GRAND HAVEN -- Light Corp. is betting its new Intu system will put the company light years ahead of the competition -- and eventually eclipse its $36 million annual light fixture business.
Next month, the Grand Haven company is launching a system that can determine if a building interior needs more or less light and automatically make adjustments.
Sensors, nodes and radio frequency are used to create a technology blanket to control functions ranging from lighting to security.
"Because it is in the ceiling and looking down, it has a great vantage point to see what is going on in the building. It has a natural vantage point for command and control," said Larry Leete, director of sales and marketing.
With the first wireless light-control system on the market, Light contends it has moved ahead of competitors including General Electric, Phillips and Lutron Electronics Inc.
"We've found a niche and locked it up," said Tom Doman, product development engineer for the firm.
The technology isn't new but the application is. Patents are pending on the nodes and software.
The advantage is more than convenience. The system can cut energy costs an estimated 30 to 60 percent and reduce the expense to retrofit a building because less hardwiring is needed.
"It's a whole new paradigm shift of how you can build a building from the electrical perspective," Leete said. "You never have to touch circuits again."
Nodes -- the size of a brick -- are attached to lighting fixtures in the ceiling. They talk to each other, using a low radio frequency. Sensors -- the size of hockey pucks -- are placed around the plant to detect levels of lighting. The sensors also can be used to measure temperature levels or track the whereabouts of equipment.
Each costs $120.
The system can be monitored and controlled on or off site.
One potential customer is Saddle Creek Corp., a Lakeland, Fla.-based company that operates 15 warehouses nationwide.
"The intriguing part is the flexibility to set schedules of the lights to the schedule of the work force. For example, lights that would shut off in certain areas at the end of shifts or breaks. I could do what we call zoning off the warehousing," said Tom Nepute, industrial engineer/manager with Saddle Creek.
He doesn't know of any product similar to what Light is offering.
"We did eight months of research trying to find a vendor," Nepute said.
The genesis of Intu came as Doman and Leete began thinking about how to make lighting do more. They wanted to figure out how to make lighting an integral part of an interior ecosystem.
In developing the product, the company incorporated some ideas of energy consultant Bryan Zaplitny of MTI Energy Management/Lighting Specialists Inc.
"It has the ability to adjust on the fly. You can adjust anything from your computer. There is nothing like it in the industry. It's completely unique," Zaplitny said.
He is offering Intu as part of his energy-saving solutions to clients.
Future versions of Intu will focus on temperature control, security and monitoring machine health.
The plan is to stay ahead of the competition by working with companies on new applications.
One potential application is data mining by allowing a company to gather information about a plant's operations.
Intu eventually could spin off from Light, located at 4800 172nd Ave.
Light makes products to illuminate commercial offices, industries and warehouses. The manufacturer has several sister firms, including Shape Corp., Track Corp., BR Metal, Pliant Plastics, Bio Solutions and NetShape.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
By Shandra Martinez
The Grand Rapids Press
Send e-mail to the author: smartinez@grpress.com
http://www.mlive.com/business/grpress/index.ssf?/base/business-5/119467892982650.xml&coll=6&thispage=1
