Zeta Specialist Lighting celebrates 30 years in business
Bicester-based Zeta Specialist Lighting is kicking off its 30th anniversary year championing innovation. The company has secured an Innovate UK grant, which will be used to fund R&D into emerging technologies as well as accelerate the launch of a number of new solar-powered and LED lighting systems.
Zeta was founded on a commitment to design and develop sustainable, cost-efficient and technologically brilliant lighting solutions. Three decades later and R&D remains at the heart of the business.
Zeta’s mainstay is in solar-powered solutions and it has a strong portfolio of in-house developed systems for the commercial, rail, signage, street, highway and amenity lighting sectors. Zeta’s proprietary technology has enabled the company to secure a significant number of large scale projects both at home and abroad.
2018 highlights and include the completion of a £2 million LED upgrade for Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead six months ahead of schedule, and upgrading the first set of heritage lanterns in the historic city of Bath. Zeta provided the first LED module that met both residents’ and Bath and North East Somerset Council’s requirements.
Working in partnership with the Department for International Trade, Zeta has also enjoyed significant success overseas. 2018 saw export sales increase by 35 per cent, the company has supplied
products across Europe and as far afield as Dubai, Russia, Turkey and Canada, it is also currently exploring new opportunities in Australia.
This latest wave of funding will support the launch of a number of new products. 2019 will see the company unveil a uniquely-designed solar-powered heritage-style street light, introduce the next-generation of its SmartScape range of street and area lighting solutions, and launch a brand new LED road traffic sign lighting system.
Managing Director Adrian Dennis said: “Looking ahead to 2019, we expect to realise a further 50 per cent uplift in export sales. Solar systems are very much driving growth in this area particularly in the UAE where there is of course an abundance of sunlight. We are also seeing increased demand for LED solar signage solutions among sign-makers in Europe, with sales of products including
the Zeta Light Guide Panel and Bespoke Solar Signage Kit far exceeding targets.”
In 2014, Zeta marked its silver anniversary investing £2.5 million to facilitate future product development and expansion into new markets. The plan was to achieve a five-fold increase in size in three years, a goal it achieved by 2016. The past five years has seen Zeta continue to go from strength to strength, recording consistent double-digit growth year on and most notably, achieving a record-breaking 41 per cent growth last year. Moreover it has scooped an impressive array of awards recognising its innovation and achievements in developing sustainable, intelligent solar-powered lighting systems including a prestigious Elektra award.
Dennis concluded: “Innovation is at the core of Zeta’s business. We have a sophisticated in-house R&D facility and manufacturing capabilities that enable us to design and develop bespoke solutions to customers’ needs. Our focus for this milestone year is very much on further developing our solar technologies and introducing new products which align with the rapidly changing requirements for our client base.”