Hire company Video Europe goes trade-only

Video Europe has gone ‘trade-only’. It is stopping renting directly to end-users and instead will exclusively sub-rent cameras, lenses and accessories to a network of other hire companies.

The hire companies it supplies kit to includes 24-7 Drama, Arri Rental, Film Store and Panavision.

Video Europe says the move enables it to “improve efficiency across the company while maintaining its unique capabilities to serve clients”. The company has been hiring broadcast equipment for 50 years.

To support its change in strategy, Video Europe has opened a European hub in Weiden, Germany, leaving an ‘optimised customer footprint’ in other locations. Its move to Germany is also partly in response to Brexit, with the company saying, “This proactive stance will overcome any issues that recent political changes have impacted on international and European delivery.”

As part of its change to trade-only rentals, Video Europe will supply rental kit in OEM/unbranded boxes for clients to add their own labels.

The full range of kit available through Video Europe can be viewed on its newly launched website.

Matt Marner, director, Video Europe said: “Historically, we have always rented our equipment predominantly to other rental companies. We have now gone a step further to make that an exclusive service, concentrating only on our rental company clients.

“This change to our business strategy, together with our new European hub in Germany, means we can now focus all our energy on servicing rental companies throughout the UK and Europe, with no dilution of service.”

PICTURED: The Video Europe team