AVM expands reach into education

Integrator joins supplier list for three more consortia and Wales procurement arm

Audio Visual Machines (AVM) has expanded even further into the school supplier market, winning a place on the list for three more higher education purchasing consortia and Value Wales.

Edward Cook, chief executive at AVM, said the audiovisual integrator, which has 230 staff based across four sites, is now a preferred supplier for the purchasing consortia Southern Universities, Higher Education Wales, and London Universities. Value Wales is the procurement arm of the Welsh Assembly.

"These are new wins for us," Cook said. "Higher education specifically is a growing market for us. We see the cuts as bringing in increased competitiveness among higher education bodies, driving them towards modern facilities such as video recording equipment and streaming."

It already has status with the North East Universities Purchasing Consortium, North West Universities Purchasing Consortium, and the Salford-based further-education purchasing consortium Crescent.

The win was following a competitive tender against around 100 other companies, with "nine or 10" being selected, Cook said.

Most work will be around installation and implementation of systems, which the institutions would then own and operate, rather than managed services. This may include installation of teaching and meeting rooms, upgrading of lecture theatres, or even new build projects, Cook said.

Universities have access to their own content and content providers, he noted.

The next opportunity to join the purchasing frameworks is in three years.

UK education and research network JANET uses videoconferencing systems to connect UK students with those abroad. Its statements say that such remote hook-ups enable learners to benefit from experts in other locations.

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