Sunbelt Rentals acquires the JLL Group to expand its technical broadcast and production solutions

With the addition of the JLL Group, we’re broadening our  capabilities to offer a wider range of equipment, specialist knowledge and innovative solutions for the Film and TV, Broadcast and Events industries. Further enhancing the customer experience by offering more innovative products and solutions in technical production to address the evolving and broader demands of our customers.

Founded in 2009, the JLL Group, is a UK-based production and equipment rental partner known for its expertise in delivering technical production across a variety of sectors, including corporate events, conferences, live events and Film and TV productions. Their range of equipment supports large scale public events, covering everything from staging and sound to LED video screens, with well-known customers such as Netflix and ITV.

Additionally, this acquisition will bring a talented team of technical production specialists into  our Film and TV division. They will be based out of the new Film and TV facility located in Wembley, which has been designed to support the growing needs of the industry.

Commenting on the acquisition, Phil Parker, CEO of Sunbelt Rentals, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the JLL Group into Sunbelt Rentals. Their specialism in broadcast and technical production combined with their commitment to customer obsession, aligns with our values to keep evolving and putting our customer first. This acquisition represents an exciting opportunity for us to expand our offering to our customers. This means that the industries we operate in will have the convenience and trust that they can depend on a single supplier for all their needs, streamlining their experience and ensuring they receive the highest levels of customer service.”

Speaking about the acquisition, Jack Linaker, Managing Director of the JLL Group, said, “This is a brilliant opportunity for us to join the Sunbelt Rentals team. Since the creation of the JLL Group, we have built a team of experts who specialise in providing technical production solutions. Now, joining Sunbelt Rentals, it will allow us to expand our product offering and broaden our scope of solutions we can provide to our customers and the industries we operate in. I’m extremely excited about what the future holds for our team and our customers as we start this new journey in Sunbelt Rentals.”

We anticipated you having further questions surrounding our announcement and have answered a few below:

Q. Why is it the right time for this acquisition?

A. This acquisition aligns with our 4.0 growth strategy and helps us continue to diversify our product offering, delivering greater value to our customers.

JLL Group’s expertise is technical production, helping production companies, technical directors, agencies, event organisers and exhibition suppliers to access a wider range of equipment, alongside JLL’s own specialist knowledge, advice and support. We’re bringing their collective talent into our portfolio, allowing us to broaden our capabilities and offer a wider range of specialist equipment, expertise and solutions to the Film and TV, Broadcast and Events industries.

By bringing together JLL Group’s inventory, heritage and technical expertise of all things video, light, sound, set and stage with our own location support and powered access equipment, we can offer the customer a one-stop solution for all their production needs.

Q. How does JLL Groups’ values align with ours?

A. JLL Group’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of creativity is infused in their DNA and intertwined with their desire to help customers to create unique moments for their audience experiences. They build long-standing relationships with a selective range of global suppliers and sustainably source local equipment and crew for each project.

JLL Group’s commitment to transparency with their sustainability goals aligns with our vision for Our Planet. Through JLL Group’s Solar Photovoltaics system, 100% of their regulated energy requirements are now generated by renewable and LZC technologies. JLL Group operate with a 90% LED lighting inventory, which is highly energy efficient whilst still allowing multiple colour changes and FX.

The majority of their Event, Exhibition, and TV sets and stands use sustainable aluminium frames incorporating reusable soft or hard skins. The use of reusable LED video panels for all digital content and creative backlighting, aligns with our commitment to lead positive change towards delivering a better, greener future.

Q. What does this mean for our colleagues and our customers?

A .We’re committed to empowering our people through creating a safe, inclusive working environment where everyone can thrive and work to achieve this through investing in apprenticeships, mentoring and skills training.

At JLL Group, their love for what they do is deeply embedded in their culture, with many of their colleagues starting in Audio Visual and Lighting production in their teens. JLL Group truly believe that amazing things happen when technical and creative expertise come together, and they embrace doing things differently.

We are always on the lookout for the very best and most creative talent in the production industry. Together, we will continue to invest in our future talent, through hosting industry workshops, mentoring and skills training to create a culture that enables all of our colleagues to thrive.

With passionate colleagues, we can also ensure happy customers, safe in the knowledge that we’re all working as part of a team that brings both deep industry expertise and a drive for innovation.