Pepper flourishes in first year of trading

Following Pepper’s management buy out last year, and what was consequently touted to be a tough year for the facilities house, turnover is on target to achieve its forecast with a 15% net profit.
This is indeed an achievement for Pepper, the first London facilities house to undergo an MBO last year, and after which three others followed suit. Pepper’s success is in start contrast to the doubts cast by many in the industry following these developments.
Playing it safe, however, has not been part of Pepper’s plans for success over the last year. It cemented its commitment to becoming a full HD facility by investing £1 million into HD kit. The post-production facility purchased a Spirit Datacine together with a Da Vinci 2k Plus grading system.
Pepper is also the first facility in the UK to install a Flame v8.5 system on Tezro to boost its HD operations, and the first facility in London with 2 x DS Nitris (SD/HD/2k) that all DS suites now run in V7 software. This enables Pepper to offer a seamless and creative workflow for all of its clients and HD projects. Further HD Tape to Tape grading investment is to be completed within the next quarter.
Since the MBO Pepper has managed to not only retain 100% of its staff but has built on its personnel with appointments such as senior colourist Jet Omoshebi, marketing director Cora Byrne and Zahida Bacchus as new business executive – feature films. This brings the total staffing numbers to 42.
Retention and growth of its client base is also something that Pepper can celebrate, having ensured that it maintained the same level of service and quality for which Pepper is reknowned.
The MBO saw Pepper rebrand, with the eye-catching green logo and related material. Pepper’s premises have been refurbished and its corporate website has also been completely redesigned.
Testament to its success this year is the fact that Pepper was voted number one drama facility and number seven producer’s choice in Broadcast’s UK Post Survey.
(GB)