You have a lot of experience working in the sign manufacturing industry, how has Spectron’s business model evolved over the years?
For the past 30 years we had been trading as a sign-making company and first started using LEDs in 2004. The technology was still in its infancy back then, but I realised that LEDs had more commercial potential than signs and spent the following year and a half researching and sourcing products, and developing the business model. Although our customer base remains in part the same, our product has changed so obviously we have had to adapt our long-term strategy and day-to-day operations to suit.
We are still identifying things that help us learn what will work better and so it’s important that we continually evolve the business model quickly and effectively so that it lasts”
In 2006 we took a leap of faith. There weren’t many companies out there already doing what we planned to, so we had to make a number of assumptions on what would work for our business. So far we’ve been lucky. We’re still growing though, and the first business model was only a starting point. We are still identifying things that help us learn what will work better and so it’s important that we continually evolve the business model quickly and effectively so that it lasts.
What developments have really helped you expand your business?
When we first started supplying LEDs, we did a lot of research. There wasn’t much help or advice out there since the application of LEDs in signage was still in its infancy, so we visited manufacturers and invested a lot of time and money to source the best products and learn as much about LEDs as we could. This helped us with our start-up.
The next step was to expand to the internet. We launched our website in 2006 and are constantly working on our content to increase search results and meet the needs of our visitors. Around 80 percent of our customers contact us through the website, so it really is an integral part of our business.
When we first started supplying LEDs, we did a lot of research. There wasn’t much help or advice out there since the application of LEDs in signage was still in its infancy, so we visited manufacturers and invested a lot of time and money to source the best products and learn as much about LEDs as we could”
Since LEDs are a constantly evolving technology, it’s important that we know what the best solutions are for our customers. This is why we visit our manufacturing partners on a regular basis to evaluate what new products are being developed and are suitable for our clients. We then develop and modify these products so that they are unique to us and meet demand.
Current emphasis on sustainable products and low energy consumption is also opening up new markets for us. There are a number of incentives, such at the Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme, which encourage businesses to specify low energy products. No other lighting technology offers the same potential as LEDs to save energy and enhance lighting quality and reliability. In addition, since LEDs are mercury-free and contain no hazardous material they are environmentally safe.
What changes have you seen in the industry during this time?
The cost of LEDs has dropped dramatically since we started using them in our signs in 2004 and they continue to fall. Technology is also improving, especially with regards to overall luminous efficacy. We have seen an increasing number of small-scale sign makers adopting the use of LEDs for their sign-making, as well as independent businesses specifying the use of LEDs as the main light source. Instead of light boxes with rows of tubes, we see more individual letters with LED illumination and folded metal trays with only inlay letters to be illuminated. Reduced energy consumption and lower maintenance costs are what people are demanding now.
LED technology is constantly evolving, how do you stay on top of these new developments?
As a small company, we can’t challenge the larger organisations, but we can match their quality and beat them on price. Many of us are inundated with communications from our suppliers in China with tempting prices and promises of the highest quality products. However, the problem with LEDs is that you can’t tell the quality of the diodes used even if you are an expert. As with all things it comes at a price; you get what you pay for. The only secure way is to buy from a reputable and established company that you can trust. It is important to visit the manufacturer to see the reality behind the web page.
As a small company, we can’t challenge the larger organisations, but we can match their quality and beat them on price”
We also invest a lot of time in research. We have staff dedicated to carrying out research on LEDs. They take information from current publications, workshops and other available sources and use this to improve our product list and the solutions offered to our clients. We also test our products This is where 30 years of sign-making experience comes in useful. LED properties vary considerably, so careful specification is required. This should cover the amount and direction of the output light, glare, lifetime and colour quality, including colour appearance, colour rendering and colour constancy between batches and over time. LEDs tend to perform poorly at high temperatures, so their fittings require heat sinks or ventilation to keep the LEDs cool.
What emerging trends can we expect to see in the coming months? How do you see the LED sign lighting sector evolving?
With continuous advances in technology we can expect cheaper and brighter LEDs and better solutions to retrofit existing signs and light boxes. We may also start to see the use of OLEDs in the industry. OLED lighting works by passing electricity through one or more extremely thin layers of organic semiconductor material. We have seen examples of it being used as an interactive wall where a number of OLED panels were arranged either side by side or on top of one another to create an illuminated surface of several square metres. The effect was that of luminous wallpaper.
With continuous advances in technology we can expect cheaper and brighter LEDs and better solutions to retrofit existing signs and light boxes”
How do you plan on growing your business going forward?
We will continue to source better LED products, expand our range and provide LED lighting solutions, not only to the sign making industry, but to the retail industry, commercial lighting, architectural projects. Sooner or later, all light sources will be LED and we are preparing for that day.
