Macer Bridges, Vink Lighting’s general manager says its strategy is striving to deliver the best products, with the best service levels, and the best technical back-up
What is your role at Vink Lighting and how has it changed over time?
I joined Vink in 2014 as UK sales manager. For many years prior to this I
had worked in a similar role with another organisation, specialising in
sales and distribution of LED lighting for signage applications. In
March of this year, the opportunity to take overall control of the
company presented itself, and I became the general manager of Vink
Lighting, looking after all aspects of running a busy, successful
organisation.
Vink Lighting Solutions is a division of Amari Plastics PLC, and whilst
the company ethos encourages an independent spirit within its separate
divisions, I have been able to call on the support, help, and advice of
the industry’s top professionals within our group to assist me in my new
role.
What is Vink’s long-term strategy for growth?
Vink Lighting’s reputation has been built over a twelve year period on a
strategy of always endeavouring to supply the best products, with the
best service levels, and the best technical back-up.
We are a completely independent distributor and not tied to one
particular manufacturer. This has enabled us to continually search for
and supply the latest innovations in products for our market sector.
This policy has meant that we have had to let some manufacturers go as
their products have not evolved in line with market demand, whereas our
relationship with companies such as Agilight and Osram on the LED side,
and Fabbrica Apparecchi Radioelettrici Treviso on the neon side has
endured throughout.
In the last two years, we have added the Agilight range of LED modules
to our product offering. This range has a number of very interesting
unique features and is quickly becoming a market favourite.
Agilight has just acquired the Austrian LED manufacturer Tridonic. The
combined experience within the two companies will inevitably lead to
some very exciting research and development innovations.
As a company, we are always looking for the next new development to add
to our portfolio, and our new partnership with Lumaire, manufacturers of
LED light sheets and LED illuminated trough lights is beginning to open
up new opportunities for us.
Vink Lighting has taken steps to expand by hiring new
members of staff, especially in sales, adding new products, and setting
up Vink Digital Signage
As part of our long-term growth strategy, we have set up a separate
division, Vink Digital Signage, supplying Philips Screens, Peerless
brackets, and Lime Green/Digital Appetite software, with a complete
technical support package enabling sign-makers to explore this rapidly
expanding area of visual communication comfortable in the knowledge that
they have a partner who can guide them along the way.
Have you noticed any trends for particular types of lighting recently?
The sign industry is a curious mix of tradition and innovation. Five
years ago, neon (or cold cathode) was considered to be ‘dead in the
water’, but of late this sector has seen a resurgence. The neon retro
look is once again becoming popular, and it is not uncommon to see, for
example, a new restaurant/diner open up with lots of exposed neon
features, LED back-lit letters, and digital screen menu boards. Vink is
the only company in the UK who can supply a full range of modular LED
systems, high voltage neon transformers, glass, gas, and electrodes, and
from the same warehouse a full range of high quality digital screens
and software. This ‘one stop shop’ approach has proved to be very
popular with our clients who know that they can rely on us for pretty
much all of their sign lighting needs.
Five years ago, neon (or cold cathode) was considered to be ‘dead in the water’, but of late this sector has seen a resurgence”
The sign industry has also experienced much larger demand for solid
acrylic block illuminated letters. These types of letters have in the
past, proved to be very difficult to illuminate successfully with even
illumination that will endure for any length of time, especially if
these letters are fitted outdoors. Vink Lighting are currently testing
and will be shortly launching an exciting new Micro Mini LED Module from
Agilight for this very application. The unique optical lens technology
will allow the module to illuminate Acrylic Block Letters brightly and
evenly at very shallow depths. Installation will be much more
straightforward and more flexible in its design capabilities than the
original tape LEDs, and the modular characteristics will provide a more
robust and better weather protected solution. As with all the Agilight
LED range, colour consistency in its white LEDs will be second to none.
Coupled with this exciting new LED, we also have the Block Acrylic Sheet
available within our group from any of the Amari Plastic Profit Centres
up and down the country.
Sustainability
is a key debate in the sign industry. How does Vink Lighting cater to
those who are looking for environmentally-friendly solutions?
Sustainability is a big part of Vink Lighting in everything we do. We
are a business that has been awarded a ‘Greener Path Award’ certificate
for achieving ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ in 2015.
Supplying very efficient LED lighting to illuminate signage is our way
of helping our customers and their customers achieve
environmentally-friendly illuminated signage, but our LED supplier
technologies help us further reduce the quantity of LEDs required to
illuminate signs, further reducing the power consumption even more.
Supplying very efficient LED lighting to illuminate signage is our
way of helping our customers and their customers achieve
environmentally-friendly illuminated signage”
We are also developing a relationship with the UK’s leading supplier of
solar panels and controls to further enhance the sustainability of end
user signage solutions.
What makes you stand out in the competitive sign illumination market?
Vink Lighting is the UK’s leading distributor of LED and neon sign
lighting systems and accessories. We are committed to ensuring we
continue to deliver the very best solutions, knowledge, and support to
our customers.
We constantly aim to deliver unrivalled performance and cost-effective
solutions. Our strong relationships with the industry’s leading
manufacturers allow us to have an influence on how they approach product
design and innovation.
Vink Lighting has independently distributed sign illumination products for more than twelve years
In addition to the above, the diversity of product range that Vink can
offer including Lumaire Light Sheet, Lumaire Trough Light, Vink LEDFlex,
and the digital signage range, means that our customers will be hard
pressed to find anyone else who can offer so much under one roof.
Key Stats
- Bridges joined in 2014 as UK sales manager
- ‘Greener Path Award’ for achieving ‘Zero Waste to Landfill’ in 2015
- Bridges became general manager in 2016
- Added Agilight LED modules 2 years ago
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