We continue to look at the decades which make up DRPG’s history, with DRPG – Where it all began – the 80s looking at the birth of the business. Here, we explore the significant moments of the 90s - a decade of rapid growth and diversification for the company.
At the start of the decade, DRP FILMS employed nine people and the conference business had expanded to cover 60% of the company's total sales. The 90s began with a celebration of the company’s 10th anniversary at the West Midlands Safari Park. Clients and suppliers attended the day and 100 guests were entertained at a gala evening that would set the tone for years to come.
It was this decade that saw the events capabilities of DRP FILMS develop and take centre stage with huge investments in tech, expansion of the team and focus on staff development; all with quality and creativity at its heart. The breadth of clients and their varying demands increased year on year, with the conference department being the most dramatic of these. Large projects brought the two main departments of video production and conference staging together, resulting in a totally integrated presentation service.
As client numbers increased both in the UK and across Europe, and production technology progressed in leaps and bounds, DRP FILMS started to win awards for our rapid business growth. In the mid-90s, DRP FILMS became DRP Presentation and Communication in light of the rapidly increasing focus on conference production services and forward-thinking in the multimedia sphere. This led to the company becoming a major force in the industry.
With such dramatic growth over a short period, the time had come to look closely at development. In its present structure, the business could not sustain the existing growth level. With events, technical, video, multimedia and print divisions all in full operation, the drpgroup was born. A new senior management team was put in place to lead a formal board of directors and assuming control of each division.
But the growth didn’t stop there. 1999 saw the largest growth period in our history, alongside the formation of a middle management team. Profits reached record levels and the Hartlebury complex doubled in size, with nine new team members joining.
It was a fantastic time for drpgroup and the company begin to take the form that has seen it flourish over the years, weathering storms, crises and circumstances that have taken down less resilient and diverse companies.
The next chapter looks at DRPG in the noughties…
