Backstreet International, the music merchandise specialists, have opened a new European hub in Germany.
The company, which is headquartered in London, was founded in 1989 by music industry veteran Andy Allen.
It offers a range of services including tour merchandising production, design, e-commerce, warehousing, fulfilment, social media marketing and print on demand. Its clients currently include Underworld, Placebo, Jessie Ware, Scroobius Pip, War Child, The Kinks, Public Service Broadcasting, Siouxsie & The Banshees and more .
The new German operation, which is based in Berlin, has been created to alleviate the trade issues created by Brexit, and will provide artists touring in Europe with local production giving a faster turnaround, no VAT restrictions, no customs challenges, lower shipping rates, faster delivery times, lower carbon emissions and chart registration in multiple EU countries.
Andy Allen (pictured) said: “Our new office in Berlin reflects what we have built in the UK and US over the last three decades and is a continuation of the options we provide our clients from a sustainable range of products wherever they are in the world. The trade issues surrounding Brexit have caused chaos to artists touring in mainland Europe and our mission is to help alleviate those problems while providing that badge of honour that a fan can wear to demonstrate a strong connection with artists who have real meaning for them. The clients we work with now have an experienced team on the ground in Germany who they can deal with directly and it’s an exciting new phase for our company.”
The news follows a period of sustained difficulty for music merchandise companies, who were forced to adapt their operations following the immediate loss of revenues from the shutdown of the live sector during the pandemic.
