Evolucia opens Australian subsidiary for LED roadway lighting following European launch

Evolucia has announced the formation of Evolucia LDU Pty Ltd in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia as a wholly owned subsidiary that will serve Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Region – primarily focusing on outdoor solid-state lighting (SSL). The company is expanding the reach for its roadway-targeted LED Aimed Optics cobrahead fixtures after recently establishing a European joint venture based in Poland. The company has also recently agreed to a partnership with Osram to supply street lights to Mexico and brought a new executive aboard.

Evolucia believes that its Aimed Optics technology will be a good match for the Australia and New Zealand markets. Those countries generally require lower light levels and have stricter light pollution guidelines than North America and other regions. The LEDs combined with the optics can generate precise beams to put light only where it is required (for more information on beam patterns, see SSL luminaires must deliver reliable beam patterns in outdoor applications.

"Our innovative team of experts have built a fixture that delivers optimum performance for Australia's unique conditions," said Andy van Emmerik, product development manager of Evolucia LDU Pty Ltd. "Evolucia Aimed Optics addresses our greater pole spacing and lower light levels by delivering more consistent targeted light that consumes much less energy over a longer period of time."

Lucas Jacometti is the general manager of the new subsidiary and will report to Carol Gutierrez, vice president of global strategies at Evolucia. "Both Australia and New Zealand are looking at carbon emissions caps and have taken actions to ban inefficient light sources," said Gutierrez. "Evolucia LED lighting solutions are among the few products on the market today that meet local standards, save energy and perform at the mandated light levels."

Evolucia Europe

News of the pacific-region expansion comes on the heels of the launch of Evolucia Europe on March 20. Evolucia entered a joint venture with Warsaw, Poland-based Sete SP. x o.o. Sete is a private institutional investor organized specifically to support SSL manufacturing and deployment in Europe.

Sete will pay Evolucia $11 million by August 31, 2013 for the exclusive rights to distribute and manufacture Evolucia's products in Europe. The Evolucia Europe organization will be 51% owned by Evolucia and 49% owned by Sete.

The joint venture plans to begin production of Aimed Optics products this year in a facility in Radom, Poland. The headquarters will remain in Warsaw, and Arkadiusz Pietrzykowski has been named president of Evolucia Europe reporting to Mel Interiano, CEO of Evolucia Inc.

Mexico and new Global VP

Back in North America, Evolucia struck a February deal with Osram Mexico to pursue roadway SSL application in Mexico. The partners will equip Osram ProPoint Cobrahead fixtures with Evolucia Aimed Optics.

CEO Interiano also recently announced that Paul Montesino had come aboard as global vice president of marketing and general manager of Evolucia's Lighting Controls & Accessories Division. "Paul Montesino brings the right balance of extensive product knowledge and market intelligence to quickly move Evolucia to the next level in sales and product development," said Interiano. "His background and drive will help our company launch our next generation of interior and exterior lighting solutions, as well as move our company into the growing intelligent lighting controls and accessories space."