S T YLE BIBLE

Mark Lissauer Export Director

FRANKLITE LTD

Franklite was established by the Lissauer family in 1973 to supply high quality decorative lighting to the retail and contract markets. The company has grown from a small 100 square metre factory to one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of decorative lighting in the UK and abroad. With three generations of knowledge passed down, Mark Lissauer and his father have over 73 years of experience in the lighting industry. As a family run business, Franklite continue to pride themselves on their manufacturing and service excellence. This includes offering products that balance optimal performance with beautiful aesthetics and have successfully supplied their exceptional luminaires to palaces, embassies, hotels, private residences and multi residential projects.

What sectors does your company work in?

Franklite is a manufacturer of high-quality decorative lighting.

Please tell us about your company, how it was founded, its aims and ethos?

Founded in 1973, Franklite is owned by the renowned Lissauer family. With three generations of passed down knowledge, Mark Lissauer and his father have over 73 years of experience in the lighting industry. We are far more than just a lighting manufacturer; we are creators, visionaries and craftspeople.

How do you feel your products are different from others in the market?

Franklite remains at the forefront of the lighting industry with incredible in-house technology which includes the Rigo Near-Field Goniophotometer and highly-skilled design and technical teams who continue to develop signature products. Our LED plates and most recently award winning tuneable light engines are manufactured in-house and compatible with many of our luminaires. We continue to pride ourselves on our manufacturing and service excellence. This includes offering products that balance optimal performance with beautiful aesthetics and have successfully supplied our exceptional luminaires to palaces, embassies, hotels, private residences and multiresidential projects

How has 2022 been for you and how are you looking to move forward in 2023?

2022 has been a year of gaining traction for us as a business since the start of the pandemic. It has been very encouraging to be able to travel again and network with both existing and potential customers. Building relationships is such a fundamental objective for us and meeting people face to face is the first step in achieving that. This year we will be celebrating a very prestigious milestone, our 50th year in the design, manufacture and distribution of highquality decorative lighting. A milestone we plan to celebrate with new product launches, industry specific catalogues and much more.

Please tell us a little about your current collections/new ranges?

Franklite’s latest Catalogue 26 and Supplement offers hundreds of ranges that cater for both contemporary and classic design styles. The Perdita, an already very popular range is now available in brushed brass finish with rectangular crystal drops. With varying sizes from 5-light to 30-light fittings this range is suitable for any application. Floor lamps make a subtle, yet functional addition to any room. The Avenue range includes a matt brass finish floor lamp on a white marble base along with a satin nickel finish floor lamp on a black marble base both with an in-line switch on the cable. We’ve also added new designs to other popular ranges, the Taper, Philly and Wisteria. Providing customers with more product choices. The Taper range now includes wall brackets, floor and table lamps. A phenomenal 21 light spanning 1.2m in length has been added to the Wisteria range

What is your vision for the future director of the business?

We continuously introduce new products to Franklite to reflect the evolving design style and requirements of our customers. The contemporary style of the Perry range is both majestic and comprehensive. Now available in satin nickel and brass finish metalwork. With single and multiple drop suspensions this range is like no other. This versatile range has been designed with a unique collection of beautiful pear-shaped glasses in a selection of four colours that allows the diffusion of light along the ridges of its surface creating a biophilic effect in an interior space. Available in two sizes, these glasses provide a myriad of possible compositions to give the Perry fittings a tailormade, custom design, perfect for any interior space. With a range as customisable as this, Interior Designers can easily achieve the desired ambience and aesthetic. The glass colour options for this range include clear, smoked, amber and copper glass. The warmth of the smoked and copper glasses creates a tranquil environment whilst the use of the clear and amber glasses creates a natural and brighter environment.

How has this year changed us as consumers/designers/ business leaders?

This year has been about re-establishing face to face connections with many of our customers within the UK, Europe and the Middle East. I have been able to travel again and as a result participated in several networking events and had two very successfully attended exhibition stands at HIX and Light22.

Tell us about your work/life balance and how you achieve this. Work/life balance is important and one that is not easily achieved. Being a family-owned business does have its benefits with my father and I working side by side for many years. Even with busy schedules we set time aside every day to have lunch together. I am also very fortunate in that my wife has been a great sounding board over the years. We regularly share ideas and I value her input.

What direction do you feel design is moving in?

Interior design is always evolving and I enjoy being part of discovering new concepts and trends incorporating these into the designs we create.

Your favourite restaurant

Hunan - they choose the menu so each course is a delicious surprise

Favourite city/holiday destination

Paris, it’s amazing city to walk around and marvel at the architecture

Your favourite hotel

Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara

The car you drive Audi A6

Your thoughts on life?

Live life to the full and spend as much time as possible with the family

Final thoughts or inspiration: is there anything you would like to add?

Creativity and the ability to overcome challenges when manufacturing, transforming the drawing into relativity is what keeps me motivated and focused.