BUSINESS INSIDER
INTERIORS
LIGHT SPEED AHEAD
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Lumination has been around for four decades, and under the care of co-owner Gordon Gurr there’s no danger of it resting on its laurels lthough Lumination has been in the lighting business since the mid-1970s, Gordon and Nina Gurr have owned the company for around 20 years. We asked Gordon to tell us a bit more about a business that, despite being so well-established, is now a thoroughly modern, seven-day affair, with a very 21st-century ethos.
Hi Gordon! How much has the company expanded since you took it over and how has this been accomplished? With four stores in Bristol, Cirencester, Taunton and Barnstaple, we have extensive coverage throughout the South West. The addition of our up-to-date and responsive website has made a significant difference to our online visibility and will be the focus of our growth over the next few years.
Can you give us an idea of the number of products you offer? With so many suppliers to support us, the range is in the thousands of designs and fittings. In addition, we do from time to time undertake bespoke lighting commissions. What are the hottest new trends in lighting? LED has in the last few years had a great impact on the market, and lighting styles and designs are changing with this new technology. Exciting new design concepts like our Orion are arriving almost daily, and our job is to keep on top of all the possibilities that exist. The retro look has been popular, and lamps that use an exposed filament (or LED equivalent) sell very well. We keep a wide range of designs of these retro lamps in stock. Copper finish is still on the rise as a fashion movement, but antique and satin nickel remain the most popular. Where is your showroom, and how well does this location work for you? Our lead store is in Bristol where we are located at Gardiner Haskins in Broad Plain close to Cabot Circus. This central Bristol location has been our home for over 20 years. With plenty of on-site free parking this is a great location, making it easy for customers to buy their lighting and then take the opportunity to walk into Cabot Circus, which is just around the corner.
How did you form the current company? The company was formed by us after we relocated to the UK from Beijing, China. I worked throughout the Far East for more than 20 years, in a number of engineering roles representing UK manufacturing companies, including Rolls Royce. What sets Lumination apart, and why should we come to you for our lighting? At Lumination we specialise in lighting for the domestic market. We offer products from more than 20 of the UK and European leading importers and manufacturers, so the range of designs, styles and technical features is almost endless. All our stores are manned by fully trained and experienced staff, who are able to guide and advise customers on their selection of lighting for the home or for commercial applications. We also offer a design service, in which we will visit your home, whether it’s already existing or in construction, to help you get the right location and type of lighting.
THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE SHIFT IN MANUFACTURING OF LIGHTING OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS
Where do you source your products? There has been a huge shift in manufacturing of lighting over the last 20 years. From a European-dominated industry in the past, now approximately 70% of lighting is produced in China. We source lighting from 10 suppliers in China who we visit annually for quality audit and the development of new designs. In addition, we source some products from Spain and the Czech Republic, as well as from UK-based importers and distributors.
What kind of after-sales service do you offer? Our after-sales support is located at our warehouse in Wellington in Somerset, where we have our workshops and trained engineering staff. We carry out all sorts of repairs, from the simple replacement of lamp holders and leads to full chandelier restoration. All repairs are extensively tested in accordance with latest industry guidelines.
How much time do you spend on marketing versus practical work? Our business is service-led, providing support to our customers whether it be through our design service, through sales staff engaged on the shop floor or through website enquiries and contact.
How important is social media to your business? Social media is developing rapidly and we have just launched our new fully responsive website, which will help customers research before and after their visit to the store(s). Buying online or in-store, click and collect or home delivery are all features of our offering making buying from Lumination as convenient and reliable as possible. Are you someone who switches off the emails at the weekend and in the evening? The world has moved on, and independent retail has to be servicedriven in order to be relevant. We are a seven-day-a-week company, with email monitoring from 8am to 11pm, and sometimes later.
For more www.lumination.co.uk
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