Signify

The Journey

Before the extraordinary potential of light was unlocked by breakthroughs in LEDs, Signify was known as Philips Lighting.

1891

It all started in 1891 when Philips & Co was founded in Eindhoven,
the Netherlands, by Frederik Philips and his son, Gerard.

In recognition of the rapid growth and potential of light, Signify was created in 2018 to aggregate together the Philips Lighting Division as well as many other key brands such as Luce Plan, Colour Kinetics etc. In doing so the new company, Signify, was able for the first time to truly focus on the expanding possibility of lighting solutions across brands, applications, and technology. Two years ago Signify acquired Pierlite, another best in class lighting manufacturer and solution provider and is now locally co-locating in order to bring customised solutions at scale across all aspects of the products and solutions that Signify bring to market.

It all started in 1891 when Philips & Co was founded in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, by Frederik Philips and his son, Gerard. Recognizing the opportunity presented by the mass-market introduction of electricity and inspired by Gerard’s keen interest in science and engineering, the pair soon conceived a bold but timely plan: cost-effective, reliable electric incandescent light bulbs.

Social responsibility

The 1900s were a time of dramatic social and economic change. During this time, Philips became the largest private employer in the Netherlands, with over 2,000 employees. As mass industrialization gathered pace, Gerard and his brother Anton invested in providing housing, healthcare, and sports, instilling a culture of social responsibility that continues to this day. Signify proudly continues to further the social responsibly and sustainability aims started by Philips by achieving the following milestones

  • Achieved carbon neutral status in 2020
  • Signify has led the Dow Jones sustainability index for four years in a row
  • Transitioning to zero plastic in packaging.

Innovation

Philips has always been at the forefront of recognizing the value of scientific research to product innovation, the first Philips research laboratory – known as ‘Philips Nat Lab’ – opened in 1914. Led by Dr Gilles Holst, it aspired to the highest standards of research, embarking on visionary projects, such as investigating emerging lighting technologies to discover new sources of light, while its breakthroughs in X-ray tubes ultimately marked the origin of Philips’ involvement in health technology and UVC.

Looking back on the last 130 years in lighting is very revealing. For almost 120 years little changed, lighting was little more than conventional glass tubes with superheated elements emitting light. Then, in 2008, it all changed when Philips introduced the first commercially available LED lamps, from here the pace of change only moved quicker with the introduction of connected lighting (Philips HUE) in 2012. Innovations and expansion came thick and fast thereafter

1914 Philips Nat Lab

Philips research laboratory known as ‘Philips Nat Lab’ – opened in 1914.

The journey continues…

As they say, it’s not the destination that matters, it’s the journey and the journey continues.

Signify (2018) has since made further strides in the not too obvious applications of lighting.

On a more local note, Signify has participated in the beautification of many of New Zealand’s most iconic settings; from the vibrancy and colour of the Viaduct in the Auckland’s CBD to the dramatic moving light show on the ports of Auckland car storage facility.

All this change and growth has resulted in the outgrowing of the current warehousing and manufacturing facility and led to a great opportunity to continue on the growth trajectory.

In just a few days, our warehouse and operations team are gearing up to move to a brand-new facility at 61 Roma Road, Mount Roskill, Auckland. Our new location is conveniently situated next to the NZ Post Centre, who will also be our new logistics carrier partner. With an impressive capacity of over 5000 pallets and 31 aisles, our new facility will revolutionise our operations and allow us to better serve our customers.

This immense development includes a 4,070sqm warehouse, a 450sqm office area, an 830sqm canopy, and a 3,855sqm yard, that will allow us to enhance our distribution network and create a more efficient local production environment, ultimately, enabling us to better serve our customers which is one of Signify’s key strategic priorities.

130 years

Thanks for the first 130 years, join us on our journey for the next 130!

 

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