An award-winning Northern event transport company is expanding its business with the opening of a new facility at Exeter’s Hill Barton Business Park. Operating out of its Leeds headquarters, Stagefreight assists clients across the UK and Europe with event transport services. With its business going from strength to strength, the opening of Stagefreight South is a big milestone for the company and a key part of its business plans for 2020.
The Exeter facility will have its own fleet of trucks dedicated to clients based in the south of England, including the South West, Wales and the South Midlands. What makes Stagefreight different to other event transport companies is that all of Stagefreight’s drivers undergo extensive training in the inner workings of event transport, allowing them to reach their full potential. As part of this, each driver also receives training in eco-friendly driving methods to help them minimise their environmental impact during their work.
Stagefreight has hired music transport professional Ross Hemsworth to fully establish the Exeter facility. Ross has worked in music & event touring since the 1990s alongside artists such as Paul McCartney, Beyonce, Chase & Status and Barry Manilow. He also has his own musical career, which makes him an important addition to the team. Ross is a voting member of the US Songwriters Hall of Fame due to his songwriting work with Suzi Quatro, amongst other projects. His role at Stagefreight will be setting up and running the new Stagefreight South facility, and he will be driving trucks out of Exeter as well.
“We are all very excited about this new venture”, Stagefreight’s Director Ian Uttley says. “Our new South West premises reflect Stagefreight’s continued success and the trust our existing clients place in our abilities.
“Stagefreight’s business brings us into contact with clients from many different sectors of the entertainment and exhibition industry. As well as theatre and music tours, we support corporate clients with supply work and branding events.
With two dedicated premises and someone as experienced as Ross on board, we are able to better serve our clients in the UK and to welcome bold new opportunities. These will enable us to take our event transport business to new heights!”
“Stagefreight and Ian have a very positive reputation within the industry alongside the impressive mixture of long-standing clients in the north, such as Opera North and Northern Ballet”, says Ross Hemsworth. “The company has also gained key contacts in the south such as the English National Ballet, and toured with music legends like Joan Baez in Europe over the years.
“Stagefreight’s new southern facility enables me to better support existing clients here, thanks to the great service Stagefreight offers. It also means I can grow the Stagefreight brand here, and provide Stagefreight’s diverse transport services to a bigger audience than ever before.
“This new facility offers me a stimulating mix of responsibilities. I’m sure that I’ll be drawing on all of my prior experience going forward, and I can’t wait for this new chapter in my career to begin.”
