In times of globalisation and the ‘self-preservation-at-all-costs’ ethic, it’s almost a quaint oddity to see Entec entering its 57th year as a family-run business, with its independence intact, stock running high and welcoming a new member to the main board – Head of Audio for the past five years, Dan Scantlebury, who recently took a seat at the high table under the new title of Operations and Technical Director.
Scantlebury’s arrival at Entec – the longest serving independent lighting and PA rental company in the UK – was arguably a marriage made in heaven and not only because it gave the industry stalwart’s audio team a fresh injection of ideas and ambition.
The main trigger for his move had been that Entec had a proven track record for high standards and for investing in the best kit. This had been a pre-condition of his move. Fortunately, the company had just invested in d&b audiotechnik’s KSL system and had the distinction of being the first company to showcase it in Europe with Gorillaz at the O2.
Dan Scantlebury immediately set personal goals as to where he wanted to see Entec positioned in five years’ time. “One of those was to get the company onto The Other Stage at Glastonbury, but in the end, we didn’t achieve that in five years… We did it in four years!”
Entec MD, Noreen O’Riordan commented: “It was always our intention when we employed Dan to build for the future, including a revitalised board. It was unfortunate that COVID came along as Dan was progressing, but we are honouring our five-year commitment, and he has reciprocated by providing not just clients, but insight into the business. Our core values are people and when you find the right person you all grow together. Dan has brought knowledge, balance and vision.”
In an ever-changing ecosystem, Scantlebury’s lateral vision will now extend far beyond audio into Entec’s whole production enchilada while his vista has become a truly global one. “It means I’ll be taking a more strategic view of the business – how the operation is run day to day, and our purchase plan for the future at board level.”
For the past year, Entec has been able to cost effectively offer clients either a whole world tour or one-offs in US or Middle East, ensuring clients who want the care and attention that independents supply can do so. While Entec cannot match the infrastructure of the great international PA behemoths – with inventory drops all over the world – clients are increasingly asking them for global support. “Now rather than just supporting client tours in the UK and Europe, we’ve worked out cost-effective ways of supporting full world tours; this was the final piece of the puzzle. It means we can offer the same service and effectively compete with US-based companies that do tours in Europe.”
One of the company’s USPs is that, unlike many of its competitors, Entec has not come late to the game with either sound or lighting. The company was born ‘Entec Sound & Light’, and largely thanks to O’Riordan’s experience in production lighting, has as many top LDs as FOH techs beating a path to its door. It accounts for why so much of Entec’s work is repeat business. The underlying reason behind these long-term relationships, Dan Scantlebury believes, “is because I don’t try and force things down their throat. We may have a client that we provide sound for but who has a happy relationship with the lighting company so I wouldn’t do a sales pitch. Nobody likes hard sales, especially in an industry that is primarily about relationships.”
However, when it comes to pitching new work, the ability to show the extraordinary history of the company often gives him a head start. To exemplify this, Entec provides sound support for Dream Theater on the US leg of their world tour, having handled full production on the European leg.
In a service-driven touring industry, maintaining relationships is key. “People know they can ring me at what would be midnight in the UK on a Sunday night, and I will do my best to solve the problem. With Entec they can come straight to senior management whereas with bigger companies this may get lost at junior level,” he said. “There are companies I will go out of my way to help because I know they’ll do the same for me. Our reputation means we can offer that level of service.”
Entec chairman Nick Pendleton also emphasised how Scantlebury’s presence has helped the company re-establish itself as a front-line supplier for major events. “He’s helped re-energise and reinvest in our core business. We are proud to have been the first independent to invest in d&b’s GSL PA. We are also the first company to own and deploy DiGiCo’s new Quantum 326 consoles.”
With summer approaching, Entec is set fair, with The Other Stage at Glastonbury and the main stage at the Silverstone Grand Prix its focus. Scantlebury believes that both one-off productions and touring merit equal focus. “You need inventory working constantly, which is why I market us more towards the larger end of festivals and one-off productions, because the equipment usually stays in a lot better condition than if you’re just doing the every-weekend grind of smaller festivals.”
Finally, lest anyone fears that Entec may get stretched beyond capacity at peak time, consider this. While making its debut on The Other Stage in 2023, the company was handling Blur’s final gigs at Wembley Stadium, while simultaneously providing infrastructure for the main stage at Silverstone – and all within a two-week period, punching well above its weight. “It means there isn’t anything we can’t do,” posited Pendleton. Scantlebury added: “We’ve reached the point of being able to service larger shows quicker than I originally thought we would.”
With a focus on what lies ahead, Entec’s new director can predict a confident future while reflecting on knowing he had made the right move five years ago, in what could have been a classic ‘sliding doors’ moment. “For a company that had been going so long, I could see the kind of plan they had for a future that we could mould together.” And so, it has proven. The latest exciting chapter in the remarkable history of Entec is only just unfolding.
Words: Jerry Gilbert
Photos: Entec
