For over 25 years Eurolux has been pivotal in bringing the latest innovations in the lighting industry to South African businesses and consumers. What started out as a modest Cape Town operation has flourished into an impressive company with a nationwide footprint, including links into Africa and the Middle East.
Acting as importer and distributor, Eurolux has its finger on the pulse of global industry trends and movements. By maintaining strong relationships with our business partners, we have been able to both understand and meet the needs and preferences of our clients, thus ensuring a product offering of world-class quality and variety.
The company prides itself on a unique ability to source products that are best suited to meet the needs of the South African and larger African market. The Eurolux team effectively draws on diverse experience from the last two decades to ensure we remain at the forefront of the lighting and electrical industry in the country.
In an effort to gain a larger footprint in the electrical market, Eurolux sold 60% of the company to JSE-listed ARB Holdings in 2011. Eurolux’s well-branded range of high quality light bulbs and lighting products augments ARB's extensive range of electrical products and is sold to a complementary, rather than overlapping customer base.
At Eurolux, our focus has been – and always will be – on adding value. We constantly challenge ourselves to really engage our customers and offer them not only excellent products, but also the technical know-how and the information they need to make the best lighting decisions.
All distributors, and the general public, are given the chance to view our products at our unique lifestyle showrooms in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where a number of international brands such as Eglo, SG, Fumagalli, ELT, ALT and Hadar Lighting are represented.
Both showrooms are designed to simulate the environments in which light fittings are typically placed, thus facilitating decision making. Lighting in its correct application can enhance both the aesthetics and atmosphere of a space, be it a cosy bedroom or a large warehouse.
Our comprehensive distribution channel across Southern Africa ensures consistent supply to specialised lighting shops, electrical wholesalers, retail and DIY stores. Forming strategic partnerships with distributors across Africa has also allowed us to extend our distribution footprint into Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
Eurolux has predominantly imported from the Far East, with many of the European agencies represented in South Africa having manufacturing facilities in China.
To the extent required, all products imported by Eurolux either bear the South African Bureau of Standards mark or comply with the requirements set out by the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications.
Eurolux’s commitment to quality products and world-class service is reflected in our dedication to empowering and uplifting our staff. Various formal and informal programmes within the organisation are aimed at upskilling staff to assist people in their professional development and, by extension, invest in the human resources capacity of the company.
In a similar way, Eurolux is passionate about helping improve the plight of various disadvantaged communities. With initiatives that range from the lighting of schools and community healthcare facilities, to the weekly buttering of bread to feed children in crèches near our Cape Town office, we approach community service with vigour and a keen sense of responsibility.
Eurolux prioritises excellent client service and believes in nurturing sound business relationships with our clients and suppliers, as this ultimately becomes the true measure of success.
Eurolux has renewed its commitment to technical excellence with the acquisition of a GO-2000 Goniophotometer and Integrated Sphere. These instruments will allow Eurolux to provide lighting designers with enough information to plan perfect lighting solutions utilising Eurolux products.
The GO-2000 Goniophotometer (also known as a Horisontal Goniophotometer) is a supermatic test system for luminous intensity distribution and total luminous flux measurement of various types of luminaries and light bulbs, including indoor lights, street lights and floodlights.
"It handles fluorescent, HID, LED and incandescent sources, producing the photo metrics for any measured light fitting," explains Shaun Bouchier, director at Eurolux. "We can use this information for research, development, product performance documentation and/or quality assurance. For us the biggest benefit is the detailed information we can now offer our customers, allowing them to design effective lighting solutions."
There are two main components to the Goniophotometer: (1) the rotating table that the fixture or light bulb is placed on, including the arms which the light fitting is mounted to, (2) a light sensor that measures light output.
The light source (whether in a fixture or not) is placed in the middle of the Goniophotometer, atop the rotating table, which can be adjusted to make sure the light fitting is centred. When the light bulb or light fitting is positioned this way, the light reflects directly onto a light sensor at the opposite end of the room.
The arm with the light fitting rotates from 0-360 degrees vertically, and 0-180 degrees horizontally, measuring every 10 degrees vertically or depending on the settings before testing. This measurement also depends on the symmetry of the light source and how detailed the measurements need to be.
"This process is repeated until we obtain a map of the entire light bulb or light fitting," says Bouchier. A complete test takes anywhere from ten minutes to two hours, depending on the detail needed - greater detail takes more time. The Integrated Sphere allows Eurolux to measure each light bulb, LED, fluorescent, CFL and HID to determine its exact Kelvin ratings colour temperature, chromaticity coordinates, Rendering Index, Flux Lumens, Lumen efficiency, Lumen power and power factor. "The main difference between the Integrating Sphere and the Goniophotometer is that the sphere only measures the total light output of a light bulb and not the direction," adds Bouchier.
The light bulb being tested is placed in the centre of the Integrating Sphere. At one side of the sphere is a light sensor which measures the light output of the light bulb. Between the light bulb and the light meter there is a baffle to prevent the sensor from seeing any direct light from the light bulb.
The inside of the sphere (including the baffle) is coated with a very white paint that reflects all wavelengths equally. "This allows us to get very accurate measurements. The light from the light bulb bounces around the sphere until it reaches the light meter," explains Bouchier.
It is important that nothing else is in the sphere besides the light bulb and the baffle. Anything else placed in the sphere, like a fixture, would absorb some of the light. So if anything besides the light bulb and baffle is placed in the sphere, not all of the light reaches the light sensor and these results in erroneous sensor readings. Says Bouchier: "This means that we can only obtain "bare light bulb" readings in the sphere.
"Eurolux always aims to improve the customer experience, and we believe this is yet another way of ensuring our client get all the information they need to make informed choices."
Halogen, HID, LED and fluorescent light bulbs and tubes
A broad range of light fittings, comprising ceiling and wall lights, chandeliers, pendants, spotlights and down lights, table and floor light bulbs
Ancillary electrical products, including fans and electrical components
Euro Nouveau is a separate division within Eurolux, whereby European manufactured lighting fixtures are marketed on an exclusive basis in Southern Africa.
Each manufacturer chosen to partner with Euro Nouveau has its own individual signature, style and design. From the iconic Fontana Arte to the ultra-modern and funky Slight bulb, the traditional Bohemian Crystal Chandeliers of Iris Cristal, to the exquisitely unique designs of Manooi and Inarchi, this blend of style, innovation and sophistication is certainly one of a kind.
From classic pieces, dating back to the 1930s and 40s, to the most modern architectural designs, Euro Nouveau has it all. We are also thrilled to have partnered with local design icon Carrol Boyes, who has designed an exclusive range of lighting for Euro Nouveau.