News: LEDs
25 June 2020
Signify increasing UV-C light source production capacity eight-fold
Leveraging more than 35 years of expertise in UV-C lighting to address the growing global need for the disinfection of air, surfaces and objects, Signify of Eindhoven, The Netherlands is increasing its UV-C lighting production capacity and expanding its UV-C product portfolio.
The firm says that its UV-C lighting is well proven and trusted as an effective disinfectant, as was recently validated in a laboratory test by Boston University that showed that Signify’s UV-C light sources inactivate the virus that causes COVID-19 in a matter of seconds. This comes at a time when organizations are seeking ways to continue operations and provide service in a safe environment.
Signify’s new UV-C product range includes luminaires and chambers for a wide variety of professional applications. “We have introduced 12 families of UV-C lighting fixtures specifically designed to disinfect air, surfaces and objects,” says Digital Solutions Division leader Harsh Chitale. “These products target different customer segments, ranging from offices, schools, gyms, retail stores, warehouses, as well as on public transport.”
Part of the range comprises UV-C fixtures that are suitable for the deep disinfection of surfaces in offices, schools and restrooms. They are equipped with sensors and controls to ensure that they only operate when people and animals are not present. Other products include mobile, freestanding UV-C luminaires that can be wheeled into a hotel room or used to disinfect surfaces on public transport such as buses and trains.
For the disinfection of objects, Signify is launching a range of safe and quick-to-use UV-C disinfection chambers, which are used in offices and municipal buildings to disinfect visitor tags, phones, bags, laptops and wallets in a matter of seconds. In stores they are suitable for disinfecting returned items, glasses or clothes tried on in a changing room.
UV-C fixtures can also be used inside surface disinfection tunnels. In North America a large retailer is piloting a UV-C tunnel for disinfecting shopping trolleys. In India, a hotel plans to use a Signify UV-C tunnel for disinfecting guests’ bags at check-in.
To complement its portfolio, Signify recently acquired the assets of small, Netherlands-based UV-C disinfection firm Germicidal Lamps & Applications (GLA), including GLA’s upper-room UV-C air disinfection portfolio as well as application knowledge. “The assets and know-how acquired from GLA will help us to accelerate the development of our roadmap of UV-C based upper-room air disinfection systems,” says Paul Peeters, leader of Signify’s Digital Solutions Europe. “We plan to make these products available across the world soon.”
The upper-room air disinfection luminaires can be used with people in the room, as they are installed at a height which, in combination with shielding and optics, prevents exposure to the UV-C light source. Air in the upper part of the room is constantly disinfected using UV-C irradiation and natural convection of airflow in the room, making them suitable for use in schools, offices, gyms, retail outlets and other high-contact areas.
Boston University validates effectiveness of Signify’s UV-C light sources in inactivating SARS-CoV-2
