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A Retford-based company, which supplies infrastructure to media companies worldwide, is broadcasting a major uplift one year into a package of support from Sheffield City Region Growth Hub.

Trans-Sport.TV provides tailored solutions for broadcasters – and boasts an impressive client base including Sky Sports, World Snooker, Matchroom Sport, PokerStars, ITV, Discovery, and Eurosport, as well as being a contractor of choice to the BBC Special Events Team covering all Royal and Parliamentary events.

The Trans-Sport.TV team design, manufacture and install broadcast events equipment for projects such as weekly Premier League Darts Events and the World Championship Snooker Event held annually in Sheffield.

A family business set up by husband and wife team Shaun and Helen Cope 25 years ago, the firm has gone from strength to strength in recent years having earned an industry-leading reputation among major UK and international broadcasters.

In 2017, Trans-Sport.TV turned to Sheffield City Region Growth Hub to take its business growth ambitions to the next level.

With advice and guidance from Business Growth Specialist Marcus Pearson, Shaun and Helen were able to access a £3,250 grant to invest in developing the skills and expertise of the Trans-Sport.TV management team. The grant scheme is part of a programme of support available to growth companies via the ‘Sheffield City Region Growth Hub Enhancement Project’, and is financed by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

The company was able to use the funding to tap into the services of business coach David Williams to review and improve its internal management structures. David has also supported Shaun and Helen around developing strategic direction and future proofing, as their children William and Rosie enter the senior management team.

New management structures have been put in place to ensure improved lines of accountability and control within the business which has improved both productivity and profitability.

For Helen it has been just what the company needed, to understand how its internal management systems could contribute to improving business performance.

Helen explains: “We’ve always known we have great staff who enable us to deliver a great product and service. We have a loyal and committed customer base which thankfully continues to grow. The Growth Hub has been useful in giving us the opportunity to take a step back and take an objective look at where we want to take the business. At the heart of that is ensuring our people are well equipped to help deliver those ambitions – to ours and their benefit.”

Helen adds: “We’re passionate about our people who are critical to the success of the business. We don’t just pay lip service to that but are committed to investing in our talent across the board to ensure they have satisfying and rewarding careers and benefit from our growth ambitions.”

“The coaching has now meant we have better lines of management accountability which ensures clearer reporting lines with the teams working on site. And we’re now extending that to cover our office structure which supports the teams in the field.

“It’s been a good year for us since we began making these changes and hopefully these improvements will now give us the capacity to grow even further.”

Further assistance from the Growth Hub has since been secured with the award of a £4,500 Skills Bank grant to fund management development training.