msp Tenant Case Study: SPL Communications

No week is ever the same in the offices of multimedia company, SPL Communications. From filming baboons at play on an armoured truck to hitching a ride into West Africa, SPL is a company which believes in going that extra mile for their clients. It is a philosophy that has seen this long established multimedia company produce a catalogue of work as diverse as their list of clients.

One of the company’s recent clients has been award winning multinational soap and laundry manufacturer, PZ Cussons. SPL was commissioned to develop a library of corporate communications films for Cussons, a project which saw the company film at factories in Nigeria to produce an archive of material for their client. Other projects have seen SPL produce television and radio commercials, including a popular TV ad to publicise a safari park, which saw a gang of baboons clambering onto an armoured truck. The company also do print work, from packaging through to press adverts and brand design.

At the heart of SPL Communications is founder and Managing Director, Ian Sandall, a man whose philosophy is simple – if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well. That ethos means SPL ensure every piece of work they produce is of the highest quality and will have resonance both now and for years to come. According to Ian, while anyone can film a simple company video on an inexpensive camera, it takes the rights skills, experience and equipment to create a video with the quality and scope to communicate an ideal company profile within the marketplace.

That is where SPL come in. Ian has a wealth of experience in the media world. He began his working life as a sound engineer with BBC Radio and, as he moved up the career ladder, he worked in a wide variety of media fields, including commercial radio, television and film. Over the years he has seen Manchester develop and grow into an increasingly important media hub while simultaneously the multimedia sector itself has been transformed by new technology. Ian has his finger on the pulse of those changes and, through his wide contacts, is able to tap into the pool of creativity and talent available on his doorstep in Manchester.

An msp tenant since 1998, SPL Communications have welcomed the support offered by the Science Park, from the networking opportunities to the business development advice. Just like the Science Park itself, SPL Communications also firmly believes future success lies in innovation, collaboration and creativity, values which will surely help SPL stay ahead of the game for many more years to come.