Martin Audio rental partners VME have announced a major commitment to the company. In making a heavy investment in the company’s multi-award-winning MLA platform, they have at a stroke become the manufacturer’s largest global rental partner of the award-winning systems.
Based in the north of England VME, run by brothers Dion and Andre Davie, recognized that after lockdown, the live events industry rebounded at such pace and velocity that inventories were quickly running dry. As a vital part of the MLA network, and sensing the heavy demand on stock, especially in peak season, they took a dynamic approach by repositioning themselves as dry hire specialists, as well as giving them a new cutting edge and marketing outreach for their own productions.
The latest order for 475 cabinets is split into the following products: 179 x MLA; 24 x MLD; 80 x MLX; 40 x DSX and 152 x MLA Compact.
Confirming that they now hold in excess of 600 Martin Audio enclosures in total, VME Operations Manager, Aaron Harvey-Holt, agreed that “dry hire has gone massive across the UK with everyone being short of kit.” He said the company had already been deliberating over acquiring another system. “It needed to be something that would fit with what we already had and be used on our own gigs but at the same time it needed to have a dry hire value—because there are some systems out there that people don’t really dry hire.”
A meeting in London with Martin Audio Managing Director, Dom Harter, moved the scenario forward, and following some constructive machinations the deal was done—much to the relief of Harvey-Holt. “We had been desperately short of kit for dry hire this summer,” he revealed. “This will not only ensure we don’t run short of stock again but will enable us to look at new sectors we can get into over the coming years. The long-term plan is to get back on the touring scene.”
One of the doors he predicts may open is the corporate world—largely due to the fact that part of the consignment is more than 150 of the smaller, more versatile MLA Compact enclosures.
“This is strategically designed to place us in the market for small, medium and large-scale gigs.”
As for moving into the dry hire market, Aaron Harvey-Holt is fairly relaxed. “We have a good team in the warehouse for testing MLA, prepping it and deprepping it, and we’ve got some experienced system techs who know the system really well.
“In fact I don’t see a gig we couldn’t do now with the power of MLA behind us.”
Dion Davie goes further, believing that the size and scope of their Martin Audio inventory will set VME off on a global path. “There isn’t a system on the market that does what MLA does—it’s untouchable and nothing comes near it. As for the MLA Compact it really packs a punch for such a small box,” he says.
Davie adds that VME have also invested in TORUS and are now in the process of becoming a uniquely Martin Audio house “right across the range.”
VME received their new stock in the early Autumn. After monitoring the success of this bold venture, they plan to invest further in the future, adding other pro audio components.
