East Lancs audio firm that helped bring Oppenheimer to life given King’s Award

An audio firm in Burnley, which has helped bring the soundtrack of Oscar-winning movies to life, has been given a King’s Award for Enterprise.

AMS Neve, which crafts sound recording equipment for film, music and television, has been recognised with the award.

Announced on Monday, May 6 AMS Neve, led by its founder and managing director Mark Crabtree, OBE, has been honoured for its excellence in international trade.

The globally renowned business has decades of experience in crafting quality sound recording equipment, leading the way in advanced sound technology through innovation, expertise and precision engineering.

The company wins the King's Award for International Trade for outstanding growth in overseas sales.

Employing 93 people, AMS Neve has an enviable reputation as leaders in designing and producing ground-breaking sound recording equipment.

Equipment produced by AMS Neve has helped create the soundtracks for several movies over the years including Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody, to name a few.

Mark Crabtree was given an OBE for services to advanced manufacturing and the creative industries in 2015 and was given two scientific and technical Academy Awards for advancing the art and science of sound production. Further awards include a Grammy and an Emmy.

AMS Neve consoles are revered across the music, film and broadcast world, with stars including Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Def Leppard utilising the ‘sound of Neve,' helping them achieve chart-topping success.

In the film world, the annual Oscars continue to feature award-winning films recorded or mixed using AMS Neve technology, including most recently, this year’s blockbuster winner Oppenheimer whose Oscar-winning soundtrack was recorded and mixed on an AMS Neve console.

Mark Crabtree said: “To receive the King’s Award for Enterprise is a great honour for the company and our dedicated, world-class, integrated team who continue to innovate and break new ground with cutting-edge digital and analogue sound recording equipment.

“We are a proud British company with a long pedigree of manufacturing the very best quality engineered products that we export around the world.

“All our products are designed and manufactured in the UK at our factory in Burnley, against a trend for off-shoring, requiring significant investment in advanced machinery in order to compete.

Mark Crabtree, AMS Neve founder (Image: AMS Neve)

In the past three years alone, overseas revenue, total turnover, and net profits at AMS Neve have doubled. The United States accounts for 55 per cent of overseas sales, with Europe, Asia and Australia making up the rest.

Mark said: “To receive the King’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of our work is really important for the company and extremely encouraging to us all.

“We have previously received three Queen’s Awards for Enterprise so to now be recognised with one of the first King’s Awards is a real honour.”

The award will be presented at a special ceremony to be held at Windsor Castle on July 9.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed last year to reflect His Majesty’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses.

The award programme, now in its 58th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.