Above: Engineering director, Vitaly Kazakevich and director, Dmitry Alexandrovich, of A17 Stage Systems, Ayrton’s new, exclusive distributor for Belarus sml.

Ayrton is pleased to announce A17 Stage Systems as its new, exclusive distributor for Belarus with immediate effect.

A17 Stage Systems was established in 2019 with the mission to service its customers’ projects from concept to completion using only the best, most reliable brands in the industry. The company is composed of experienced technicians with many years of expertise in the lighting, sound, rigging, staging, conferencing and video markets. Its customer base includes VVIP and government organisations.

“From the very beginning, A17 Stage Systems has hunted out the best brands in all areas of its activity,” says A17’s engineering director, Vitaly Kazakevich. “We look for future leaders, not just current brands, and see that Ayrton is a fast-growing company with interesting new technologies, and a very good, professional team.

“The Ayrton product range fills us with great confidence because all of its new products carry the ‘Ayrton DNA’ which guarantees a combination of superb quality and innovation across a range of products that serve all applications. It’s not only our team, but also our clients who feel this and we like it!”

A17 Stage Systems has plans to show the full range of Ayrton products in different regions of the country as soon as current health restrictions are lifted. In the meantime, the team is making good use of their industry contacts with local dealers and rental companies to introduce them to the Ayrton brand, whilst A17 has integrated Ayrton products into several of its own upcoming projects.

“We are very happy to be distributing the full range of Ayrton products across the region,” says Dmitry Alexandrovich, director of A17 Stage Systems, “and are looking forward to a very productive collaboration.”

“The whole Ayrton team, and especially I, are delighted to be partnering with Vitaly and Dmitry,” says Ayrton’s Kseniia Igoshkina. “With A17’s in-depth understanding of the entertainment lighting industry and strong local presence in Belarus, we can finally access this new, and often complex, market, and deliver our lighting solutions to customers who haven’t had an opportunity to buy Ayrton fixtures before. We have been working with A17 Stage Systems for a few months already, and we’re pleased to continue and expand our co-operation.”

www.a17.by

www.ayrton.eu

The European WEEE Registers Network (EWRN) this week released a report that strongly condemns online marketplaces for the high level of WEEE non-compliance.

The EWRN is an independent network of governmental organisations, such as the EA in England, that maintain official registers of WEEE compliant companies in countries across Europe.  The strongly worded report states “Online platforms are fully aware that most of their customers abroad are non-compliant.”

The report also condemns online marketplaces for claiming that WEEE compliance is too complicated for the small companies, noting that “around about 70-80% of the [WEEE] registered producers …. are SMEs and established in the EU”.

Welcoming the report, Recolight CEO Nigel Harvey said “It is really encouraging to see the EWRN take such a strong stand against WEEE freeriding through online marketplaces.  There is now, more than ever, an urgent need for Defra to tackle the non-compliance of product sold through online marketplaces.”

An independent study in 2018 showed the scale of WEEE non-compliance through online marketplaces.  It found that 50-88% of smaller electrical products such as LED lightbulbs, fitness watches, and electric screwdrivers offered for sale on one major online marketplace were not registered for WEEE.

The situation has been further exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis. There has been a significant shift from in-store sales to online sales.  This means the proportion of WEEE non-compliant product sold in the UK will have increased still further.  That puts greater pressure on the entire WEEE system: the WEEE that needs to be recycled is financed by compliant companies representing a shrinking market share, who therefore pay higher costs.

Harvey added: “Defra published an ideal solution to the problem in their waste packaging consultation last year.  Online marketplaces were to be regarded as the producer of all product for which they facilitate the import into the UK.  Implementing that simple measure would, at a stroke, resolve most of the problems.  It cannot happen soon enough.”

The EWRN report is available here

• Company phasing out plastics from all its consumer-related packaging
• Plastics will mostly be replaced with recycled paper-based materials
• Switch to plastic-free packaging avoids the use of 2,500 tonnes of plastics per year

Signify (Euronext: LIGHT) is actively striving for a reduction of the environmental impact of its products. As part of its packaging policy, Signify already uses 80% recycled paper for its packaging and will now start phasing out all plastics from packaging for consumer-related products with the aim to be plastic-free in 2021.

By phasing out plastic used for consumer product packaging, Signify will avoid the use of over 2,500 tonnes of plastics per year. This is equal to 125 million PET bottles which, placed in a row, would stretch more than 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles), roughly the distance from Tromsø in the north of Norway, to Gibraltar at the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula, and back[1]. On top of that, their new packaging is smaller, reducing carbon emissions from transport and the materials they use by 6,000 tonnes per year – equivalent to the amount of CO₂ that 270,000 fully grown trees can absorb in a year[2].

“Plastic waste has a very negative impact on our planet and its biodiversity and we decided that we must take a leading role and start using plastic-free alternatives. It is the right thing to do and meets the increasing expectations of our customers,” said Eric Rondolat, CEO of Signify. “I look forward to the moment that we can announce that we no longer use plastics in our packaging.”

On average, Signify’s packaging policy already requires all packaging to contain more than 80% recycled paper and virgin materials must be from certified renewable sources. In cases where paper-based materials aren’t applicable, Signify looks into other non-plastic alternatives. Signify has already started the phase-out of plastic by removing commonly used plastic inserts from Philips Hue bulb packaging. It has also selected paper foam to package the recently launched Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box. Replacing blister packs with paper-based box packaging will be sequenced across our product portfolio and different regions, starting with LED bulbs in Europe in the third quarter of 2020, and the rest of the world following from the start of 2021.

Signify already started replacing the plastic blister packaging for its LED lamps with paper-based materials in the Pacific, where the switch was received very positively and resulted in an increase in sales.

“When we replaced our packaging in the Pacific region, customers said that it was more appealing and environmentally friendly,” Rondolat added. “I call upon other companies to join us in making the switch and will gladly share our lessons learned.”

Phasing out plastics is a further way Signify are driving sustainability in their business and another milestone alongside their Brighter Lives, Better World sustainability program. Signify are on track to achieve carbon neutrality globally this year and already achieved carbon neutralily in 15 of our 19 markets. They were recognised in 2019 by being named Industry Leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the third year in a row.

[1] Based on Signify’s own calculations using PET bottles of 0.5 liters

LUMINO is celebrating 35 successful years in the lighting industry this month. Since founder Andrew Small started the company in May 1985, LUMINO has gone from strength to strength, building its reputation as an architectural lighting manufacturer.

Some of LUMINO’s more recent successes include the opening of a dedicated London sales office for its growing sales team. LUMINO has also seen high levels of international growth thanks to a rapid expansion of its global presence. With new distribution and agency agreements in the Middle East, USA, Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, LUMINO is looking forward to continuing its growth in the coming years.

Andrew Small, LUMINO’s Managing Director, said: “Since forming LUMINO 35 years ago I feel very fortunate that I’ve managed to build a superb team of like-minded people who work closely together to develop imaginative lighting products and continue to drive the business on to the next level.

“Our team are dedicated to their industry, always striving to deliver the best solutions, service and support for our clients. We are excited about the future and look forward to working with existing and new clients, and seeing LUMINO in even more projects across the world.”

Having first launched at the Interior Design International Show in 1985, LUMINO became an instant hit with designers who loved the LUMINO brand, ethos and portfolio. 35 years, several re-brands, and a transformation from distribution to manufacturing later, LUMINO solutions can be found in thousands of projects worldwide.

LUMINO continues to design and develop new and innovative products here in the UK with their in-house research and development team and a factory based in Essex. LUMINO marketing leading luminaires fully service the needs of the architectural lighting sector. One recent product development, V20S OPTIC has received remarkable feedback from the industry becoming a staple for many specifiers over the last year gaining recognition in several industry awards.

Picture shows left to right: Paul Simister, Electricbase general manager; Kevin Beech, Scolmore Group sales director and Steve Poulson, Electricbase commercial manager.

Scolmore Group is delighted to have been voted Supplier of the Year by Electricbase, a UK electrical wholesaler supplying contractors, installers, commercial and industrial users from its network of nationwide branches.

The awards ceremony took place on the evening of the company’s annual conference and trade show which took place before lockdown at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. Scolmore Group, along with other key suppliers, had the opportunity to showcase products from across the group of companies – Scolmore, Ovia, ESP and Unicrimp – and network with contacts from all levels of the Electricbase organisation.

Scolmore Group’s sales director, Kevin Beech, was presented with the ‘Supplier of the Year’ trophy by Electricbase general manager Paul Simister and commercial manager Steve Poulson.

Paul Simister had this to say: “As a key trading partner of Electricbase since its inception, The Scolmore Group, have consistently delivered in terms of quality, service and reliability. Relationships at all levels within both businesses are strong, and there is no better accolade than being voted “the best” than by your own customers – a well-deserved award.”

For further information, contact Scolmore on 01827 63454, or visit www.scolmore.com.

Chicago, USA-based Charles Ford and his business partner Brandon Clark from Creative Live Control share a zest for life and lighting which is their passion … and there is no way that the coronavirus pandemic is stopping them from spreading positive vibes throughout their community with imagination and creative solutions utilising their collective resources and knowledge!

Taking advantage of the explosion in artists wanting to livestream their work and reach out to their fans, they have developed a professional streaming production service – lighting, audio, cameras and broadcast – that meets all the social distancing requirements, can be installed and run by the two of them, and produces a cool, streamlined result.

Gone are the days of listening to someone passionately vocalizing their latest power ballad … whilst eyes are inextricably drawn to the back-of-shot trash can, or concentration on intense lyrics being distracted by gaudy wallpaper!

While the challenges of producing special high impact lighting for community lighting projects like Chicago Unite at Night have been stimulating and fun, Charles and Brandon also need to generate some business as all their touring work has currently been cancelled, so they hit on the idea of the professional live streaming service.

The living room of Charles’ condo has been transformed into a pop-up studio space and after a couple of test runs, there is a queue of local artists lined up to visit and use the facilities.

Brandon completed all the networking, internet and broadcast elements and lighting – using six Robe Pointe multipurpose moving lights from locally-based rental company JRLX, while Charles programmed and created visual content.

“Basically, it was as much kit as we knew we could safely run in a set up like this with limited power. Pointes offer a massive amount of options and in a small space we only use a fraction of their intensity, but their presence makes a huge difference in the quality and look of the stream.”

During the broadcasts, Brandon runs the streaming and lighting from one laptop and a grandMA 2 light and Charles takes care of audio on another laptop, cutting the cameras via an M-BOX media server and a grandMA 2 onPC Command Wing.

“Two of us can handle the whole production extremely well and even with artists in the room, social distancing is easily achievable!” states Charles, who is also thankful for his tolerant neighbors!

The first three live sessions featured DJ Josh One who needed a cool and vibrant lightshow, R’n’B singer Joe Viba whose visual treatment was starker and more contrasting, and Chicago pop singer Sa’rayah whose powerful and dramatic voice demanded lighting to match.

“With the six Pointes, I have absolutely no problem in achieving a wide variety of looks.”

Creative Live Control is looking forward to more action in the studio, and they can also take the package to other locations to ensure that streams get a dynamic, polished, and distinctive look.

Since the pandemic started, Charles has also been busy giving online lectures and holding seminars with lighting design students at Pace University in New York, one of many educational establishments that have shifted to remote learning for the immediate future.

Images: Courtesy Creative Live Control.

Dextra Group plc are very proud to announce that they have been recognised with an International Safety Award with a merit from the British Safety Council in recognition of its commitment to keeping its workers and workplaces healthy and safe during the 2019 calendar year.

The awards recognise and celebrate organisations from around the world which have shown a true dedication to keeping their workers and workplaces healthy and safe over the last year.

Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council stated that “It is our vision at the British Safety Council that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work – anywhere in the world. Achieving this requires organisations like yourselves to invest in workplace health, safety and well-being. But it also depends on business leaders, managers and staff making health and safety a reality and inspiring their colleagues to do the same. The International Safety Awards recognise those who have made outstanding achievements in health and safety across the world.  My warmest congratulations to you as a 2020 winner. You should be truly proud of your achievement.”

Goodlight has completed an installation of its GX1 LED High Bays into European Glass Group’s production facility in Stockport, Greater Manchester, delivering energy savings of 70%.

European Glass specialises in high-end glass processing, manufacturing glass solutions worldwide within their four factories based in Stockport, Swindon and two in London. Over the past 25 years, they have built a reputation for the quality and rapid turnaround of their products.

The production facility was originally lit by inefficient sodium high bays that were prone to failure and had to be replaced often. European Glass were looking for a brighter, more efficient alternative to their existing lighting that would eliminate maintenance costs altogether.

Mick Johal, Managing Director of European Glass, comments, “We were frustrated with our existing sodium high bay lighting as the lifespans were short, causing them to fail and flicker, resulting in unnecessary maintenance costs.”

Mick Johal chose Goodlight after several customer recommendations. He was particularly impressed with the service received from Goodlight who provided an end-to-end lighting service, from surveys, financial modelling, design and installation.

“We manufacture glass seven days a week and work long hours to fulfil orders all around the globe. The installation of the Goodlight GX1 LED High Bays was arranged outside working hours so that our factory could still operate. As a business owner, this is a fundamental aspect of any major upgrade and I am impressed that Goodlight were able to work with us quickly, efficiently and professionally.”

The replacement LED High Bays for the factory included the GX1 120W and GX1 Plus 150W models. Designed and built with performance and reliability in mind, the GX1 LED High Bay (120W and 150W) features a patented ‘phase-change’ liquid core. This unique cooling system tackles heat effortlessly by drawing the heat away from the LED, maintaining more lumens out of the super-bright LED chips, for longer, ensuring 100x more efficient heat transfer.

The glass processing is conducted within the world’s largest, toughening furnace, therefore careful consideration had to be taken with regards to temperature control. A pilot of several LED High Bays from across the lighting industry was trialled, resulting in the GX1 leading in performance and class, securing the specification for the factory.

The 120W GX1 comes with a reflector and delivers 125Lm/W efficacy. The 150W model is reflectorless and delivers 135Lm/W efficacy. Both LED High Bays are rated IP65 – suitable for both internal and external use and ideal for illuminating large spaces such as warehouses, factories and production sites. Both GX1 LED High Bay models have a replaceable driver and optional plug-and-play LED chip, giving customers upgrade options at end of life, ensuring product durability.

Mick Johal comments, “Since installing the new GX1 LED High Bays, our work team are benefiting from brighter visibility, reliable light performance, increased performance, plus staff sickness has also been reduced. We are delighted to report that we are saving 70% in energy and so far, have eliminated maintenance costs altogether.  This is a major factor in European’s further investment of newly developed Glass Heating machinery.”

Following the pilot installation at Stockport, European Glass Group are working with Goodlight to upgrade the lighting within their other three factory sites to LED lighting.

Saima Shafi, Sales and Marketing Director at Goodlight said, “We are thrilled that European Glass have reported 70% in energy savings since installing Goodlight GX1 LED High Bays. As one of the longest standing, dedicated UK LED lighting manufacturers since 2006, our industry-leading technical range is quality engineered and built to perform in the most challenging environments, like deep underground on the tube, or even in production areas generating high heat like at European Glass. We have experience in delivering projects without business interruption, which is essential in 24/7 operational sites. European Glass are a shining example of how LED lighting for production factories can be effectively and efficiently improved, whilst reaping the rewards of energy and maintenance savings.”

Photos: Goodlight installs GX1 LED High Bays into European Glass Group’s production facility in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

On Thursday 4 June, the House of Lords will be debating the economic lessons learned from the Covid 19 pandemic and the measures necessary to repair the UK economy.

The Institution of Lighting Professionals has written to each Peer who has applied to participate in Lord Eatwell’s debate, highlighting that our members can assist the recovery, help to save the economy and improve public safety and the quality of life in many places. CEO Tracey White has explained the need to restore investment in things like street lighting which is currently in a dangerous state of disrepair in many places. The debate will explore possible major reforms to fiscal policy; whether the Government should facilitate the reallocation of jobs and capital away from the hardest hit sectors of the economy; what measures could be taken if the virus exacerbates inequalities in the UK; and whether the recovery is an opportunity to bring about fundamental changes in the economy and society.

With today’s actions, the Institution of Lighting Professionals has made sure that the House of Lords know that they and their members stand ready to play their part by providing better lighting for all.