Untitled - David Kronemyer

Theacqu silior oi Jarnkonsl
was asign ficanl step lasi year
It slrenglhened THORN
L ghling's Europ€an posil on
and ils rapd nlegralion gave
leadership in the impo anl
Nord c rcglon Overa ,lhere
was a signil cant ncrease in
lhe proporrion of THOFN
Lighting s sales outs delhe UK
contributed to the strong advance in the results.
Encouraging progress was made throughout
Westem Europe, notably in Austria, Italy and West
Germany.
Des gn, serv ce and lnnovation
halharks ol THORN Lqhling
- arc conlibuling a qrowing
range oi producb wnh a malor
mpaclon lhe way lighlls used.
Low-vollage Lghrsrream's
compacr size and qoaliry ol
Lghl are providing excting new
solulions lo lradilional ighling
problerns. As w€ I as allowing
cr$live lighling scheme
des€ns, bringing brqhhess lo
displays in boul ques and slores,
ts skilluluse ol modern coaling
lechnoloqy d ramalicaily reduces
rhe amounr ol hear hirherro
Improved robustness showed in the proportion
of sales outside the UK. This increased to 54 per
cenl despile dilliculties in Canada, New Zealand
and Ausralia and inlcnse competition in many
markets for light sources and off-the-sheH littings.
INTERNATIONAT cRowTH, The Jernkonst acquisition
is a signilicant step in strengthening the company's
European position. Jdrnkonst's important products
and design skills have already been led through
into other territories, while Jdrnkonst has
benelited from access to a much wider range of
fittings and high technology light sources. The bid
for the French group Holophane, and its
subsidiary Europhane, is relerred to in the Chief
Executive's Statement.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Customer support and product
availability are continuing priorities. This year, {or
example, service to UK customers will be
streamlined by means of an Sll million investment
in two strategically located depots using modern
on-line ordering systems and rapid radial delivery
seruices. More advanced computer aided design
and manufacture (CAII/CAM) processes, and Just
In Time produr-tion terhniqucs. are improving
competitiveness through improved delivery
timescales, speed of response and more tlexible
manufacturing.
INSTALLATIONS: Prestigious lighting schemes
around the world again showed the company's
ability to offer customers total lighting solutions.
Most notable were the lloodlighting of Sydney
Opera House, lighting
ice-skating arenas lbr
the Winter Olympic
Games at Calgary and
the new North
Terminal complex at
Gatwick Jnternalional
Airport in the UK.