Sound business for Apex Acoustics

A man who bought a Dundee sound company when he was aged 22 has grown it to be a major player in the industry, supplying equipment to the likes of Bob Dylan and Liam Gallagher.

Paul Smith took over Apex Acoustics after former owner, Radio Tay presenter Graeme Adamson, decided to sell.

He has grown its turnover of £68,000 to £600,000, taking it from a one-man band to a company with five staff based at Taygate Trading Estate.

He recalled: “My predecessor was going to study medicine, so it was basically he was either going to sell it to me or to someone else.

“At that time it was as simple as lose your job or buy the company.

“I was still living at home at the time,” he said.

“It was a massive step to take and it was difficult in the first year or so, but I’ve never looked back.”

The firm recently secured two major contracts worth £350,000.

Mr Smith said the company’s growth came naturally as equipment being out on tours for months at a time meant more stock was required.

“We’re all a bit geeky in the industry and tend to want to buy the latest gear,” he said.

“It’s a case of having the right equipment, and you end up getting the phone call.

“In recent years we’ve spent £100,000 on a mixing desk and £150,000 on a speaker system.

“We drove down some speakers to London on Saturday that are going to be used on Liam Gallagher’s tour.

“An important market for us has been the massive theatre tours, which require a lot of equipment that might be needed for six or seven months.

“It means you end up having to buy more equipment. When you have more stock it seems to naturally get busier,” he said.

“However, we still do a lot of local events, like school shows and amdrams.”

Mr Smith plan to keep growing the business organically and recently hired a project manager, positioning it to tender for higher-profile events and larger tours.

“At the moment the entertainment industry is very buoyant,” he added.

Picture: Mhairi Edwards. Paul Smith, left, with Apex Acoustics staff.