Essential Install | Day in the Life: Oxberry
Cliff’s Edge
Daniel J Sait met with Cliff Stammers, MD of one
of the longest established Crestron programming
companies around, to learn more about the
company’s backstory and what keeps Oxberry at the
cutting edge of the industry.
Catering for clients
from all types
of backgrounds
and producing
something that suits
their taste, is key
Creating backgrounds by
photographing items
in the room was a
technique used for
the Crestron NYC
showroom
Coping with any
language, in this case
for a Finnish rapper,
is another strength
Key to Oxberry
design is reflecting
the interests of the
family. If the kids like
Dora The Explorer,
that’s what they get
Situated in Cobham, Surrey, Oxberry HQ is these days in the same
building as Crestron’s European head office. However, Cliff’s start
in the automation world was in a very different sphere when he was
working as a technician in mobile theatre.
Cliff recalls: “Some of the equipment was controlled using early
AMX systems via a touch-screen. Developing an interest in the
technology, I thought it would be interesting to learn more, so did a
bit of research and ended up phoning Robin van Meeuwen, who had
just launched Crestron in Europe. In those days it was literally just him
running the company; he said come in and let’s do some training and
really I have never looked back.”
Despite launching Oxberry almost straight after his training in
1999, Cliff served time working for another company, AVE, cutting his
teeth on a large MOD contract before returning to Oxberry full time.
Cliff recalls: “One of the first jobs I can remember doing was for
Sony. We created an interface for a demo panel they were using:
at a tradeshow. What motived me then, still motivates me now,
using technology to create attractive interactions that connect with
the user. I have always been heavily into electronic music and the
way we try and work is very similar, using technology to deliver a
creative experience.”
Oxberry became the full time focus in 2000, working out of a
home office.
Cliff explains: “Right from the start, the projects came in fast,
a big yacht project really underlined the fact that I needed help. I
met Vinnie (Vince Pinhorn, technical director) around this time, who
was already working in the industry and he came on-board. At this
time, just having two of us gave the company a genuine boost, most
programmers were one man bands, but as fast as we could add
another lane, it would fill up with traffic. Eventually we needed more
help and in 2007, we expanded again and Stef joined (Stefano Mallia,
services director).”
With an expanding team and working with really top end
clients, royals, celebrities and the like, in 2006 it was time to get a
commercial office and the company’s first home was in Dorking.
However, like all companies during the recession, Oxberry had to
tighten its belt and gave up the Dorking office, creating an office
of its own at the bottom of Cliff’s garden – a space that is still in use
today, but now as a recording studio.
However, business soon picked up again and another key team
member, John Roberts, senior software programmer joined in 2011.
Cliff explains: “There is a recognisable theme with Oxberry, every
time we add a team member, the workload immediately goes up to
fill that extra capacity; it’s a testament I feel to our commitment to
quality and just doing this job the right way.”
The company’s current home came about when Oxberry was
asked to programme Crestron’s London demonstration suite in 2013.
Cliff explains: “Crestron CEO, Randy Klein, really liked the
work and we got asked to work on the Crestron New York design
showroom too. Both these projects helped to build on what was
already a very strong relationship and led to our profile growing
in the US. Around the same time, Robin explained that there was a
spare office going in the same building as Crestron and asked if we
would be interested. It’s been a really great move for us, the business
grew 80% in the first year we were here.”
December 2016 | 23
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14/12/2016 17:04