Talking recently with SloanLED's International Sales Director, at its HQ in Zoetermeer, Holland, Martin Andersen, I discovered that he first got involved with lighting up the retail fuel market, back in 2007. Previously he had travelled the world with Danish shop design specialists Planova, hot on the heels of MOC's like BP, Shell and Total, all of which were globally developing service stations at the time.
In an extremely open interview, drawing on his knowledge and experience of an industry which he has worked in for nearly three decades, he talked about the progress of SloanLED, and the future of LED lighting.
He said " Thirty years ago there was an abundance of suppliers in the marketplace with everyone specialising in different applications. i.e tubes, canopy lights etc. In recent years though, the situation has changed dramatically, due to the fact that most brand owners and major oil companies now want a one stop solution.
On that score, I am pleased to say that SloanLED is now one of the only lighting companies able to supply the market on a global basis, with virtually every product required for the forecourt sector.
Actually, the only solution we don't offer is price signs, primarily because we have a very good working relationship with international price sign manufacturer PWM, allowing us both to focus on what we are best at, whilst affording each other an enormous amount of shared experience, and an expanded global network of high quality major international fuel retailers.
We look very hard at the sectors in which we operate, and what I would add is that it's really about where you actually fit in. Manufacturing price signs for example would be a completely new business area for us and to make it work we would have to bring in a new set of people to run such a process, whilst on the other hand, we still have so much potential in the areas we currently work in. We would much rather focus on what we know and continue to build from there.
Currently we're expanding in several areas within our remit. Light boxes for example in fashion stores are becoming tremendously popular. Also, in general retail where we are working with major brand names like IKEA and McDonalds. In the fuel retailing sector specifically, growth for Sloan LED in recent years has come through marketing our border tubes products, like the BP Green, the Total Red and the Shell Red, which today run around the respective forecourt canopies of these MOC's.
It is under canopy lighting though where much of our focus currently lies within the retail fuel marketplace. When we entered this area, eleven years ago, we took a long hard look at what was out there and then, working with fuel retailers, tried to manufacture something which was far better. Our product design is completely unique, being square and flat, and unlike any other product out there which we feel makes maintenance procedures and new build installations, far easier. Area lights and shop lights are now also now major elements in our product portfolio.
From being just a signage provider, to becoming a preferred lighting supplier to MOC's like BP, Shell, Total, Q8, MOL, OMV, has been an incredible journey for SloanLED, and for me personally. Outside of Europe, we are also involved with many other retail fuel brands across the world and in Australia we're now number one".
Guarantees, ROI and improved technology
Martin continues "Many customers think if they install LED's, they will save lots of money, but it's not quite as simple as that. At SloanLED we look closely at what the client is ultimately trying to achieve with its lighting coverage, and then often encourage clients to use less products to achieve the same result. This approach can often offer huge additional savings on electricity and maintenance.
With recent advances in technology, SloanLED modules are manufactured to an increased level of brightness, whilst using less energy per module. i.e. Less modules per square metres is the overall objective. In addition, the guarantee for lighting modules offered by SloanLED is for the life of the site, which brings into focus a much clearer picture of the total ROI in any investment made for lighting.
Whilst cost trends generally in LED's are still coming down, SloanLED are not looking at cost per module anymore, but rather a cost per sign. If customers can achieve zero maintenance costs, and have signs with a reduced number of modules, a reduction in installation time, by using less drivers and connections, then the cost savings will naturally follow".
Thank you Martin. For those who want to learn more about SloanLED and its products, please visit them at UNITI expo on May 14th 16th in Stuttgart where the company claims it will announce some very exciting news
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