One of the world’s most venerable lighting brands turns 120 years old this month. Holophane, a pioneer of prismatic optics, is in an elite club of manufacturers with a pedigree stretching back over a century. To help celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of 12 things you may not know about the brand – one for every decade the company has been in existence.
1890s
On 19 February 1896, Holophane is born. Queen Victoria is still on the throne, and gas lighting dominates the streets and homes. The incandescent lamp has just been developed and is the big new technology.
1900s
Holophane were the first company to give practical expression to the principles of the prism as the ultimate means of controlling light. To this day the principle is still used in conjunction with the latest LED technology.
1910s
Holophane were involved in the war effort of the First World War, during which time Holophane’s state of the art research facilities were used by the War Office.
1920s
Holophane’s expertise in lighting lead to the company being entrusted with the lighting of St. Paul’s Cathedral in 1923.
1930s
In the 1930s Holophane was commissioned to design and install the lighting of the enormous Battersea Power Station.
1940s
Holophane is commissioned to support the war effort of the Second World War, to design and manufacture specific luminaires such as the ‘ARP’ (Air Raid Precaution) and fluorescent wall fittings for the illumination of wall maps in anti-air raid operations rooms, among many others.
Holophane’s premises were damaged by bombs more than once during these times, but operations still continued.
1950s
Holophane proudly provided the lighting for the coronations of King George VI in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 coronations at Westminster Abbey. Holophane’s Dr. English, Holophane’s research and development director at the time, was awarded the Queen’s Coronation Medal in recognition of his work on the scheme.
1960s
In 1967, Holophane outgrew its previous premises and moved to a purpose-built factory and office on Bond Avenue in Milton Keynes, which has since been expanded and is now the European headquarters.
Holophane US was also commissioned to relight the exterior floodlighting of the Empire State building and their Metal Optics company supplied all of the internal office lighting.
1970s
In 1973, in recognition of Holophane’s excellence in exporting overseas, the company was renamed Holophane Europe.
1980s
During the 1980s, Holophane secured the largest-ever single lighting order in the UK of 65,000 fittings, covering 186 miles of tunnels in the London Underground. Holophane has provided some 80 years of service to the London Underground.
1990s
In 1999, Holophane became a part of the Acuity Brands Group which is the largest luminaire manufacturer in the world, with net sales of over $2.6 billion. The group employs 7,000 associates.
2000 – present day
Holophane Europe’s laboratory, located at the Milton Keynes premises and working to ISO 17025 quality systems and ISO 9001 certification, is home of the largest multi-cell goniophotometer in the UK.
It boasts an impressive 8 m arc, and possibly the largest photometer of this type in Europe.
The addition of a 4-metre diameter integrating sphere means Holophane’s photometric test equipment supplemented by EMC, UMSUG, thermal and safety compliance testing delivers one of the leading test facilities by any luminaire manufacturer.
Holophane’s expertise in developing state-of-the-art luminaires still stands strong to this day.
Since 2014, Holophane has developed three international award winning products in Haloprism, V-Max and HMAO.
- Learn more about Holophane at www.holophane.co.uk
