GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL LIGHTING EXHIBITION 2017 WELCOMES RECORD NUMBER OF GLOBAL VISITORS
(China) – A record number of visitors attended the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition, held over four days from 9th-12th June.
The 22nd edition of the Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition (GILE) welcomed a record number of visitors for the four-day fair during which key industry players had the chance to explore the convergent future of the lighting industry.
The fair maintained its position as an influential and comprehensive lighting and LED event by receiving strong industry support. The fair welcomed 156,898 visitors – an increase of over 8% from last year’s exhibition – from 134 countries and regions.
The trade fair spanned 17 halls of the China Import and Export Fair Complex including a total of 2,428 exhibitors. The exhibition was segmented into three sections; production, technology and applications. These sections covered the entire industry spectrum from components and materials to packaging and implementation. The show’s 180,000sqm of floors were abuzz with visitors, cutting-edge products and talks by experts in the lighting community.
Regarding this year’s show, Ms Lucia Wong, Deputy General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, commented: “The convergence of lighting with different technologies is a defining factor for the achievement of GILE 2017. I am sincerely grateful for the global lighting community’s support in demonstrating the diverse application of core lighting technology beyond illumination.
“Unrelenting innovation and the exchange of market intelligence are vital for progression. We will continue with our efforts to link up technological innovation, lighting design and sales channels into a platform for the lighting industry to network and achieve its business objectives.”
The convergence of lighting with state-of-the-art designs and technologies was prevalent in every aspect of the 2017 fair. Fixtures such as panel lights, linear lights and hidden lighting have moved into the mainstream. Concepts like smart control, programmable lights, anti-glare, super slim and frameless designs are the in-demand products for this year.
Ms Lucia Wong added: “The lighting industry is evolving with opportunities abound. The creation of lighting solutions is a joint effort in the industry, which requires the support of a number players, including planners, designers and manufacturers. Otherwise, these concepts will never be made into reality. GILE will always continue to support these innovations in the industry.”
www.guangzhou-international-lighting-exhibition.hk.messefrankfurt.com
ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS TO PRESENT LIGHT MAPPING PROJECTION AT SCHLOSSLICHTSPIELE FESTIVAL
(Germany) – Zaha Hadid Architects have created a mapping projection to be displayed on the 170-metre façade of Karlsruhe’s Baroque castle.
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has collaborated with leading digital artists and computer science researchers Andy Lomas and Mubbasir Kapadia, together with musician Max Cooper to create a mapping projection for the 2017 Schlosslichtspiele Festival titled ‘Behaviour Morphe’.
The Schlosslichtspiele Festival in Karlsruhe, Germany presents a programme of spectacular light mapping projections on the 170-metre façade of the city’s Baroque castle.
Exploring new forms of architecture, the 2017 Schlosslichtspiele connects digital spatial concepts with the 18th century masonry of the castle to research how living spaces can be designed in the future.
ZHA’s projection showcases the latest digital spatial simulation tools the practice applies in the comprehensive analysis and planning of its architecture, and looks further ahead to concepts of spatial design of the future.
The projection on the castle’s façade reveals its interiors as digital laboratories of human behavioural simulation, demonstrating the circulation and congregation of digital actors programmed with artificial intelligence that interact with the spaces of the castle and each other.
Patrik Schumacher, ZHA principal, explained: “Dynamic new virtual spaces are defined by using real-time data to interpret the virtual actors’ interactions. These digital spaces are then explored with iterative growth systems that emulate the evolutionary process of nature, demonstrating the potential of metamorphic simulations and digital morphogenetics.
"As an architectural interpretation, the projection outlines ZHA’s Computational Design (CODE) research group’s work in these iterative systems of development."
Other architects presenting at this year’s festival include Hani Rashid and Lise Anne Couture, as well as Greg Lynn.
The Schlosslichtspiele Festival in Karlsruhe, Germany opens on 3rd August until 10th September 2017.
DARKHORSE LIGHTWORKS CERTIFIED AS A WOMEN'S BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
(USA) - Dark Horse Lightworks Certified By the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Architectural lighting design firm Dark Horse, based in Los Angeles, California, has announced its national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise, by the Women’s Business Enterprise Council – West (WNENC).
Dawn Hollingsworth, Principal of Darkhorse Lightworks, stated: “This recognition is important for our clients and vendors to know we are part of a larger network of businesses with a diversified work environment and we are excited about the opportunities this opens for our business.”
This certification is a meticulous process and has to include in-depth reviews of the business and site inspections. Thus, to qualify for this title, the company must pass rigorous searches and testing is to ensure the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.
Corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitments to the continued development of diversity by including women-owned businesses among their own suppliers.
AMERLUX UNVEILS NEW STATE OF THE ART SHOWROOM
(USA) - Amerlux unveil new showroom at headquarters with hands on experiences.
New corporate headquarters for Amerlux, based in Oakland NJ, has developed a brand new 7,000 sqft showroom and lounge, providing a unique hands on learning experience. Clients that come to the headquarters will be able to learn firsthand how to realise the power of the latest lighting technologies Amerlux has to offer. The showroom will guide you through application, control, colour tuning and warm, dim real-life applications.
“Our new showroom is an elegant lighting application center that demonstrates how to use the latest LED technologies while doubling as a classroom for hands-on training of what goes into an Amerlux product that makes it so Special,” said Amerlux CEO/President Chuck Campagna. “The room can be used for actual interactive AIA/CEU courses, and to host meetings for the local chapters of the AIA, IES and other professional organizations. It also can be used for training sessions and educational seminars with distributors, contractors and the lighting community.”
The stylish, architecturally designed, showroom was built with flexibility with removable walls and a 24ft high ceiling, allowing the ability to manipulate the showroom for various applications and environments. It contains a black room / test lab, which allows visitors to witness comparisons of colour rendering and beam control, as well as light distribution at a height of up to 24 feet.
“Displays include urban apartments, offices, retail, hospitality, supermarkets, commercial and exterior spaces, as well as a black room lab,” said Mr. Campagna. “They are all designed to be re-lit quickly with any product that our customers may want to see.”
The advanced technologies from Amerlux demonstrate warm dimming, colour tuning, IoT and optics that deliver effective and efficient light beams. Designers and clients that are invited to experience the interactive showroom are offered to choose from a selection of the industry’s latest controls that are most suited to meet their needs. These include everything from IoT to photocell and motion, as well as colour rendering and dimming. Additionally, data collection sensors that reveal consumer purchasing analytics and tools that grow plants and “produce” under illumination will also be available.
“Our new showroom is here to use and all are welcome to utilize it for their next lighting event,” continued Mr. Campagna. “Customers and designers can come kick the tires per se, to make sure they are using the proper lighting fixtures in their layouts. Come and witness first-hand our passion for lighting and dedication to creating high-performance lighting custom tailored to your exact specifications.”
FAGERHULT ANNOUNCES NEW UK CONTROLS MANAGER
(UK) – Nick Van Tromp joins Fagerhult UK as Controls Manager.
Fagerhult UK has appointed Nick Van Tromp as Controls Manager as it seeks to extend the reach and scope of its lighting controls offer within the UK market.
The move follows the Fagerhult Group’s recent acquisition of Organic Response, the Australian technology leader in the IoT lighting sector.
The Organic Response technology, now renamed OR Technology, will only be available to the eleven brands within the Fagerhult Lighting Group, ensuring its further development and availability together with the Group’s current offering, the e-Sense range.
In his new position, Nick Van Tromp will spearhead the development of the lighting controls offering in collaboration with the Fagerhult Group brands and will assist in the implementation of the technology within the UK market.
Nick joins Fagerhult from lighting controls specialist Helvar and has more than ten years’ experience in the field, seven of which were within specification roles and more recently as a product manager looking after Helvar’s sensor and user interface portfolio.
Nick Van Tromp said: “I am really excited to join Fagerhult UK and look forward to contribute to the excellent company’s growth seen in recent years.
“The acquisition of Organic Response is a major step forward and with the other products in the e-Sense range we are now in a very strong position to compete for large projects in the intelligent lighting arena. I am confident that my experience in lighting controls and specification projects will prove to be a valuable asset to the company and help us continue on this path of growth.”
IALD EUROPE LAUNCHES NETHERLANDS CHAPTER
(Europe) – The unveiling of IALD Netherlands follows the launch of IALD Alpine earlier this year.
IALD Europe has announced the formation of its newest chapter: IALD Netherlands. Following a series of meetings in the Netherlands over the past two years, the chapter is now official.
The chapter’s main objective is to increase awareness of the profession of lighting design; to promote the benefits of professional lighting design by showcasing work; to reach out to policymakers; and to act as a source of information for members, legislators, ally associations and other stakeholders.
The Netherlands Chapter is officially the second IALD Chapter in the European region, which was first established in September 2014. Berry van Egten, IALD, will act as the lead volunteer coordinator in the chapter.
More information on the activities of the IALD Netherlands Chapter can be found at facebook.com/IALDNetherlands.
Visual Communications Company Acquire Display Products
(USA) – VCC make third acquisition with the purchase of California-based DDP.
Visual Communications Company, (VCC) has announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Display Products, Inc. (DDP). The transaction is the third for VCC, which is backed by Southern California-based private equity firms Cloudbreak Capital and Wedbush Capital Partners.
Headquartered in El Segundo, California, DDP specialises in the tailoring of highly engineered LED solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). DDP also operates Emerge Lighting, a rapidly growing lighting brand that designs and manufactures cutting-edge LED lighting solutions for architectural applications.
"The acquisition of DDP advances our strategy to be the innovation leader in illuminated components," said Andy Zanelli, VCC President and CEO. "DDP's products are used in many OEM applications where the highest levels of quality, reliability, and performance are essential.
“Combining DDP with VCC's existing LED business establishes VCC as a leader in the attractive industrial and infrastructure segments of the illuminated component market. VCC now has the most complete product and capability offering in the industry, and is a fully integrated strategic supplier to major OEMs. Furthermore, we are very excited by what we see happening at Emerge Lighting, and the acquisition will strengthen its ability to offer a full complement of innovative, attractive, and solution-oriented LED lighting products that meet customers' evolving needs."
Financing for the acquisition was provided by Lars Hens of California Bank & Trust.
LUX–TSI ANNOUNCES STRENGTHENING OF LONG-TERM COLLABORATION
(UK) - LUX – TSI announces strengthening of long-term collaboration with British Standards Institution (BSI) in the Lighting Sector
A long running partnership between these two poignant companies has recently become an even tighter bond, as LUX-TSI announce their Platinum Membership with the BSI Associate Consultant Programme. With this comes continued customer investment in technical expertise in LED Lighting technology and compliance services.
Furthermore, this adds to the collaboration already established in 2015 between the companies with the approval of LUX-TSI as a BSI associate laboratory, to cover lighting and road traffic equipment markets, which are both introducing LEDs in their current transformations.
CEO of LUX-TSI, Dr Gareth Jones commented: “This agreement further reinforces the position of LUX-TSI as the leading trusted provider of technical consulting, testing and compliance management services in partnership with BSI certification activities within the lighting industry and we are proud to continue to be associated with BSI to enable the sector to prosper and growth confidence in the UK and international markets. Our approach to global market access can only be effective with support from world leading certification providers like BSI.”
Certification Team Manager from the UK standards organisation Greg Childs concluded, “ With this agreement and relationship, LUX-TSI continues to be a strong partner and continues to meet the exacting standards required by BSI for the carefully selected organisations that we work with. The enlarging of our relationship will mean we can now have a unique, trusted approach in offering testing and certification services to the lighting industry including the prestigious BSI Kitemark and global market access coverage.”
JERAD GARZA JOINS AYRTON’S GROWING SALES TEAM
(Europe) - Jerad Garza has joined Ayrton's International Sales Team, and will work in South Germany, supporting the company's international client base.
Ayrton has announced the appointment of Jerad Garza as the latest member of its growing International Sales Team.
Originating from Texas, Garza entered the industry as show technician with Gemini LSV in Dallas, where he spent 17 years learning all aspects of show production, before progressing to the position of Sales Director and Project Manager. Roles in European & International Sales followed, firstly with Solaris and, most recently, with High End Systems. Garza now brings this wealth of technical, sales and global experience with him to Ayrton.
Based in South Germany, Garza’s role will be to focus on supporting Ayrton’s existing international clients, in addition to establishing and growing new ones, and will have additional responsibility for selling demo and excess stock worldwide.
“Now is an exciting time to join the Ayrton team, and I cannot wait to meet our partners and contribute to their growth and success,” he said. “Ayrton is a brand with a great reputation and I am looking forward to playing my part in upholding that.”
“Jerad has a great understanding of the needs of the international market, an exceptional technical knowledge, and a great affinity with the tenets at the heart of Ayrton,” added Ayrton Global Sales Director, Michael Althaus. “The energy and enthusiasm he brings to Ayrton and his determination to ensure our customers receive the best service, means he will be a great addition to the Ayrton team. We are looking forward to having him on board.”
ARCHITAINMENT STRENGTHENS TECHNICAL TEAM
(UK) – Architainment continue expansion with appointment of new Technical Sales Engineer.
Architainment are pleased to announce that Owen Fallows has joined the team as a Technical Sales Engineer.
He joins from 8point3 LED in Kent where he was a Lighting Design Engineer for three years, working on a variety of office, industrial, educational and architectural projects.
Owen has a BSc (Hons) in Lighting Design & Technology from the University of South Wales, and in 2014 he won the Renishaw Prize for Best Final Year Product For The Lighting Industry. His placement year was spent as a Graduate Lighting Design Engineer for Thorn Lighting (Zumtobel Group) in Spennymoor, working on numerous design, 3D visualisation and CAD projects.
Owen is a member of the Society of Light & Lighting, has a background in theatre, and has worked at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for a number of years.
Due to continued growth, Architainment has also recruited Nabil Ali as Sales Coordinator, Joe Pereira as AutoCAD Engineer and Wayne Williams as Warehouse & Quality Control Assistant.
ZUMTOBEL GROUP NAMED AS LIGHTING PARTNER FOR NEW SPURS STADIUM
(UK) - Zumtobel Group will design and develop the lighting across Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium, scheduled for completion in 2018.
Zumtobel Group has been announced as the official lighting partner for the new North London stadium of English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur.
Founded in 1882, Tottenham Hotspur has commissioned the Zumtobel Group to design and develop the lighting across its new stadium, including player facilities, seating bowl, circulation concourse and the extensive façade. Scheduled to open in 2018, the state-of-the-art sporting venue will also play host to NFL American Football games, music concerts and a range of other events.
Tottenham Hotspur have set themselves the goal of creating an unrivalled fan experience inside its stunning 61,559-seater stadium, the largest of any football club in London. The Club is therefore committed to making maximum use of modern technology and the latest in innovation. The same principle naturally applies to the lighting solution, as the right blend of vertical and horizontal lighting is an essential part of any successful stadium.
The Zumtobel Group has extensive expertise when it comes to illuminating stadiums and realising large and complex projects. Thorn, a brand of the Zumtobel Group, was responsible for lighting the Geoffroy Guichard Stadium in Saint Étienne, the ‘Stadium of Light’ in Lyon and the Alliance Riviera Stadium in Nice for the 2016 European Football Championships in France. Such a comprehensive product portfolio means that the Zumtobel Group is well equipped to offer cutting-edge intelligent lighting solutions for London’s next great arena.
Matthew Collecott, Director of Operations at Tottenham Hotspur, said: “Zumtobel Group is a leading supplier of integrated lighting solutions and we are delighted to announce them as a key supplier for the stadium project. We have every confidence in their ability to deliver a world-class lighting system as part of one of the most atmospheric and technologically advanced stadiums in the world.”
Paul Coggins, SVP Northern Europe, Zumtobel Group, was similarly enthusiastic: "We are very pleased to be able to illuminate the new Tottenham Hotspur stadium with our product solutions and to help shape the fan experience through our lighting. This project offers us the opportunity to take full advantage of our multi-brand strategy and to demonstrate our expertise in the development of innovative lighting solutions for large-scale venues and projects.”
LUMENPULSE GROUP ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS
(Canada) – Lumenpulse Group appoint Fluxwerx founders as President and Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Marketing Officer respectively.
Lumenpulse Group Inc. is pleased to announce the appointments of Tim Berman as President and Chief Operating Officer, and Lance Howitt as Chief Marketing Officer of Lumenpulse Group, effective immediately.
"I am very excited to have Mr. Berman and Mr. Howitt join our executive team to help continue the success of the Lumenpulse Group and help lead us to the achievement of our five-year plan and beyond,” said François-Xavier Souvay, CEO of Lumenpulse Group. “In their new roles, both will continue to provide critical input into setting the strategic direction of the Group and to maximise the potential of each of our brands.”
Mr. Berman and Mr. Howitt founded Fluxwerx Illumination 2011, serving as President and Vice President of Sales & Marketing respectively, before Fluxwerx became part of the Lumenpulse family in 2016.
Reporting directly to François-Xavier Souvay, Mr. Berman will oversee all aspects of all the Lumenpulse Group brands as President and Chief Operating Officer and work closely with Mr. Souvay to develop and manage the strategic plan for the Lumenpulse Group.
“Tim’s ability to inspire and lead allowed him – in a remarkably short period of time – to drive Fluxwerx from an innovative start-up with no revenue five years ago, to a brand that today generates multi-millions in both revenue and earnings. Fluxwerx has catapulted to be a clear leader in the North American lighting market,” said Mr. Souvay. “We are excited to have him take on a global role for the Lumenpulse Group and to see the next level of growth with the company.”
As Chief Marketing Officer of the Lumenpulse Group, reporting directly to Mr. Berman, Mr. Howitt will oversee the marketing strategy of the global Group and will work closely with all executives to enhance the Group’s brand awareness and strategic messaging. Mr. Howitt will be responsible for the creative direction and development of the company's marketing efforts, including brand strategy, new product design requirements, client experience related to daily operations and special events, and oversight of all design related to print and online presence.
“Having led Fluxwerx’s sales and marketing strategy, Lance has been instrumental to the stellar success of the brand,” continued Mr. Souvay. “His contributions have made Fluxwerx a strong leader in its segment and his input and experience will be a tremendous asset to our agents, distributors and clients on multiple levels.”
