Made in Småland – a sustainable choice
“Oh, you have production here!” Many customers raise their eyebrows in surprise when visiting Proton Lighting in Värnamo. And the sustainability factor for the Swedish-made luminaires goes far beyond that. It should be sustainable all the way, from design and production to sales.
For designer Ann Champatong, sustainability already begins when she develops a new luminaire:
“High quality and a long service life are important to reduce the burden on the environment. And once a product reaches the end of its service life, it’s important that most of the parts can be recycled or reused. Therefore, we also have very high demands on our subcontractors that they meet environmental requirements.”
Energy savings up to 70 percent
Sustainable design also involves energy-efficient lighting and smart control actuators able to reduce energy consumption. Lighting holds a place in the Top 10 in terms of energy consumption worldwide – but with the right type of lighting technology, you can achieve energy savings of up to 70 percent. Technological development in Proton Lighting’s in-house laboratory plays a key role.
“We are focusing more and more on light quality, such as colour rendering,” says Ann. “Furthermore, we adapt our products for increased energy saving through the use of sensors. Our ambition is to deliver the right light with good distribution, minimal glare, minimal flickering, and optimal light quality with the full colour spectrum included.”
Helping customers reduce their carbon footprint
Knowledge of light quality and its importance for health and sustainability is still lacking among many customers.
“Some customers only focus on price and choose cheap over good,” says sales rep Rickard Bengtsson. “Our mission is to help customers, to educate them about what is sustainable and what true light quality is. We talk about control and power requirements, and we perform energy calculations so that the customer can see how much they save in energy consumption and how much their carbon footprint decreases.”
Advanced solutions in smaller batches
Does manufacturing luminaires domestically make a difference to customers?
“Yes, absolutely,” says Rickard. “Practicality and proximity are important.”
Ann adds:
“We can provide more complex technology and more advanced solutions in smaller batches than if you import lighting from Asia, for example.”
“And the stamp of quality in Swedish-made products is also a selling point,” says Rickard.
“In addition, it is much easier to find spare parts and replacement luminaires when the warranty has expired on a product.”
Social sustainability all the way
Lena Nilsson, Production Manager, can attest that manufacturing at home is part of the zeitgeist:
“We don’t want end-products to be shipped far these days, we want to manufacture where the product is used. Many of our larger competitors still have production in other countries, and this makes us unique in the market.”
Lena also says it’s important to remember that ensuring sustainability all the way also includes people and the work environment:
“Here at Proton we work with sustainability from an environmental perspective, but also from a social and economic perspective. People and the work environment are an important aspect to ensuring a long working life. Our systematic work environment efforts are essential for social sustainability. You should not be worn out when you are 65 and then retire, you should be sustainable until you are 95.”
Global goals: Sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure
Innovation and technological progress are the key to sustainable solutions for economic and environmental challenges. Investing in sustainable industries, research, green technologies and innovation are all important means of creating the right conditions for sustainable development.
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