2021 marks Helvar’s 100th anniversary. The anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the company’s past as a family-owned company.

“During our 100-year journey, we have supported and continue to support thousands of customers around the world in contributing to the wellbeing of people. We have also invented pioneering lighting control solutions and luminaire components that have endured and evolved for decades,” says Adel Hattab, CEO of Helvar.

“Helvar is a company capable of renewing, innovating and transforming – this is the DNA written into the Helvar success story and the people behind it. What makes us unique is our passion for people. Not only our own employees, but our continuous ambition to increase the wellbeing of people through our solutions,” says Hattab.

Helvar’s ‘Discovering Brighter Spaces’ event – held virtually on 3rd March – celebrated its first 100 years and looks into the future and the mission of Brighter Spaces. “Our Brighter Spaces mission reflects spaces that are exceptionally well lit and support people’s wellbeing, creativity and productivity,” says Hattab. “These spaces are also very intelligent. Data captured by lighting sensors is refined into insights that benefit different building systems and help them to interact smoothly. Together with AI and automation, these data insights make spaces both people-centric and environmentally sustainable.”

In recent years, Helvar has taken firm steps to introduce futureproof technologies to support its mission. These developments have been welcomed and acknowledged in the industry through several prestigious awards, including Frost & Sullivan’s 2020 Europe Company of the Year Award, the Controls Product of the Year at the 2020 Lux Awards, and an award and commendation at the 2020 DALI lighting awards.

Helvar will hold a number of future-focused events throughout 2021, both at the local and regional levels.

At the ‘Discovering Brighter Spaces’ event, vice-chairman of the Helvar Board and member of the owner family, Philip Aminoff, was asked about where Helvar might be in 100 years. “Good lighting is key to human wellbeing,” says Aminoff. “It is impossible to forecast how the uses of light will evolve over the next one hundred years. However, Helvar’s ability to adapt to new customer requirements, to adopt new technology and to attract good people will keep it at the forefront where light, data, electricity and control come together.”