China's biggest lighting manufacturer, NVC Lighting, says it is using its UK base as a springboard to reach into European and Commonwealth markets, as it looks to become as well-known in Europe as Philips or Osram.
Chief executive Changjiang Wu said that the company is testing the water with the UK as part of its global growth strategy. "The international market is very new," he said, adding that it wanted to find out about markets before moving in.
NVC currently focuses on the wholesale market and large contractors, however it says it will consider targeting the high-end specification market in a year or two.
Tom Daley at the 2014 World Diving Series, London, sponsored by NVC Lighting
The company, which is both an OEM and has its own-brand products, is hoping its name will become as respected as other big European manufacturers. It already provides white-label products for companies including TCP and Pluslite. The NVC brand is the fastest growing area of business – currently four times the size of the OEM business. NVC's own-brand products are built using components from companies such as Cree and Samsung.
Mr Wu said that it was important to move on from negative preconceptions about the quality of Chinese products. "The manufacturing and quality in China is very different from five or ten years ago. China is now manufacturing globally for most brands," he said.
He added that NVC has product designers at its UK office in Birmingham and is certified to test its products to European standards.
NVC's chairman was in London this weekend to promote the company as it sponsored the World Diving Series at the London Aquatics Centre.
