CU Phosco Lighting provides an in-house, end-to-end, service encompassing design, manufacturing, installation and maintenance of high masts, columns, and lighting for the global market. Through design excellence, quality products, project management and a customer-centric approach, our bespoke sustainable infrastructure solutions create safer, brighter, and connected environments.
Interview with Lee Sanderson, Export Manager EMEA at CU Phosco Lighting.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Lee Sanderson: Established in 1923, our century long legacy of technical expertise and operational integrity has earned the trust and business of customers worldwide across sectors including road, telecoms, airports, ports, and sports.
Our lighting products are rigorously tested to be used in all environments and are built with circularity in mind, all being 100% recyclable. In addition, our lighting columns and masts range from 3 metres to 60 metres in height and can be seen on roads, motorways, at airports and ports, shopping centres, residential areas, and sports stadiums throughout the world.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
L.S: CU Phosco Lighting offers a complete end-to-end solution for our customers, from initial consultation to delivery and installation. Our services include lighting design to meet the client’s required light levels, the design of columns and high masts according to site specific wind speeds, the manufacture of luminaires and floodlights, lighting columns and masts, as well as delivery, installation, and on-going maintenance.
In Europe, key sectors include airport and port lighting projects, typically using our high mast lighting systems. Of particular interest are our innovative and sustainable floodlights and our unique Raise and Lower high masts enable all floodlight installation and maintenance to be completed at ground level, negating any need for work at elevated height. Another key sector is highway lighting where we have lit some of the biggest highway networks and toll plazas in Europe.
E.E: What’s the news about new products/services?
L.S: We are constantly developing enhanced and sustainable floodlights and lighting columns and masts, to support the objectives of our customers. In the last 10 years, with the advent of LED technology, we have created, developed, and installed LED lighting across the globe. In 2023, we celebrated 100 years of design, manufacture, and maintenance of our lighting products.
More recently, we launched Connected Urban, a smart pole designed to increased 5G densification on a small footprint. Housing macro and small cells, Connected Urban is designed to accommodate multi-faceted services, including antennas, CCTV, public address systems, and even smart lighting, Connected Urban, is a range of sleek, modular, and scalable smart poles which go beyond just meeting the connectivity needs of modern cities.
E.E: What are the ranges of products/services?
L.S: CU Phosco Lighting has a full range of products available including our Heritage range, for more traditional environments, to our E9xx range of DarkSky approved road and highways lighting.
In Europe, our more popular ranges, used in airports and ports, include the FL800D and FL820. These LED floodlights are designed for use at height, tested in changeable environments, and are designed for optimal lumen output. The floodlights are used with high masts – whether that is a fixed head or our unique Raise and Lower mast, our unique alternative to a hinge mast which offers a complete and easy-to-maintain solution to airport and port operators.
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
L.S: Due to the evolution of LED Lighting, there is a significant move to upgrade existing high intensity discharge (HID) lighting to the more efficient and cost-effective LED seen in both civil and military airports. This development is due to the significant reductions in energy consumption and affordable total cost of ownership and helps clients on their journey to net zero.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
L.S: The key trend in the market is the upgrade to LED. It’s ease of use, maintenance, continuous and rapid technological advancement, and massive energy savings means clients can improve the quality their lighting and at the same time reduce energy consumption and save money.
E.E: What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
L.S: The most innovative products available provide the latest in technology to enable airports, ports, highways, roads, and landowners with the ability to specify solutions with the best product and most economical design. LED has changed the face of lighting and, with constant product development, gives the highest results with the most effective and efficient products. Its continuous development will see LED increase and be adopted far more across the region.
Advances in LED control means that customers can tailor the light output of the luminaires to achieve even more energy and cost savings without compromising on quality of light or safety.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2024?
L.S: Sustainability, reduction of energy consumption and improved safety are key goals for all sectors. With this in mind, LED lighting is the way to go with the demand anticipated to increase throughout the year.
As ports and airports balance increased demand with their journeys to net zero, LED lighting will play a key role.