Signify has signed an important agreement with Hassan Allam to strengthen their relationship and enable the latter’s staff to utilize Signify technology in construction business and facility management, said CEO of Signify Eric Rondolat.
“We highly value sustainability, and Hassan Allam is dedicated to achieving it. We have invested a lot in combating climate change and energy efficiency, as well as utilizing renewable energy sources like solar power,” he stated.
Rondolat told Daily News Egypt that his business anticipates working with Hassan Allam, a significant developer, to provide energy-efficient lighting solutions when Hassan Allam needs it. He said, “We already have numerous examples of collaboration with Egyptian organisations in the sector of energy efficiency. Additionally, we have been in touch with government entities to understand more about their needs. This is crucial for us as it shows that we completely support the nation’s interests and are fully aligned with the priorities of the country in which we operate. We have some noteworthy examples of collaboration. In fact, we provided more than 50% of the LED lighting for the COP27 event in Sharm El Sheikh. Additionally, we own 25,000 luminaires in the New Administrative Capital. We have energy-efficient lighting that produces more than 50% lumens.”
He pointed out that as a further step, signify can also, along with government support, develop and save energy and connect those lumen lights to be smart to save energy.
“It is essential to connect with the private sector to develop the economy in the direction we are targeting strategically, which is sustainability,” Rondolat said. “Egypt’s economic system is shifting towards being more private, and we anticipate working with other partners in Egypt in the future to develop sustainability practices as well as telecommunications infrastructure, working hand in hand with the government to develop 5G networks, as there are many potentials moving forward,” he elaborated.
In response to a question regarding developing the lighting efficiency of old cities, he stated that their objective is to make all cities greener, which can be achieved not only through energy efficiency but also connectivity. Signify brings solutions where the company has solar panels, batteries and light sources.
He affirmed that Egypt’s infrastructure is equipped for and ready to adopt this smart lighting technology since the more energy saved, the more it can be used for other purposes locally or exported to other nations that are short of electricity, which will promote the country’s economic growth.
“If you want cities to be green, it’s not just about energy efficiency and solar energy; it’s also about food security,” Rondolat stated. “I will give an example to make it clearer; here in Egypt, we supply lights for very progressive companies that do horticulture. They grow crops in a vertical farming approach, with light, they increase the speed and yield of the crops as well as consume 20 times less water,” he further elaborated.
He pointed out that Signify has a footprint in circularity, and it is the only lighting solutions company that uses the developed 3D printing technique. He gave an example saying, “In Egypt, we collaborated with Americana Group with its entire well-known brands to utilize our 3D printed lumens and our spots in their retail spaces and restaurants, and I believe we covered 80 different sites in Egypt.” Regarding the company’s business expansion plan locally and globally, he disclosed that Signify globally is more than twice the size of its next competitor, and the company is selling about €7.5bn and investing about 4% in R&D, which is around €300m.
“We have a long-term relationship with Egypt. We have been operating in Egypt for 80 years, expanding our businesses there while investing in our employees and local clients. We also collaborate with companies that manufacture our products locally, we call them “co-makers,” bringing technology and know-how to the country so that these products can be produced here through local manufacturing lines. We have consistently invested in Egypt throughout the years, both in prosperous and challenging times. Furthermore, we intend to invest in the country for a very long period,” he concluded.
