Lighting the way to reduced energy and maintenance costs

When it comes to planning a new lighting system, how important is it to select a solution that is easy to install and maintain?

It’s extremely important. Time is always critical in the industrial sector.
As an example, the average automotive manufacturer loses nearly €20,000 per minute of downtime.
When a company sees that a new lighting system can be installed quickly and easily, it makes switching a more feasible option.
And if a project in one section of a factory goes well, then it’s more likely they will want to convert the lighting across the whole site in order to reap the benefits of a more energy efficient lighting system.

We have put a lot of effort into making the installation process easier at Schréder.
For example, for retrofit installations we have developed fixtures that can be used with existing positions and cabling.
For new installations, we have developed easy-to-mount systems that make life easier for the installer.

We have spent a lot of time thinking about issues including; the way the system connects to the mains; the mounting procedures; and the weight of the luminaires.
Weight is a critical factory for many industrial companies.
Our fixtures are designed to be lightweight but also have enough aluminium to act as a heat sync.
This guarantees a long lifetime for the light.

These capabilities have helped to secure our reputation as a turnkey solutions provider in the industrial market, and remain very important to us.

 

What kind of maintenance should industrial customers expect to carry out once they have installed a new LED-based system?

Very little, and that is one of the greatest strengths of LED lighting. With life cycles in the region of 10 to 15 years, replacement expense is minimal. And even in the toughest industrial environments, the need to clean the protector will be relatively rare.

It is no surprise that a lot of discussion about LED lighting revolves around energy savings.
But there are so many other benefits to consider.
If you rely on outside technical support, then it is going to mean fewer call-outs to fit replacements. If you have an in-house team, they will have more time to devote to other tasks.
And there will be fewer demands in terms of downtime, which means reduced negative impact on productivity.

Whichever way you look at it, LED lighting is great news for industry, particularly those companies operating 24/7 who are looking to further optimise their efficiency.
 

Converting the lighting outside can also significantly reduce operating costs. Can you tell me more?

Once companies have optimised their indoor lighting, it stands to reason that they would also want to think about their outdoor lighting too.
LED lighting can make a real difference to areas such as loading bays and car parks.

For a start, better lighting provides a safer environment for tasks like loading and unloading goods.
It also makes sense to think about a control system that works with motion detectors and can reduce unnecessary lighting.
Schréder’s Owlet remote control system is a great example of this. In addition to dimming the light, or tuning it off completely when no-one is around, it detects and reports potential failures, making it easier to use.
It has proven to be very popular, and some companies have reported energy savings of up to 85%.

Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, industrial companies can make a huge difference to their margins by switching to LED lighting.
And by cutting operating costs, they can also reduce their carbon footprint to help achieve their sustainability objectives.