Ever since the mid-1940s, our factory in Fagerhult has been producing luminaires to brighten people’s lives. In that time – nearly 75 years – technologies and trends have come and gone. New materials, tools and innovations have brought the company to where we are today, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers of high-quality luminaires. At Fagerhult, we have closed a chapter of our history, putting traditional light bulbs to rest. Our light source production is 100% LED. Another step towards more sustainable and energy-efficient luminaire use.

Where it all began

Fagerhult’s LED journey began in 2003. At that time, we used them as emergency lighting in our luminaires. Two key issues determined how and when Fagerhult was to implement LED. Back then, the technology was considerably more expensive and not yet efficient enough compared to existing T5 fluorescent lamps. We also saw how others were using LED technology in a manner that was unacceptable to us, as it went against one of our core values, lighting comfort.

However, the technology developed rapidly and we’ve been offering LED luminaires as general lighting since 2009. At Fagerhult, we soon realised that investments were needed. Not only in expertise in this new technology, but also in equipment and in-house production capabilities.

“Many new – and at the time ‘unknown’ – LED suppliers popped up; suppliers whose knowledge of lighting technology was lacking. We had to try to get them to understand our needs,” says Kenneth Rudenbrandt, Technical Product Manager. “Having stood on the sidelines following development, we realised that LED technology was here to stay. That’s when we appointed a technical manager at Fagerhult, who through study visits, trade fairs and seminars gathered information on what others were doing and planning. This then provided a basis for further efforts in our LED technology development work.”

Quality over quantity

We have always priroitised quality. Fagerhult's own Technology Centre has been a certified test facility for INTERTEK SEMKO since 1993. This means that we can test, and third-party certify, our luminaires in-house.

“Because LED technology was so new at the time, our employees also needed training. Back then, there were no standards fully adapted to LED light sources,” explains Leif Norrby, Product Development Director at Fagerhult. “Our goal has always been to test our luminaires and guarantee the high quality we offer customers, but this was completely new ground for us and we needed to learn the ropes quickly.”

Our expertise was broadened and product quality assurance remained the domain of our Technology Centre in Fagerhult, under the same roof as our design and production operations. This has always been considered a major advantage in our work with innovation and new development, this close collaboration between safety and quality, the ability to test and reconsider things at an early stage.

In-house LED production

Since 2014, Fagerhult boasts its own in-house LED moduleproduction. Production founded on extensive preparations that involved identifying and developing the requirements for such proprietary production. Thanks to the investment in our own production capabilities, Fagerhults Belysning can not only ensure production quality, but also tailor the resulting products more easily, quickly and reliably than if we ordered our light sources from an external supplier.

“By keeping control of the entire process in house, we simplify all stages of production,” says Kenneth. “In-house LED module production has also enabled us to amass even more expertise. Should anything go wrong during production, due to damage or defects, we can more quickly rectify matters than if we’d ordered from an external supplier. Moreover, in-house production enables variants and customisation, enabling us to quickly meet customer requirements and needs.”

Green lighting for sustainability

The new light sources are not only smaller, they’re also incredibly more energy efficient than traditional light sources.
“Our modern lighting solutions help customers to reduce energy consumption and environmental impact,” Kenneth explains. “A 10–15-year-old system consumes five times as much energy as a new system. 95% of the environmental impact caused by lighting comes from energy use, which can be reduced by up to 80% with modern LED luminaires and control systems.”

Developments in LED technology are moving fast, with further innovations and new materials most certainly on the horizon. One area that is already gaining momentum is the IoT and control, a new filed in which Fagerhult is also developing solutions.. As for the market situation in 75 years’ time, that we can only speculate about…

LED Facts

  • The light-emitting diode (LED) is currently the most energy-efficient lighting technology available for consumer and business use.
  • A diode is an electronic component that emits light when powered by direct current.
  • A semiconductor is used to convert electricity into light without producing heat, usually within a very small area measuring about 1 mm² or less (the diode).
  • An LED lamp is comprised of multiple light-emitting diodes.

PHOTO PATRIK SVEDBERG, DENNIS BOIJ