Cover Story

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR OVIA

A year since its official launch as an independent lighting company, Mike Collins, sales director with Ovia, looks at how the brand is going from strength to strength, with an expanded sales team, second catalogue issue and a raft of new products.

2020 turned out to be an extremely challenging year for everyone, but as a business Ovia has been very fortunate to have been able to ride out the storm so far. The company made the decision to get all sales managers back early from furlough and out on the road and interacting with customers remotely – and that has really paid off. Ovia has exceeded its expectations for the first year as an independent business. Even with the challenges faced in the current climate, the company also released the second issue of its catalogue with a whole range of new products.

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 a raft 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 Ovia’s lighting products and also offers reassurance when it comes to validating photometric measurements, such as Lumens per Watt and related performance claims.

New products, new catalogue

Phase two of Ovia’s product development programme aims to build on the success of the first phase. When the company started out a year ago, it had the domestic market pretty much covered with the products it offered. Ovia’s expansion into other sectors was always the aim and the company has had some great success, particularly with its commercial and floodlighting products.

At 328 pages, the new Ovia Lighting Catalogue issue two 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 raft of new products, as well as 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. They come in four pre-cut lengths – 0.5m, 1m, 2m and 5m – and are quick and easy to install. With a variety of strips, connectors, and drivers available in the range, installers have the flexibility for complete customisation, whether working within domestic, retail, or outdoor settings. • Inceptor B-Lite - a range of 4ft, 5ft and 6ft linear batten multi-current LED fittings, available in standard; microwave sensor; emergency, and combined microwave and emergency sensor versions. They are 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 is 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 are available in three colour temperatures and are 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 free 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 that is compliant with all the relevant regulations and standards.

"It has been an extremely challenging and rewarding 12 months"

The future is bright

Commenting on Ovia’s first year, sales director, Mike Collins, says: “It has 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.

“Regular 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 have continued to engage with them via social media, trade magazines and our own SGTV YouTube channel. It is 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.”

Ovia, oviauk.com