Bradford based Pro Audio Systems (PAS) bounced back strongly from the challenges of the pandemic, and has expanded its workforce to meet increased demand, a noteworthy part of which, according to Business Development Director Peter Butler, has come from the education sector:
“We’ve always had a steady throughput of business from the education sector, both in terms of purchase and supply/install but there’s definitely been noticeable growth in this area in recent times.
“It’s possible that the pandemic allowed institutions to look carefully at their technical provision with a view to updating, future-proofing and getting the best value from available technologies in their day to day running. It’s also perhaps the case that the performing arts, live events and production industries are now seen as providing serious career opportunities for students. With more courses coming on stream all the time, especially in further and higher education, the need to learn and train on up-to-date professional equipment has never been greater.
“Add to this the fact that many educational establishments now routinely hire out their multi-purpose facilities for community and commercial use in order to secure valuable revenue streams, and it’s easy to see why robust, high quality audio, lighting, video and AV systems can be such a useful investment.”
PAS has been working simultaneously on a number of education sector projects in recent months, some examples of which demonstrate the wide range and scale of demands to be met.
Oastlers School in Bradford wished to create a professional-grade recording studio and enhance their existing performance space by improving lighting provision. PAS supplied and installed audio products from Allen & Heath, Shure, Sennheiser, JBL, Audio Technica and ART, as well as acoustic treatment from Primacoustics. Having installed a new truss system, the PAS team recommended Chauvet and ETC lighting products to complete the job.
At Netherhall Learning Campus in Huddersfield, PAS installed a PA system comprising d&b xS-Series loudspeakers and 10D amplification, Allen & Heath console and digital stagebox, and an extensive inventory of Sennheiser wireless microphones and headset microphones.
An award-winning Panasonic PT-MZ16K projector and Major Pro-C screen were installed at Dixon’s sixth Form Academy in Bradford, where PAS also supplied a Tascam media player, Sennheiser microphones, Powersoft amplification and Electro-Voice loudspeakers to support the visuals.
The music teachers and students at Beckfoot School were struggling with audio provision across their three dedicated spaces and requested an upgrade. The school called on PAS, who supplied and installed three identical systems, comprising loudspeakers and amplification by Electro-Voice with Soundcraft mixing consoles.
“These are just four examples which illustrate not only the variety of projects we get involved with, but also the comprehensive range of brands from which we can cherry pick to deliver turnkey solutions for our education clients,” says Peter Butler. “We work closely with their technical departments to identify exactly what they need and what will deliver the best long-term value within their budgets. Our view is that by working carefully to avoid any unnecessary overspending, those saved resources might be directed towards more useful tech in future! Providing swift and easily accessible post-installation support is also fundamental to our ethos and operation.”
Whether the audio, lighting and AV requirements of education settings are directed towards better classroom communication in traditional teaching and learning environments, improving provision for a music and performing arts curriculum, or as an investment that enhances the capacity of the institution to stage professional grade (and potentially lucrative) productions both by its own students or visiting companies, PAS is comfortably able to meet every supply, design and install requirement of this growing area of its business.
