Why Buy from Solite
Solite, as a part of the FW Thorpe Group, operates advanced facilities in the UK and specialises in the design and manufacture of a comprehensive range of professional lighting and control systems. Their product lineup includes energy-efficient solutions for various applications such as clean areas, healthcare, industrial, and hazardous areas. By choosing Solite, you can be assured of the following benefits:
- Access to professional and knowledgeable advice from a well-established UK company.
- A wide selection of lighting and control systems that undergo rigorous quality control measures (BS EN ISO 9001:2015).
- Outstanding customer service along with a 5-year warranty*.
With close to 50 years of experience, Solite has continually evolved its luminaire manufacturing capabilities from its factory located in the Manchester area. In the last two decades, the company has focused on developing high-tech and specialised products tailored for clean area and healthcare environments.
To ensure the highest quality standards, Solite subjects its luminaires to stringent quality control processes. This commitment is exemplified by the company’s accreditation to BS EN ISO 9001:2015 for Quality Management Systems. Moreover, the accreditation of our sister company, Thorlux, to BS EN ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management Systems provides customers with the assurance that Solite manufactures its LED and control systems in an environmentally friendly manner.
* The 5-year warranty applies to all goods delivered from January 1st, 2013 onwards.
Made in the UK
Solite Europe Ltd, a subsidiary of FW Thorpe Plc, is proud that around 97% of its products are manufactured in the UK.
The FW Thorpe Group employs over 700 people. In 2016/17, the Group paid over £15 million in tax to the UK government – an amount which supports UK local authorities and jobs within them.
By manufacturing in the UK, Solite can meet urgent customer demands without the need to transport products by air to the UK, which would involve additional financial and environmental costs.
5 Year Warranty
Solite designs and manufactures its luminaires to the highest standards, ensuring optimal performance and reliability. All Solite LED and conventional luminaires delivered after the 1st January 2013 are covered by a 5 year warranty (excluding lamps and batteries).
Customers can therefore purchase Solite luminaires with even more confidence.
A long and stable history reassures Solite customers that its warranty is meaningful. Many companies offer a pre-sale warranty, but post-sale claims require that the company is still trading.
See terms and conditions for full details.
Solite features and benefits
Solite is able to exploit recent advances in LED technology to help meet customer demand for energy-efficient solutions.
The Group’s considerable technical expertise and its ability to invest position it to maximise the opportunities offered by LED technology.
Backed by the Group’s modern facilities at sister company Thorlux Lighting, designers and developers have worked over recent years to create LED luminaires to meet customers’ operational and aesthetic requirements.
Thorlux has made a huge investment in LED technology, including in circuit-board design, software development, thermal modelling and optical lens design.
To increase the range and performance of its LED luminaires, Thorlux designs dedicated LED solutions from scratch, to optimise optical and thermal performance, and adapts existing conventional products to offer an LED option.
Unlike a traditional light source, a bare LED is a very intense point-source of light which has high glare and emits light in one direction only; therefore optical design is very important. Solite takes different approaches to optical design, according to the desired outcome:
- LEDs, as with lamps, can sit behind a controller or diffuser which will help to spread the light over a wider area, providing a uniform light.
- Having multiple LEDs on a luminaire provides the option of having individual optics for each LED.
Almost all Solite LED products benefit from bespoke LED printed circuit boards (PCBs) designed by the Thorlux electronics team. These PCBs ensure that Solite luminaires deliver maximum performance.
Rigorous product testing plays a crucial role in upholding a reputation for reliability and quality.
At Solite, our commitment to delivering exceptional optical performance is supported by our sister company Thorlux and their third-party accredited photometric laboratory. This facility enables us to optimise the optical capabilities of our luminaires, ensuring that customers can rely on the accuracy of the provided photometric data.
Within our state-of-the-art photometric test laboratory, we utilise advanced equipment to swiftly and reliably measure the light distribution of our luminaires. A sophisticated goniophotometer allows us to obtain precise measurements, while an integrating sphere equipped with a spectral analyzer accurately assesses light quality, efficiency, and color temperature.
Furthermore, we conduct comprehensive in-house testing to evaluate environmental and electrical parameters, aligning with relevant European standards. These tests encompass extreme ambient temperatures, dust and water ingress, electromagnetic compatibility, and current harmonics.
To maintain the accuracy of our test data, all of our equipment undergoes regular in-house maintenance and calibration. We also ensure external third-party calibration at regular intervals, reinforcing the integrity and reliability of our measurements.
Solite products are manufactured to the most stringent quality control standards in the most environmentally friendly manner.
Certificates of Conformity are available stating that Solite luminaires have been tested to and comply with the relevant international standards for the manufacture and testing of luminaires and related products. The standards used are:
| BS EN IEC 55015:2019+A11:2020 | RFI |
|---|---|
| EN 61547:2009 | Immunity |
| BS EN IEC 61000-3-2:2019+A1:2021 | Harmonics |
| BS EN 61000-3-3:2013+A1:2019 | EMC. Limitation of voltage changes, voltage fluctuations and flicker in public low-voltage supply systems |
| BS EN IEC 60598-1:2021 | Luminaires: General requirements and tests |
| EN 60598-2-1:1989 | Fixed general purpose luminaires |
| BS EN 60598-2-22:2014 | Emergency luminaires |
| IESNA LM80-08 | LED lumen maintenance |
| IESNA TM-21-11 | LED lifetime projections |
| BS 2782-0:2011 | Methods of testing plastic |
| BS EN 60695-2-11:2014 | Fire hazard testing. Glowing/hot-wire based test methods. Glow-wire flammability test method for end-products (GWEPT) |
| BS EN 62471:2008 | Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems |
Each certificate also confirms that products are manufactured to an approved ISO 9001 quality system, and that products are fully tested before despatch. Tests include those for safety earth circuit continuity, high voltage electrical strength, full circuit functionality including dimming, and current drawn. Specialist in-house protection circuitry is employed to prevent damage to equipment under test conditions.
Solite is certified to ISO 9001, coupled with the in-house testing to BS standards, are clear statements that the Group cares about the quality of its products and about the environment.