As the brand celebrates its first anniversary since launch, the team at Ovia explain why there’s no dimming the bright future that lies ahead for the company.
A year since its official launch, has Ovia delivered on its promise to electricians – to offer a broad range of high-quality, competitively-priced lighting products that offer an abundance of features and speed of installation as standard? The answer is a resounding yes, according to feedback from installers.
When Ovia was launched as an independent lighting organisation a year ago, the companyβs aim was to fill a gap for a broad spectrum of entry level lighting products that are highly competitively priced, packed full of features and benefits, and are quick and easy to install to help contractors save time and money.
A year later, and despite the major challenges faced in the prevailing climate, Ovia has kept on track with its ambitious plans, exceeding expectations for the first year of trading independently. There has been investment in new products and in state-of-the-art testing equipment, the addition of new team members, and the launch of the 2nd issue of the Ovia catalogue. The comprehensive Ovia range now includes products that cover a wide range of applications and include domestic, amenity, commercial, industrial, utility, floodlighting, and emergency lighting.
Investment . . . innovation
Ovia has made some very significant investments in the last 12 months. These include the purchase of cutting edge testing equipment and a revolutionary photometry testing scheme, the appointment of a former BSI testing expert and the addition of new products to its growing lighting and lighting controls ranges.
The company purchased its own Goniophotometer device and signed up to the revolutionary Gonio photometry luminaire testing scheme which has been created by the LIA, together with its partner Acal BFi, to enable lighting manufacturers to offer efficient third-party certified luminaire performance testing.
By bringing the light test facility in-house, the ground-breaking testing scheme is radically speeding up the testing process for Oviaβs lighting products and also offers reassurance when it comes to validating photometric measurements such as Lumens per Watt and related performance claims.
New products and a bumper catalogue
Phase 2 of Oviaβs product development programme aims to build on the success of the first phase. When we started out a year ago, we had the domestic market pretty much covered with the products we offered. Our expansion into other sectors was always the aim and we’ve had some great success, particularly with our commercial and floodlighting products.
At 328 pages, the new Ovia Lighting Catalogue issue 2 is twice the size of the previous version and brings to installers a comprehensive product guide covering the entire range on offer. It includes a new and improved products that have been brought to market on the back of continual engagement with contractors to ensure that the products and solutions they seek are developed and available through the wholesaler.
Some of the products that have got installers talking include:
Inceptor Intense LED Strips: a range of IP20 and IP65 rated, 24V LED strips, available in cool white, warm white and RGBW.
Inceptor B-Lite: a range of 4, 5 and 6ft linear batten multi-current LED fittings, available in standard, microwave sensor, emergency, and combined microwave and emergency sensor versions. They’re a direct replacement for conventional battens and boast many features. The multi-current driver, with the option for four different wattages, allows the installer to increase or decrease the lumens, depending on the requirements for each individual application. The fitting is combined in single output and twin outputs, so there’s no need for two separate units.
Inceptor Slate Backlit: a range of TP (b), TP(a) and TP (a) UGR19 rated backlit panel fittings, with an option that utilises UGR diffuser with a TP(a) thermoplastic rating, making them suitable for all working environments. They’re available in three colour temperatures and supplied with a pre-wired, push-fit Pole Flow connector for quick and easy installation.
Free Lighting Design service
As part of a commitment to deliver a first class service, a dedicated Ovia lighting design service is available, giving contractors access to free lighting design schemes for their commercial projects.
The aim of the service is to provide expertise in choosing the right products and solutions to create a scheme that meets all the requirements and objectives of the project in question, and is compliant with all the relevant regulations and standards.
The future is bright
Commenting on Oviaβs first year, Sales Director, Mike Collins, said: βIt’s been an extremely challenging but rewarding 12 months as we continue to grow the Ovia lighting range and raise the profile of the brand among an even wider contractor, specifier and wholesaler audience.
βRegular engagement with contractors is how, as a group, we gain constructive insight into how contractors like to work, the issues they face and what they need to help them do their work in the most time-efficient and cost-effective way. Whilst we may not have been able to meet contractors at many of the usual exhibitions and trade shows in the last 12 months, we’ve continued to engage with them via social media, trade magazines and our own SGTV YouTube channel.
βIt’s the valuable feedback we get from them working on the job – often in challenging environments – that helps to drive the new product development programme. We look forward to continuing this interaction with them throughout 2021.β
View the 2nd issue Ovia Lighting catalogue by clicking here
