iGuzzini, manufacturer of uniquely designed lamps, has a long association with the UAE spanning more than three decades
Published: Tue 29 Dec 2015, 1:50 PM
Last updated: Tue 29 Dec 2015, 3:54 PM
iGuzzini is a renowned name in the lighting space, exporting the best of Italian products to the world. In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, Paolo Guzzini, Vice-President and Director of iGuzzini, talks about the company's presence in the UAE, its participation in the International Year of Light, contributions to the Expo Milano 2015 and much more. Excerpts:
Give us a brief about the background of iGuzzini.
iGuzzini, founded in 1959, manufactures uniquely styled lamps. It is part of the private holding firm Fimag, which is 100 per cent owned by the Guzzini family.
In 1976 the company decided to concentrate its production on architectural lighting fittings, a vertical that it still operates, positioning itself as one of the top European leaders within the international specification world.
iGuzzini exports 80 per cent of its production all over the world. Its international network comprises 26 subsidiary companies and local distributors spread across Europe, Asia and US.
In 2012, iGuzzini's industrial activity celebrated its first 100 years with its sister company Fratelli Guzzini (a leader in the field of household items). The industrial structure includes three manufacturing units located in Europe and Asia.
How about your operations in the Middle East?
iGuzzini's presence in the Middle East dates back to over 30 years, when it was initially operating in the territory through local partnerships. As part of the company's internationalisation process, iGuzzini Middle East was established at the Dubai Airport Free Zone in 2008.
The company oversees all the markets within the Gulf region with a specific focus on providing customer services to specific players on the management of relationship and the services provider to the specifications world, often in collaboration with distributors operating in different countries of the region. iGuzzini Middle East offers, often in collaboration with distributors operating in the different countries of the region, a wide range of customer services including technical product information, design support, consultation on lighting techniques, both in the design phase and as an after-sales service, and marketing services.
In line with its internalisation strategy, starting from January 1, 2016, the operating area of iGuzzini Middle East will be extended to the African continent, which is considered to have a massive potential in development and growth.
What are some of the most important places that you have illuminated last year?
The list is very long, but I think we should mention Rolex Tower, Women's Museum, Queen Alia International Airport, BoxPark Dubai, Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi, Majilis Oman, The Beach in Dubai and Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.
Describe iGuzzini's presence and involvement at Expo 2015.
The relationship between iGuzzini and the international event Universal Exposition goes back to quite a long time ago as it coincides with the Brisbane event at the end of '80s.
In the successive editions, such as the ones hosted in Seville, Lisbon, Hanover, Aichi, and Shanghai, iGuzzini's presence has been always been quite significant, bringing light to several sites as well as to the Italian pavilion.
The event in Milan in 2015 sees iGuzzini as a referee (representative) partner. Thanks to its international network, iGuzzini has illuminated over 50 sites, in addition to the Decuman and Card (the two main intersecting areas), starting from the Pavilion Zero through to several ones, comprising the Italian and the Emirati ones. iGuzzini's involvement in the Expo goes beyond the exposition area and is extended to various prestigious projects, which are linked to the initiative and are located in different areas of Milan. Among them it is worth mentioning about the lighting system which has been specifically developed to give the Leonardo masterpiece L'ultima Cena's colours and beauty a new life.
Describe your experience at Expo Milan and how it can be taken as an inspiration for Expo 2020?
It is key to capitalise all the significant experiences, but it is difficult to reiterate them by adopting the same model. As far as I can see, the plans for Expo 2020 Dubai are going beyond the construction of the area, which will be dedicated to the Exposition. As a matter of fact, this great event is being taken by the Government and specifically by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as an opportunity to carry out the modification of the city's urban look. The new international airport, the Dubai Water Canal, the road and commercial transport network implementation, the extension of the metropolitan area as well as the over 100 hospitality developments, which have been planned, will definitively establish Dubai as the most strategic hub worldwide. With this in mind, it is fundamental that companies which have been operating in the country for as long as iGuzzini concentrate and get prepared to maximise the effects, motivated by the importance of being able to offer their contribution in such outstanding projects.
What are some of the awards and accolades that iGuzzini has won over the years?
iGuzzini has received numerous awards since its inception. All I can say is that many fittings have obtained the most important and prestigious international awards for design, such as The Compasso d'Oro, IF, Red Hot. In addition to this, iGuzzini's own buildings have been recognised and awarded as examples of the best industrial architecture by prestigious institutions such as the Triennale di Milano (for its headquarters in Recanati that has been designed by Mario Cucinella) while the company's Spanish headquarters in Barcelona has been declared Building of Year in 2012 by the prestigious magazine Archdaily. The Italian Government has listed the iGuzzini historical archive of national interest, thanks to the cultural contribution of the Italian society development that iGuzzini has been carried out through its activities and has included it into the Italian Cultural Heritage Office Archive. The company's ethical and social commitment has also been recognised by the prestigious Fondazione Adriano Olivetti in 2011.
Tell us about iGuzzini's involvement in the International Year of Lighting.
In the year dedicated to light, iGuzzini has committed itself to a very important project which is called Light is Back. This project, which kicked off in 2015 but will also continue over the next year, aims at giving back life, value and meaning through light to sites and artistic works with huge international impact. The most significant one so far has been the sponsoring the new lighting for the Ultima Cena, the world-famous masterpiece by Leonardo Da Vinci, which is displayed in Milan. This is a homage not only to Milan, in a year that is marked by its crucial role as Expo host-city, but to the entire globe, considering that among the 500,000 annual visitors to the painting the majority are coming from abroad. Until the realisation of the new lighting, 500,000 was also the maximum number of allowed visitors in order to guarantee the masterpiece's safety, despite the fact that further bookings were being submitted. Thanks to the technological innovative LED, which has been utilised by the new lighting system, this number can be now extended to 50,000 additional visitors every year.
Which fittings do you consider the most innovative and representative of your company?
There are several fittings trough that can be recognised as ours easily. We will be presenting more of them at the upcoming Light + Building fair, which will be held in April 2016 in Frankfurt.
All this is possible thanks to the constant research activities where a significant amount of the company's budget is being allocated in order to develop and implement the products' range and innovation. It is also important to mention the massive amount of work we committed to research and manufacturing special products, which are realised in collaboration with architects and lighting designers to meet the needs and expectations of specific projects and markets. After its completion, these products are not always being added to our catalogue but they often offer inspiration to adopt new technical features to the application, which are more commonly utilised.
Is there anything else that you would like to add or mention?
Italy and UAE are going through a period marked by an excellent collaboration on various fields, such as the political, diplomatic, economic and even sports. To this regard, it is interesting to mention that for years Endurance competitions are being held in Italy. They have always been registering significant Emirati presence, including the royal family. For four years, iGuzzini is a main supporter, along with Meydan and others important companies, and is one of the main sponsors of the initiative. This event is also an important occasion to build relationships that might be the foundation for future strategic and commercial collaboration and partnerships. At the same time, sport can link different populations' interests through a healthy competition that should be the real spirit to be assumed worldwide regardless of the differences and the specific individualities.
iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
