Ofolux

Automotive vision

Ofolux is concluding the process of certification to IATF 16949, which attests to the company’s capacity to satisfy the high standards of quality demanded by the automotive industry, while its increased production has required a significant expansion of the workforce

Words Renato Antonini, photo Enrico Bona

Once again, Ofolux’s participation in European exhibitions, with their international vision and large number of highly motivated professional trade visitors, has been a great success: the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon and the IAA in Hannover are two key events that reflect the main directions in which the company is headed. Nowadays, almost half of Ofolux’s turnover is in

New adjustable spotlight

Ofolux presented its new recessed- mounted spotlight (Art. 2000) with 360 degree adjustable beam at the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon. This recessed-mounted lamp, rated 1.8 W / 200 lumen, is available in black but can be ordered in other colours on request. This level of customisation is available for many Ofolux spotlights, such as Art. 1029, which can be screenprinted to the client’s design, in view of its intended use in the children’s area. the RV segment, while the rest is generated by contracts in the bus and special vehicles segments. Since its entry into the RV business, Ofolux has been able to demonstrate its know-how in vehicle lighting solutions, a result of its long experience in the automotive industry. This know-how is now also attested by its upcoming certification to IATF 16949, a quality certification specific to the automotive industry. “This year we have been profoundly involved, at every level, in the IATF 16949 certification process,” says Cristina Oblatore, co-owner with her brother Luca of Ofolux, “and after the initial audits by TÜVRheinland we obtained a provisional attestation, which will be followed by final certification in January 2023. This is a challenging process which involves every single company department, and includes staff training courses. The certification also requires more stringent controls throughout production, both preventive and end-of-line, which cover the entire supply chain. However, we welcome the process of automotive certification, since it confirms the way we have been working for many years. And we believe that the RV industry recognises the value of this commitment, because the transfer of know-how from the automotive segment to the caravanning segment will inevitably have a positive effect.” Overall, this is a period of considerable success for Ofolux: contracts in the bus segment, which the pandemic had brought to a standstill, have resumed, and

Dome lamps and spotlights

Ofolux offers a wide range of reading lamps with adjustable stems, like Art. 90FM, available in two versions: an entry level model with conventional switch, and a premium model with touch control and 2A USB power socket. The company also offers a wide range of dome lamps. The low profile Art. 58S, just 7 mm thick, is designed for automotive applications, and boasts outstanding mechanical stability, as well as being very easy to install. This model is rated 5 W / 600 lumen.

Below: personal service units for buses available in different colors

Electrified rail

turnover is up, despite the recent slowdown in RV production lines. The company forecasts that 2022 will close with turnover up by 5%. The company continues to be organised around its three manufacturing plants, the main one being its Italian headquarters in Brunello (Varese), while the Tunis plant in Tunisia handles electronic assembly and the Ofomex plant in Mexico City deals with the local bus and special vehicles market. Ofolux’s introduces the new Art. 600 Binario, an electric rail-mounted spotlight with on-board switch. The lamp, with its adjustable beam, installs at any point along the rail. It is rated 0.5 W / 100 lumen. Each rail can mount multiple lamps.

Expansion of the workforce

“Our on-going success in the marketplace has required us to grow our production,” Cristina Oblatore continues, “and we have expanded our workforce accordingly. We have increased our staff in a variety of areas, from production itself to customer service, from our technical office to procurement, and we have also invested in machinery and technologies, expanding our ESD department for LED module assembly to further guarantee the reliability of our products.” Ofolux is well known in the RV segment for its lighting solutions, and is a vendor for a number of major European and other foreign companies. During 2021, the company also started producing plastic extrusions, leveraging its experience in making rear shelves and complete interiors for the bus segment. In the RV segment, plastic extrusions are used as accessories for lighting systems and interior finishings, as well as for a variety of furnishing components.

The spotlights can be moved as desired on the electrified rail The Ofolux team in front of the Italian headquarters in Brunello, Varese - Northern Italy