Published at 13:44, Friday, 22 June 2012

ONE of Cumbria’s leading lights in the LED industry welcomed a special guest at the opening of their state-of-the-art new research and development centre.

Forge Europa has come a long way since it was set up by Peter Barton at his home in 1993. Now employing 37 people, the company unveiled a new multi-million pound logistics centre in Dalton last October and the new research facility – named the Lighting Solutions Centre – was officially opened by His Royal Highness the Duke of York last month.

The new centre, in Ulverston, is the first, or one of the first, buildings in the UK to be entirely lit inside and out by solid state LED lights. The four-storey building, with a traditional front, will house an expanded research and development department, as well as administrative and finance offices.

A top floor exhibition and meeting room, where Forge will show its products, could be used to stage conferences about LED solid state lighting developments.

Mr Barton, who runs the company alongside his wife, and human resources director, Julie, said: “We are delighted that, not only has The Duke of York taken the time to open our new facility, but he has also taken such a personal and well informed interest in the future of product innovation in the UK.

“The construction of our new Lighting Solutions Centre (LSC) will enable us to further our R&D work and continually improve product lighting design to reduce product energy consumption further as well as creating a number of high-tech local jobs in 2012.

“The LSC reinforces our commitment to Cumbria and shows that with the strong combination of tenacity, application and pragmatism the UK can still lead the world in terms of innovative design and manufacture. Everyone involved in the project can be extremely proud of this achievement.”

Forge Europa designs and makes LED lighting assemblies which have the green credentials of maximising energy efficiency, providing greater reliability, and giving a longer product life, therefore much lower running and maintenance costs despite higher initial lighting costs.

Sales manager Ian Dixon added: “2012 is an important year for Forge Europa, with the launch of the Lighting Solutions Centre. The new facilities which are 100 per cent LED-illuminated will showcase our innovation and LED technology.

“The LSC will expand our research and development and testing capabilities, enabling us to continually push the boundaries of excellence in LED lighting, benefiting our customers and the industry and accelerating the adoption of environmentally-friendly LED lighting.”

The Duke of York, who champions business and industry in the UK, and has a keen interest in technology, was given a tour of the new building and was presented with a luminous jacket with “HRH” on the back and a gift basket featuring an LED lamp.

He joked: “I’ll put one of these on the Queen’s desk for you.”

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk