Company Profile

Saville Audio Visual - The UK's Favourite AV Supplier

Founded originally as a pharmacy in York in 1876, Saville Audio Visual is the UK's largest specialist supplier of audio visual, multimedia and videoconferencing technology, with over 300 personnel in fourteen locations.

At the forefront of the UK industry for more than forty years, the company specialises in the sales, hire and installation of AV equipment and integrated systems, including LCD projectors, plasma & LCD screens, videoconferencing and digital signage networks.

The Saville customer list includes the leading universities, hospitals, government departments, military establishments and public sector organisations, plus blue-chip corporate clients in the UK and around the world.

The Savile Story - A Proud History

• The business was founded in York as a pharmacy, later developing into photographic retailing.

• Trading as John Saville and Sons Ltd, post-war sales of professional film projectors laid the foundations of the audio visual division, soon to be one of the country's most successful suppliers of audio visual equipment and systems.

• Saville is the first UK dealer to sell a Sony video recorder, the forerunner of technology which fuelled the rapid growth of the Saville regional sales network.

• New offices in Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Hull, Leeds, Farnborough and Manchester begin the framework through which the company trades in the UK today.

• The Saville head office operation moves into its present, purpose-built premises at Millfield Lane on the outskirts of York.

• John Saville & Sons' subsidiaries consolidated under a single board of directors to become the Saville Group Limited, re-affirming its aim to be the leading UK supplier of audio visual and presentation technology for sale and hire.

• First issue of The Saville Catalogue published.

• With a growing network of well-established UK locations, the company adds an extensive team of experienced area sales consultants to strengthen its national sales operation.

• Saville launches SchoolsVision - a nationwide mail-order catalogue exclusively for schools and colleges.

• New regional centres are opened in Glasgow and Tyneside. UK distribution partnership established for world-leading Tandberg range of videoconferencing facilities. After a management buy-out, the company grows from strength to strength.

• Saville information, products and services are now accessible world-wide on Internet website.

• Saville contracts, service and distribution divisions awarded IS09002 quality accreditation.

• Named Audio Visual Company of the Year by national publication, AV Magazine. Also named Audio Visual Hire Company of the Year by Hire Association of Europe.

• Expansion continues with new outlets in Cardiff, Coventry and Welwyn Garden City. Named Audio Visual Dealer of the Year for the second year running.

• Winners of Royal Mail sponsored ECMOD (European Catalogue and Mail Order) award for the latest Saville Catalogue. New website launched including virtual reality feature. Institute of Public Relations CREAM 2000 Award - Best Trade/Technical Campaign. Named National Hire Company of The Year by Hire Association Europe. Voted Audio Visual Service Company of The Year and winners of Videoconferencing Project of The Year at AV Industry Awards.

• Saville acquires Linx Visual Media - now trading as Saville Linx Multimedia. Video and multimedia production service for conferences, events, training video and CD-ROM production. Named Audio Visual Company of The Year at AV Industry Awards 2002, after winning Rental Company of The Year and National Dealer of The Year.

• Saville acquires The Media Facilities Company in Edinburgh. Named Reseller of The Year and Rental Company of The Year at the AV Industry Awards 2003.

• Awarded the first ever Regional Patron Award for long-term support of the Royal Television Society (RTS). Also won Meetings & Incentive Travel: Best Conference Equipment Supplier

• Voted Best Conference Equipment Supplier – Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry Awards
• Saville York Hire moves to larger new premises at Hudson Court on York Business Park
• Saville North East operations relocate to larger premises at Follingsby Park, Gateshead
• New southern conference & hire centre opens at Cobbett Park, Guildford

• Saville achieves Silver CAVSP status under Infocomm global technical training scheme
• Saville CReative (formerly Saville Linx Multimedia) relocated to The Ropewalk at Barton on Humber
• Voted Best Conference Equipment Supplier (Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry Awards)
• Saville York Hire moves to larger new premises at Hudson Court on York Business Park
• Saville Leeds and Saville Central Resource Hire Unit relocated to larger new premises at Scala Court, Leeds

• Saville achieves Gold CAVSP status under Infocomm global technical training scheme – reportedly as the world’s largest AV company to achieve Gold accreditation.
• Silver Award in Best Conference Equipment Supplier category (Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry Awards)

• AV Awards – voted Best Website of The Year 2008
• Voted Best Conference Equipment Supplier (Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry Awards) for the fourth time in five years
• Voted Hire Company of The Year (Events) 2008 by Hire Association Europe
• Saville Manchester relocates to larger new premises at The Village, Trafford Park
• Saville Edinburgh relocates to larger new premises at Peffermill Industrial Park, Edinburgh

• Voted Best Conference Equipment Supplier (Meeting & Incentive Travel Industry Awards) for the fifth time in six years
• ...the year is still young