approach the difficult job of positioning a company to sell luxury items in a competitive and tricky market were met with rapturous applause from the gathered delegates.
After an overview of the company’s marketing activities, and an in-depth presentation on PMC’s loudspeaker design philosophy and proprietary Advanced Transmission Line technology from owner and chief designer, Peter Thomas, it was time to unveil a new range of products. The twenty series was launched to celebrate the first twenty years of the business and to position it firmly for a successful future. Delegates were able to listen to the new models after a River Thames boat cruise took them back to the conference hotel in New Providence Wharf.
Back in the British Music Experience in the evening, the distributors and retailers were joined by all of PMC’s staff and their families for the chance to look round the BME exhibition to learn all about the history of popular British music and try their hand at playing guitars, keyboards, drums in the interactive studio. A short history of PMC slideshow from Peter Thomas was followed by a gala dinner and awards ceremony.
Radio 2 presenter, Richard Allinson, whose voice had previously been heard on the new PMC corporate video, joined the function in person to present the awards. Recounting some interesting stories about classic recordings and how they came about, including the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” and The Beatles’ “Yesterday”, Richard proceeded to announce the awards with company founder Peter Thomas.
Distributor awards went to: Avitech, Austria, for Innovative Marketing. Stage Acoustics, The Netherlands, for Most Improved Performance. Hibino, Japan, for Persistence and Tenacity in the face of the country’s recent disasters. Titan 3D, Thailand, for Best Newcomer. UK retailer awards were bestowed upon: Unilet Sound & Vision, for Innovative Marketing. Zinc, for The Best Retail Experience. Lintone Audio, for Most Improved Performance. Fanthorpes, for Best Newcomer.
Following the awards, the stage was taken by the band “Tin Spirits”, featuring Dave Gregory (ex XTC), for a lively and rocking set which included guest appearances by Rob Harris (Jamiroquai) and Matt Prior (Bonnie Tyler). Very special guests from Marillion, guitarist Steve Rothery and singer Steve Hogarth, joined the band onstage and together the band performed a number of Marillion songs and other classics from the likes of XTC before finishing the set with a stunning rendition of Pink Floyd’s ‘Comfortably Numb’.
PMC’s philosophy on speaker design has always centred on producing the best possible quality music, with the lowest distortion and highest resolution. From the recording, mixing and mastering stages through to the end user enjoying work from his or her favourite artists, PMC has played a pivotal role. So it is fitting that its most important customers, its staff and guests gathered in the world’s leading live music venue to celebrate the past 20 years and to look forward to the next, with new products, dinner and live music.