Cedar Mill Group acquires touring logistics company Humm

Cedar Mill Group, a newly-formed venture from Winarch Captial, has announced the acquisition of leading Australian events management, production planning and logistics company Humm.

Effective immediately, Humm will be rebranded to Humm Events, with the company doubling down on its growth strategy as it seeks to bolster the return of the Australian live events sector.

Launching in 2001, Humm became renowned as a logistics powerhouse for a number of major events and festivals across the country, with clients including Live Nation, Untitled Group, TEG, the NSW Government and more.

The company’s services cover event, site and production management, as well as strategic consulting for event owners, creative concept development, and COVID-19, crowd and risk planning. Feasibility planning is also a big growth area for the business.

Humm played a key part in the logistics of last year’s record-breaking Fire Fight Australia benefit concert, which raised almost $10 million for bushfire relief country-wide.

Despite the acquisition and rebrand, Humm founder Iain Morrison and business partner Tara Whitfield will remain working at Humm Events as event directors, while Cedar Mill Group’s Kyle McKendry will now assume the position of general manager.

Morrison said that the opportunity to merge with Cedar Mill Group was “too good to let go” and that he was looking forward to growing Humm’s presence as live events make their eventual return.

“It’s been an amazing ride for the team and the business to date but for Tara and myself it was an opportunity too good to let go,” Morrison said.

“We now have the capacity to resource the business how and when we need to. Our ambition is to grow our team and presence further in the Australian/New Zealand markets, continuing a consistent level of industry benchmark outcomes for all of our clients.”

The acquisition of Humm also comes alongside news of Cedar Mill Group’s plans to construct two new multi-million dollar venues in the Lake Macquarie and Hunter Valley regions of New South Wales.

The purpose-built entertainment and cultural precincts will also cater for larger outdoor capacities, with Cedar Mill Group Lake Macquarie allowing for up to 30,000 pax and Cedar Mill Group Hunter Valley featuring a maximum amphitheatre capacity of 22,000.

Winarch Capital CEO Paul Lambess described the acquisition of Humm as a no-brainer.

“The challenge we have set ourselves as a business is to be the benchmark in all we do. Adding skill and credibility in event management is a natural fit for our strategy,” Lambess said.

“We look forward to working with the passionate and experienced Humm Events team and doing our part in growing this exciting and already successful event business.”