Bexel Global Addresses Changing Needs Of Its Customers

Halid Hatic, General Manager of Bexel Global Broadcast Solutions, shares insights on the changing needs of customers, the importance of technological innovation and the company's growing footprint in the EMEA marketplace.

Q: The company made a major expansion earlier this year with the launch of Bexel Global Broadcast Solutions, and recently the new EMEA division was announced. Why did you feel it was important to have a U.K. base?
Hatic: Our business is increasingly a global one, and it was natural that we would extend our reach into London where Bexel Global already have an established footprint via Camera Corps, our specialty camera business. By bringing Bexel Global's substantial inventory and expertise in flypack solutions to the U.K., we will provide our EMEA customers with the same quality engineered solutions that we are known for in the U.S. market. We saw that there was a clear demand, and I am proud of the great team we now have in place. Bexel Global is built on strong technology, the best tools, and outstanding people. Our seasoned team of U.K.-based engineers and operations experts is the framework that will support our varied services under the Bexel Global brand in the U.K. and beyond.

Bexel Global now incorporates all of the Vitec Videocom Production Services brands under one umbrella. Why is that beneficial to your customers?
Our customers appreciate the high quality services historically provided by Bexel, Camera Corps, The Camera Store (TCS), and the prompting hire services of Autocue and Autoscript. There is an expectation of a premium experience with these brands. We will continue to focus on delivering the highest calibre services and experts, while investing further in the latest, most innovative technologies our customers are looking for. We believe that by unifying into a single business unit, our customers’ engagement with any one of our brands will be simplified, and we are providing them with "one-stop shopping" where that is beneficial to their projects as well.

What were the most interesting trends you observed at IBC this year, and what were your customers talking about?
Customers are seeking lower costs for the same or higher levels of quality. The introduction of various new, low cost production equipment technologies – from cameras, to infrastructure, to accessories – challenges the entire industry to adapt to a new reality: the requirement for many additional hours of live events coverage on lowered budgets. As we strategically layout our technology investments during the coming year, we expect to support this trend by offering a wider range of tools that meet various budgets, while continuing to be a leading provider of cutting-edge technologies. In a capital-intensive business, it is vital to invest in technologies that help our customers deliver their vision to viewers. Supporting our customers' requirements in every way possible is our credo, and that includes both their technology and financial goals.

What new technologies are you excited about, and how is Bexel Global supporting them?
We have already made substantial investments into 4K camera and lens solutions, and we expect to continue in this direction, as there is a clear interest and demand from the market for it. There are also developments we are supporting that will help our customers engage their audience to an even greater degree. We are involved in new graphics technologies that support a more immersive viewing experience in sports, from VR to real-time tracking for dynamic data display. And our recent investment in the Vizrt platform for the U.S. OB (Outside Broadcast) market provides us a platform to enhance our service offering. In addition, we are seeing a rapidly growing need for new and increasingly innovative specialty cameras to enhance the viewer's experience in live sports. Through more development and investment in Camera Corps, we expect to capitalise on that trend.

What's ahead for Bexel Global?
We intend to continue our mission of "elevating the quality of the media production experience," and we are looking to extend that mission to a broader global audience. We will also seek partnership opportunities with like-minded organisations wherever a need for high quality services exists worldwide. With a relentless focus on meeting and exceeding our customers' needs, we intend to expand our reputation as a leading provider of production services worldwide.

This article is also available to read at BFV online.

(JP/MH)