Author: russellcoombes

FC Bayern Munich and LEDVANCE, one of the world’s leading providers of general lighting, have announced a new long-term partnership running through 2029. LEDVANCE will become Official Lighting Partner of the German record champions and will work exclusively with FC Bayern Munich in the category of “lighting technology and lighting solutions”.

The two partners are united not only by shared ambitions, but also by genuine proximity: both are rooted in Munich, with LEDVANCE’s headquarters located within sight of the Allianz Arena. As Official Lighting Partner, LEDVANCE will support FC Bayern Munich as a project partner on modern lighting and infrastructure initiatives across the sporting environment. The partnership will cover everything from functional lighting solutions that support safety and orientation, to architectural lighting that enhances atmosphere and experience.

Together, both partners aim to inspire people, create memorable experiences and further strengthen their positions within their respective industries. With a modern outlook and a shared focus on global growth, FC Bayern Munich and LEDVANCE will bring their expertise and capabilities together in the years ahead.

Rouven Kasper, FC Bayern Board Member for Marketing & Sales, said, “FC Bayern Munich and LEDVANCE are united by their commitment to showcasing success in the right light. Elite sport is all about emotion, energy and special moments, and in LEDVANCE we have gained a strong partner who, like our club, has its roots in Munich whilst also being at home all over the world. We look forward to many successful years together.”

Local roots, global ambition: This partnership brings together the shared vision of two internationally recognised brands with genuine local connections, enabling close collaboration and the efficient, pragmatic and sustainable delivery of joint projects.

The partnership has grown through a range of initiatives around the Allianz Arena in recent years, including work driven by the phase-out of traditional fluorescent lamps. Sustainability remains firmly embedded within LEDVANCE’s corporate strategy. Alongside lighting quality and technological innovation, the partnership will therefore place a strong focus on energy efficiency and the responsible use of resources.

Fredrik Ergert von Gillern, Global Head of Brand & Communication at LEDVANCE, added, “It is no coincidence that this partnership has been formed in Munich: our headquarters are within direct sight of the Allianz Arena. Together with FC Bayern Munich, we’re demonstrating what lighting can achieve – in terms of performance and safety, as well as the atmosphere in the stadium and around matchdays, which inspires people all over the world. For us, this partnership is a significant step towards further expanding our international project business and actively shaping the future of sports venues and beyond. At the same time, we are strengthening our global brand perception and sharpening our positioning.”

In addition, initiatives are planned over the coming months to bring the partnership to life for fans step by step. The goal is to establish a long-term, resilient collaboration that continues to grow through visible projects and experiences.

The focus is not only on products but also on project expertise across the entire value chain – including planning, implementation, and long-term operational performance.

10 years of LEDVANCE: project expertise for holistic lighting solutions

LEDVANCE is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, and the new partnership with FC Bayern Munich reflects the company’s evolution into a holistic project partner for demanding lighting and infrastructure projects.

Over the past decade, LEDVANCE has developed from a traditional lighting manufacturer into a provider of luminaires and connected lighting solutions, consistently expanding its portfolio beyond its core business. Today, the company delivers holistic solutions across key application areas including sport, office and education, industry and logistics, outdoor and grounds, and retail.

Under the motto “10 Years of LEDVANCE. 100 Years of Excellence. Your Vision. Our Light.”, the company builds on a century of lighting expertise and positions itself as a partner that transforms customer visions into future-ready lighting solutions – wherever lighting helps shape performance, safety and atmosphere.

Leading lighting designer and manufacturer, Ansell Lighting, has announced six strategic appointments as part of its ongoing growth and expansion strategy.

Charlotte Jago has joined the company as Head of Commercial Finance and FP&A, alongside Matthew Clague who has been appointed as Head of Customer Success, Sam Henderson who joins the business as Project Manager and Jonthan Knock who takes up the role of Supply Chain Manager.

Further expanding the management team are Diane Utterson, who takes up the role of Supply Chain Planner, and Julie MacCluskey, who has been appointed as Health and Safety Manager. These key additions mark an important advancement in the company’s growth journey, bringing significant strategic insight and operational expertise to accelerate expansion and enhance service to customers.

Joining the finance department, Charlotte Jago brings 18 years of experience in finance, with the majority of her previous roles concentrated within the manufacturing industry. Her strategic insight, strong commercial acumen, and commitment to driving business performance will play a key role in Ansell’s focus on adding value across the organisation.

Head of Customer Success, Matthew Clague brings fantastic leadership experience, and a strong passion for leading change and driving customer satisfaction. Clague started his career in retail for Argos, where he played a key part in the digital transformation and launched new format stores. He later joined tool hire company Speedy as Retail Director, and later became a Trading Director, supporting the company’s transformation strategy and implementing new systems to better support customer insight.

New Project Manager Sam Henderson has spent most of his career in operations roles across food manufacturing, warehousing and logistics. At Ansell he will partner with teams across the business to enhance project structure and help drive progress on strategic priorities.

Jonathan Knock joins with over 20 years’ experience in the rail, telecommunications and healthcare industries. He brings leadership and operational expertise in supply chain and procurement, focused on driving product availability while streamlining performance. His focus will be to align the performance of our supplier base to our customer requirements, while streamlining the flow of products into our warehousing sites.

The company’s operational infrastructure is further bolstered by Diane Utterson and Julie MacCluskey. Utterson brings more than 20 years’ experience in supply chain operations, while MacCluskey, who most recently was as a Health and Safety Advisor at Glass Futures. takes up a brand-new role for the business as Health and Safety Manager.

Mark Abbott, Managing Director at Ansell Lighting, said: “These appointments are part of Ansell’s broader strategy to continue investing in infrastructure and people, reinforcing our position as a leader in lighting solutions and ensuring we continue to deliver first class service.”

 The TALUNA table lamp has won the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” Award 2026 in the
“Lighting and Luminaires” category.  

 SKENA free-standing luminaire wins a Red Dot Award 2026 and receives a special
recognition at the Austrian State Prize for Design 2026
 SOLENA glass tube luminaire shortlisted as one of three finalists for the Austrian State
Prize for Design 2026 Luminaires from the EDITIONS series by Zumtobel have been recognized at the recent prestigious design awards: The compact TALUNA table lamp won the "Red Dot: Best of the Best" Award 2026 in the "Lighting and Luminaires" category. Only the best products in each category receive this quality seal. In the same category, the SKENA free-standing luminaire was awarded the Red Dot Award 2026. At the Austrian State Prize for Design 2026, the SOLENA glass tube luminaire was one of three nominated favorites in the running; SKENA received one of 14 special recognitions. With THE EDITIONS, Zumtobel offers a curated series of lighting solutions that are developed in collaboration with leading international architects, design studios and lighting designers for exclusive architectural projects and set particularly high standards of design and functionality.

The TALUNA table lamp impressed the jury of the Red Dot Design Award with its minimalist design,
reliability and sustainability. At TALUNA, the design, construction, and number of components used
are reduced to the absolute essentials. Timeless elegance, replaceable LED light source, recyclable
materials such as sheet steel, and high manufacturing quality ensure the luminaire's durability and
substance. The housing made of bent sheet steel emphasises the minimalist style. The joints of the
light housing are not welded. This reduces power consumption during production. Launching soon in
ten subtle pastel shades, TALUNA blends harmoniously into any room while making a strong design
statement.

With the SKENA free-standing luminaire, another product from THE EDITIONS collection has received
the Red Dot Design Award. SKENA is the result of a collaboration with the Hamburg-based office
BAID Architektur and a customised answer to the requirements of modern working environments. The
luminaire is ideally suited to open-plan workplaces and shared workstations. With the help of
integrated sensors, it adapts lighting levels to daylight and the presence of people in the room. With
the optionally available swarm function, several luminaires can also be connected to form a ‘light
cloud’ to create optimal workplace lighting as well as a pleasant atmosphere.

SOLENA made it into the top three products in the "Capital Goods" category at the Austrian State Award for Design 2026 and was thus shortlisted as one of the three finalists. The suspended luminaire was developed together with the architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron and the lighting designer Reflexion AG for the sustainable office building HORTUS. The luminaire combines design, function and aesthetics with a distinctive signature and radical simplicity. The result is precise, efficientillumination with a subtle shimmer that accentuates architectural details and adds depth to interiorspaces. SOLENA combines sustainability and design quality in one luminaire: designed to be modular,maintenance-friendly and recyclable, it impresses with maximum efficiency and visual excellence. In 2025, SOLENA was honored with the “Red Dot: ‘Best of the Best’” design prize for its outstanding product design.  

"THE EDITIONS embodies our aspiration to rethink light, developed for exclusive projects in forward-looking design. We bring enthusiasts together and empower creative minds to realize visionary ideas,push boundaries and inspire others,” says Matthias Menke, Vice President Atelier at Light Zumtobel,

Eight impression X5 Compacts, six X5 Atoms, and six X5 Dot Washes enable Upstairs at Ronnie’s to pull off everything from near-acoustic solo concerts to high-energy soul acts without compromising the room’s intimate feel.

Karlsbad (Germany), 14th July 2026 – Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club has been at the heart of London’s live music scene since 1959, welcoming artists from Miles Davis to Amy Winehouse on its stage. The club’s newly refurbished first-floor room, Upstairs at Ronnie’s, marks a significant new chapter in that story. Transformed from a low-ceiling bar with floor-level performances into a properly appointed stage complete with a grand piano, raised ceiling, full acoustic treatment, and a new PA and lighting rig, the space is designed to mirror the atmosphere of the historic main club in a more intimate setting. At the heart of the new lighting installation is GLP’s X5 Seri

Charlie Dale has worked at Ronnie Scott’s for 15 years, progressing from technician to technical manager. Throughout that time, he has consistently pushed for the club ‘ s lighting to match the quality of the music on stage, overseeing the significant upgrade to the downstairs main club rig in 2018 and establishing a model of dedicated lighting technicians at every performance. When the club decided to refurbish the upstairs room, Dale was asked to design the new lighting rig. The installation was carried out by Steve Myers Ltd, who handled the full design, build, and wiring of the lighting infrastructure while also supplying all fixtures. This single-supplier approach kept the project streamlined from start to finish.

The brief Dale set for the rig was demanding. Given the low trim height and the breadth of the programme, which spans near-acoustic solo classical concerts through to high-energy funk and soul performances, fixtures needed to be compact, operate as quietly as possible, and deliver high-quality colour and accurate skin tones at potentially very low output levels. At the same time, the rig needed to be capable of dynamic movement and varied looks for more energetic shows. “The combination of small, quiet, great colour at low output, and movement capabilities is not an easy thing to find,” says Dale.

Eight impression X5 Compacts form the core of the moving-light rig. Each fixture houses seven 40 W RGBL LEDs delivering up to 3,980 lumens across a 3.6° to 66° zoom range, with 540° pan and 236° tilt, and GLP’s iQ.Gamut colour calibration system ensuring accurate, consistent colour reproduction, including reliable skin tones. The X5 Compact’s pixel-mapping capability allows the rig to generate varied looks without relying solely on movement too. Critically, GLP developed bespoke fan modifications for the Ronnie Scott’s installation, reducing the X5 Compact’s operating noise below the standard specification. This was a unique step taken to ensure that the fixtures would cause zero intrusion during the club’s quieter, more intimate shows.

Six X5 Atoms provide compact, static wash coverage above the stage. Outputting up to 430 lumens from a single 40 W RGBL LED head and zooming from 3.5° to 32°, the Atom’s external PSU design keeps the head unit itself exceptionally small and light. This is a significant advantage given the room’s low trim height.

Six X5 Dot Washes are specified to complete the GLP rig. The smallest member of the X5 Series, comparable in size to a standard MR16 Birdie, the Dot Wash delivers up to 550 lumens from a single 40 W RGBL LED with a manual twist-zoom ranging from 16° to 68°, making it well-suited to close-proximity positions where the visual footprint of the fixture itself matters.

A key reason for specifying across the X5 range was colour consistency. “Keeping everything in the X5 range meant that colour matching between fixtures is very easy,” says Dale. “The X5 Atoms and the X5 Dots are compact and silent, meaning they don’t disturb our intimate shows and are visually unobtrusive above the stage. The X5 Compacts, once GLP had made some custom fan modifications for us, gave us the best combination of small fixtures that are quiet. And with the pixel mapping ability, they allow us to have dynamic lighting and different looks without having to rely solely on movement.”

GLP’s involvement extended well beyond product supply. Key account manager Paul Fielder worked closely with Dale throughout, from initial fixture recommendations through to providing demo stock for trialling on live shows before final specification. The custom fan modifications to the X5 Compacts, developed and tested by GLP specifically for this installation, were designed to meet the venue’s noise tolerances without compromising the fixture’s output or performance. “Special thanks must go to Paul Fielder, who is responsible for getting it all ready for us in time for our opening,” says Dale.

Upstairs at Ronnie’s opened on 4th February 2026, with a performance from Vula Malinga and her band, with Nao as a special guest. Dale describes the night as going “spectacularly well,” with the rig delivering exactly the combination of warm colour, precise skin tones, and compact visual presence that the brief had called for. The space now runs a regular programme spanning two main shows each evening, late-night performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, a vocal jazz jam every Wednesday, and Sunday afternoon concerts.

The X5 Series rig has proven well-equipped to serve that kind of breadth. “From all sides, we get nothing but compliments about how the shows sound and look, from both on and off stage, and from musicians and customers who have been coming to the club for years,” says Dale. “The club knows that the most important aspect of the night is the live show, so they invested in the best equipment they can to reproduce and highlight the talent of the musicians on stage.”

Messe Frankfurt has acquired LiGHT Expo London from [d]arc media to be run out of its London subsidiary, further strengthening its presence within the international lighting and building technology sector.

Launched in 2022, LiGHT has rapidly established itself as one of the UK’s leading events for the lighting specification community. Bringing together architects, interior designers, lighting designers, engineers, specifiers and leading international lighting brands, the exhibition has become a valued platform for product discovery, learning, collaboration and networking.

The acquisition adds LiGHT to Messe Frankfurt’s globally recognised Light + Building portfolio and reinforces the organisation’s long-term commitment to supporting the lighting industry through world-class trade fairs and industry platforms. The portfolio includes established events in Frankfurt, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Las Vegas, Mumbai, New Delhi, Shanghai, and Tashkent.

Messe Frankfurt UK will build on the strong foundations created by [d]arc media, while preserving the event’s distinctive community-focused identity and commitment to the lighting specification market. [d]arc media will remain closely involved, continuing to support the event through promotional activity and the curation of its highly regarded content programme.

Messe Frankfurt UK CEO, Simon Albert said of the deal, “LiGHT has become one of the most important meeting places for the UK lighting and design community in a remarkably short space of time. We have long admired what the [d]arc media team has built and the passionate community that has grown around the event.

This acquisition represents an exciting opportunity to support LiGHT’s continued growth as part of Messe Frankfurt’s international lighting portfolio, while carefully preserving the qualities that have made it such a success. We are committed to investing in the event for the long term and ensuring it continues to deliver exceptional value for exhibitors, visitors and the wider lighting industry.”

Paul James, MD of [d]arc media echoed the sentiments, “When considering the future of LiGHT, it was important for us to find a partner that not only had the scale and expertise to support the event’s growth, but also genuinely understood the lighting industry and the community we have built around it.

Messe Frankfurt UK shares our commitment to the sector and brings significant experience in delivering high-quality international events. We are excited to support the next chapter of LiGHT’s journey and look forward to seeing the event continue to flourish.”

LiGHT is part of Messe Frankfurt’s Light + Building Technology fair portfolio headed by the biennial Light + Building event in Frankfurt, Germany. The next edition will be held from 5 to 10 March 2028. Messe Frankfurt organises several trade fairs for the light and building technology sectors in Asia, Argentina, China, the UAE and the USA.

Ansell has launched Exa-C – a floodlight designed specifically for padel courts.

Padel is widely recognised as the fastest-growing sport in the UK with the Lawn Tennis Association reporting participation levels reaching 860,000 players and the number of padel courts estimated at more than 1,500.

Responding to the growing demand Ansell has developed Exa-C – a lightweight, compact luminaire constructed from low-density aluminium alloy that enables fast and accurate installation.

To support optimal and professional-standard surface illumination, the floodlight features precision lenses to control beam distribution, with an integrated visor for effective glare control and reduced light spill in built up areas.

The luminaire is IP66 rated, ensuring complete protection against dust and water, making it an ideal solution for outdoor courts. A high quality AkzoNobel anti-corrosion powder coating has also been used to provide exceptional durability in harsh environments.

Mark Abbott, Managing Director at Ansell Lighting said: “Padel has become hugely popular in the last few years, and so demand for specialised, high-quality lighting has never been higher. The Exa C provides better visibility for players and a professional-standard playing environment, along with reliable performance all year round.

“As a leading manufacturer, we want to ensure our customers have access to high performing products they can rely on and this is a great example of a product that meets a need as well as delivering durability and ease of installation.”

UK-based lighting manufacturer Thorlux Lighting is marking its 90th
anniversary throughout the summer with charity events and the opening of a refreshed visitor
centre at its Redditch, Worcestershire headquarters. As the company continues to innovate and
works towards a validated net-zero target, its future remains bright.

Founder Frederick William Thorpe first manufactured Thorlux luminaires in 1936. Based in a small factory in Small Heath, Birmingham, the company initially made vitreous enamelled steel reflectors.
This was the beginning of a journey that would see Thorlux grow into a globally recognised
manufacturer of luminaires and lighting control systems, becoming the largest company in the FW
Thorpe Group.

Thorlux has installed a spinning lathe used since the 1930s as the centrepiece of its refreshed
Thorlux Application Centre. The centre also includes an improved Emergency Lighting Experience,
providing guests with a realistic, educational power failure escape scenario.

Thorlux remains at the forefront of modern UK luminaire manufacture, with multi-million-pound
investments in advanced technology at its Redditch factory. The company still proudly makes over
90% of its products in the Midlands, employing five hundred people locally. Thorlux specialises in
energy-efficient, sustainable products, and is working towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.
Mark Stevenson, Marketing Lead at Thorlux, said: “90 years is a major milestone for Thorlux. As aproud UK manufacturer, it is important to reflect on our accomplishments so far – from pioneering energy-saving controls to relighting the

CU Phosco has appointed Andrew Hiscott as Area Sales Manager for the North
West and West Midlands, reinforcing its continued investment in supporting
customers across the highways and street lighting sectors.

Andrew joins the business on 29 June from the Aluminium Lighting Company (ALC),
where he was National Business Development Manager covering the UK and
Europe. Well known throughout the industry, he has built a strong reputation for his
technical knowledge of lighting columns and infrastructure, together with long-
standing relationships across local authorities, contractors and consultants.
An active member of the industry, Andrew also serves on the HEA Council and is a
member of the Institution of Lighting Professionals (ILP).

Andrew Hiscott said:
"I'm delighted to be joining CU Phosco and becoming part of a business with such a
strong reputation for quality, innovation and customer service. I've worked alongside
the team for many years and always admired its technical expertise and commitment
to supporting customers. I'm looking forward to working with both existing and new
customers across the North West and West Midlands."

Matt Murray, Sales Director at CU Phosco, commented:
"Andrew is one of the best-known and most respected people in our industry, so
we're delighted to welcome him to the team. His technical knowledge, customer-
focused approach and strong relationships across the sector make him a fantastic
addition to CU Phosco. As we continue to grow the business, his experience will be
invaluable in supporting customers across the region."

Andrew's appointment reflects CU Phosco's ongoing investment in its UK sales team
and its commitment to providing customers with experienced local support backed by
market-leading lighting and infrastructure solutions.

The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a £4.6 billion infrastructure project designed to modernise London’s ageing sewer network. As part of the project, several sites along the Thames were expanded to accommodate the additional infrastructure required for the tunnel, creating new riverside public spaces and prompting upgrades to existing lighting assets.

At Tyburn Quay and Bazalgette Embankment, these works brought two distinctive heritage lighting installations into focus. Delivered for Transport for London and the City of London Corporation respectively, the schemes formed part of Tideway Central, led by FLO Joint Venture, with FM Conway and consultant WSP among the wider project team.

Drawing on its long-standing experience working with historic lighting across central London, DW Windsor supported the delivery of both schemes, retaining the defining features of each installation while introducing the structural, lighting and control technologies needed for their continued use.

The road running alongside Tyburn Quay is lined with a mix of original Grade II-listed cast column bases and a number of later replicas. Dating from 1900, the original bases feature dolphins, floral detailing and representations of Britannia.

While the project required the lighting installation to be upgraded, preserving these historic bases was an important part of the brief. Each casting was removed from site and transported to DW Windsor’s Hertfordshire factory, where the company’s specialist restoration team repaired and repainted the decorative finishes in their distinctive combination of black, red and gold.

As part of the upgrade, new reinforced steel columns designed to retain the proportions and appearance of the originals were installed. These were completed with traditional scroll brackets and finials finished in a custom gold paint to complement the decorative elements on the bases. Strand lanterns were then fitted as a like-for-like replacement for the previous luminaires, preserving the familiar appearance of the lighting.

The lanterns incorporate efficient LED lighting technology and Zhaga sockets, currently fitted with Zhaga photocells. This future-proofs the installation by allowing CMS nodes to be added should Transport for London adopt a central management system at a later date.

Once the work was complete, DW Windsor worked alongside FM Conway to transport the restored column bases back to site and assist with their reinstallation, helping to minimise handling and protect these important heritage assets.

At Bazalgette Embankment, the project team faced a different heritage challenge. The existing lighting featured George Vulliamy’s iconic dolphin pedestal design, better known to many as the Sturgeon lamp post, originally created for the Victorian Embankment works and now one of the riverside’s most recognisable features. While the sculptural bases and cradles were retained for their architectural and historic significance, the globe lanterns above required replacement.

DW Windsor was tasked with recreating the original appearance while developing a completely new internal lighting system. The solution needed to deliver modern performance, improved control and easier maintenance without detracting from the character of the historic installation.

The age of the cradles made this particularly challenging. Created using historic manufacturing methods and exposed to decades of weathering, the individual structures varied in dimension and condition. Working with specialist installer London and Kent, DW Windsor developed an adjustable mounting system that allowed each new globe lantern to be fitted securely within its existing cradle.

Inside the recreated globe, two separate LED systems perform distinct roles. A CoB LED provides the principal downward illumination, with a rear shield helping to reduce light spill back towards the Thames, while a second light source softly illuminates the upper section and opal lid, preserving the characteristic glow and visual presence of the original globe.

Specified at 2700K, the new lighting produces a warm appearance suited to the historic riverside setting. Urban Control’s CMS technology was also incorporated discreetly within the globe, with the antenna concealed inside the fitting so that the external appearance remained unchanged.

Both Tyburn Quay and Bazalgette Embankment highlight the importance of balancing heritage preservation with modern lighting requirements. By retaining significant original features wherever possible and replacing only those elements requiring renewal, the schemes preserve the established character of Victoria Embankment while introducing improved performance and control.

Robert Maisey, Operations Director at DW Windsor, said: “At Tyburn Quay, the priority was to retain the character of the original installation. Restoring the bases and upgrading the columns, brackets and lanterns allowed us to bring the scheme back to life while introducing the structural strength and technology needed for the future.”

Alex Winship, Specials Product Design Manager at DW Windsor, added: “The challenge at Bazalgette Embankment was to recreate the appearance of the original globes while completely redesigning their internal lighting architecture. By combining two light sources, discreet CMS integration and an adjustable mounting system, we were able to preserve their familiar glow while delivering modern lighting performance.”

The schemes form part of DW Windsor’s wider contribution to the Thames Tideway project, which has included the supply of heritage and contemporary lighting across several locations.

Clients and partners

Clients – Transport for London / City of London Corporation

Main Contractor – FM Conway

Joint Venture – FLO (Ferrovial Construction and Laing O’Rourke)

Consultant – WSP

Specialist Installer (Globes) – London and Kent

With its AI Companion Lighting Robot Elix, LEDVANCE has introduced an interactive lighting solution that takes the relationship between people and technology to a new emotional level.

LEDVANCE, one of the world’s leading providers of general lighting, has been named the winner in the Excellence in Business-to-Consumer Lighting category at the German Innovation Awards 2026, held in Berlin in May. Following the successful debut of Elix at Lichtwoche Sauerland and its showcase at the world’s leading lighting trade fair, Light + Building 2026, the award reinforces the company’s reputation for driving innovation in lighting technology.

At the heart of the project is Elix, an intelligent lighting robot that seamlessly combines lighting, robotics and emotional interaction. Developed around the belief that lighting is about far more than illumination, Elix responds in real time to users’ activities, moods and gestures, creating an adaptive, intuitive and lifelike experience.

“Receiving the German Innovation Award validates our approach to rethinking light and pushing the boundaries of what is possible,” said Dr. Ulrich Weiss, Head of Product Management & Innovation & Global IT at LEDVANCE. “The development of Elix reflects our commitment to innovation and the technological direction we are pursuing.” The project demonstrates how artificial intelligence and advanced robotics can work together to create a more natural and engaging interaction between people and technology.

Intelligent task lighting meets emotional intelligence

The AI-enabled Lighting Robot offers two operating modes. In Task Lighting Mode, an integrated AI camera automatically identifies five different application scenarios, including reading, writing and video conferencing. A sophisticated six-axis robotic arm directs light precisely onto the user’s workspace, while both the colour temperature and light intensity automatically adjust to improve visual comfort and help reduce eye strain.

In Emotional Lighting Mode, Elix recognises the user’s facial expressions and gestures, translating them into personalised lighting scenes, colours, movements and acoustic feedback. Using integrated gesture control, the robot follows hand movements in real time and also responds gently to touch via its housing.

The judges’ verdict

In its official statement, the German Innovation Awards jury said Elix addresses the challenge of adapting lighting to individual needs and moods in an exceptionally innovative way. By combining lighting, robotics and emotional interaction, the solution creates an immersive experience that extends far beyond conventional lighting.

The jury highlighted the combination of artificial intelligence, gesture control and dynamic lighting scenes, which together create an intuitive companion that enriches everyday life while setting new benchmarks for human-technology interaction.

This latest achievement builds on LEDVANCE’s strong track record of innovation. The company previously received the German Innovation Award in 2024 for its sustainable EVERLOOP luminaire range in the B2B sector. In September 2025, the AI Companion Lighting Robot Elix was also recognised as the winner in the Desk Lamps, Floor Lamps category at the LIT Lighting Design Awards.