Anna Valley has been appointed to complete a digital upgrade programme for the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham. The multi-million-pound contract has been awarded following an extensive tender process spanning 18 months and including 12 competing integrators.
The company is implementing digital solutions to the value of £4 million across the NEC arena to improve wayfinding, facilitate the delivery of advertising and information and help create an end-to-end experience for visitors.
The project is focused on screen provision but includes audio design, integration and annual servicing and maintenance. As the principal contractor and designer for the project, Anna Valley is responsible for all site activity, including the management of third-party electrical, steel fabrication, structural engineering and mount providers, among others.
“Contracts of this size don’t come along very often, so this is a real feather in our cap”
Nick Shaw, Anna Valley Integration director
The NEC runs over 500 exhibitions, conferences or live events every year, attracting 2.4 million visitors and over 39,000 exhibiting companies to over 500 events every year – ranging from exhibitions to conferences and live events – and is 80% larger than the UK’s next largest exhibition venue. The new displays are the start of a digital revolution which will transform the look and feel of the venue and wider campus to create an impactful on-site experience for the 7 million people who visit the wider NEC campus annually.
Project features include:
• Replacing the current NEC lightbox letters at the main entrance roundabout with a feature created from 170 square meters of Unilumin LED displays;
• Creating an immersive digital experience in the bridge link between the Birmingham railway station and the NEC arena;
• Implementing a Tripleplay content management and IPTV solution to enable packaged and live content display; and
• Integrating over 250 Samsung large format displays across the sites.
Site surveys were completed last year, with the first step in the 18-month transformation beginning in January 2018.
“Contracts of this size don’t come along very often, so this is a real feather in our cap,” said Anna Valley Integration director Nick Shaw. “The team has worked tirelessly to build our reputation, since the integration department’s launch in 2015, and this contract is testament to those efforts. We can’t wait to deliver the NEC’s vision for this venue.”
Gareth Lloyd, NEC group head of media sponsorship and sales, said: “We are extremely excited about the new digital displays and working with Anna Valley. They are experts in their field and have been instrumental in our vision coming to life.”
He added: “The new displays offer significant new engagement potential for brands looking to communicate with all campus visitors, plus the state-of-the-art integrated content management system allows information to be tailored to the wide range of audiences attending the large number of events at the NEC Campus. The displays will not only enhance our customer experience but will provide added value to our organisers and exhibitors by becoming a key communication tool between their event and their audiences.”
