Fred Heuves Puts His Feet Up
2nd June 2009
After more than 30 years in the sound rental hot seat Fred Heuves, CMO of the Ampco Flashlight Group and founder of the Synco network, announced his retirement from the company on January 1st, 2009. His place in charge of the Synco Network has been taken by Marcel Albers, who is also based at the new Ampco Flashlight headquarters in Utrecht, Holland.Fred’s statement to company staff, industry colleagues and the media said: “After working in the entertainment industry for more than 30 years, of which the last 18 years have been within the Ampco Flashlight Group, I have decided the time has come to slow down and make room for the talented new generation within the Group.
“It has been an exciting period and looking back at how we started and what has been accomplished, I feel a modest pride for all of us in this industry and in the Ampco Flashlight Group.”
Fred’s roots in the industry reach back to 1976 with a sound rental company, later to forge a partnership with sales company Ampco. In 1997 the two companies, along with entertainment lighting specialists Flashlight Rental, were acquired by Dutch broadcaster NOB. Ampco’s reputation in the audio rental market also inspired the birth of the Synco Europe Network, headed by Fred Heuves, which has grown to become the world’s largest group of independent sound production rental companies united by a standard equipment, training, trading and customer service philosophy.
As the UK member of the Synco network, R G Jones’ relationship with the Synco Network in general and with Fred personally has contributed significantly to our own growth and shows how international co-operation can help smaller companies combine their own special brand of personal service with a larger equipment resource, creating a unique package that can compete with the biggest companies – and without diluting our core values.
However, Fred may have retreated form the front line but he assures all of us that he won’t be disappearing altogether. Commenting that he will complete various projects that are currently under way within the Group, and that he expects his mobile to keep ringing, Fred added: “I want to thank all the people with whom I’ve had the pleasure to work closely for so many years. And about whom I have only good memories to look back at. Again, thanks for having the chance to work with you all.”