Bright future for switched-on lighting company

How many electrical engineers does it take to design a lightbulb?

In KTL's case the answer is two, with an architect thrown in as well.

The switched-on lighting company designs and manufactures a range of lighting products, and is branching out into touchscreen technology.

It began life as Lifelights, a part-time project for engineers Fred Keenan and Carl ten Broeke and architect Dave Launder.

The aim was to design lighting that was functional and energy-efficient, and looked good as well.

The company has recently changed its name to KTL, because they started to get more work designing terminals and display screen systems.

The early years of KTL were a struggle, Mr Keenan said, with the company a weekend venture for the three partners.

"It wasn't an overnight success. It's just a gradual buildup progression from blokes mucking around in the shed."

But after winning some contracts, it got to the point where the partners could move from a part-time to fulltime proposition.

KTL has specialised in custom-designed lighting solutions for clients. For example, special hospital lighting that casts a soft glow on the floor so patients can sleep, but not so bright they are kept awake.

They have recently scored a big contract with the TAB to build its touch-screen and behind-the-counter betting terminals.

"There's no one in New Zealand that's doing that at the moment. It's the equivalent of a Lotto machine but a lot more sophisticated," Mr Launder said.

One of KTL's most successful products has been an "exit" sign, which has won awards for design, luminance and energy efficiency. Using a cold cathode system, KTL's exit sign uses only 6 watts of power to produce a brighter light.

It may not sound exciting, but as Mr Launder points out, the brightness of an exit sign could mean the difference between life and death in a smoke-filled room.

Energy efficiency has long been of interest to Mr Launder, who has worked in poor countries and seen the reliance on kerosene for lighting. He is hoping to build an export business supplying low-energy lighting for poorer countries, which only require "an old car battery, a small solar panel and two lights".

With the TAB contract, KTL now has a staff of six, and is hoping to take two more employees on before the end of the year.

The company is just putting the finishing touches to its new factory, at the new Northpoint industrial park near Plimmerton, north of Wellington.

Mr Keenan said the three partners worked well together. "We each have our primary roles, but there is some crossover into each other's boundaries. It's very much (management) by agreements.'

- nzpa