Zumtobel Lighting Group
Encyclopedia
Zumtobel Group is a company based in Dornbirn
, Austria
which comprises two sub-groups: Zumtobel Lighting Group, which includes the lighting brands "Zumtobel" and "Thorn"; and Tridonic, which manufactures lighting components. Thorn Lighting relocated its head office from Borehamwood, Herts to Spennymoor, County Durham at the end of 2010; the other divisions in the group are all headquartered in Dornbirn
.
The division with the longest history in the group is Thorn Lighting, which was acquired from Thorn EMI
in a leveraged management buy-out. Its integration in Zumtobel was completed in 2000. Thorn Lighting was founded in 1928 by Jules Thorn
and Alfred Deutsch.
Zumtobel was founded in 1950 by Dr. Walter Zumtobel as "Elektrogeräte- und Kunstharzpreßwerk W. Zumtobel KG" in Dornbirn. The company produced ballasts for the newly introduced fluorescent light fittings
.
Thorn Lighting had a lamp factory in Buckie (Scotland) which opened in 1956 and continued manufacturing incandescent 'light bulbs' until it closed in 1987. It also manufactured lamps at factories in Leicester
(mostly auto and high and low pressure discharge), Merthyr Tydfil
(incandescent) and Enfield
(fluorescent) which were sold to GE Lighting in the early 1990's. It relocated its factory in Spennymoor
, UK, to a new site in 2009 reducing its carbon footprint for manufacturing in the UK by 25%.
Dornbirn
Dornbirn is a city in Vorarlberg, Austria. It is the administrative center of the district Dornbirn, which also includes the city of Hohenems, and the market town Lustenau....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
which comprises two sub-groups: Zumtobel Lighting Group, which includes the lighting brands "Zumtobel" and "Thorn"; and Tridonic, which manufactures lighting components. Thorn Lighting relocated its head office from Borehamwood, Herts to Spennymoor, County Durham at the end of 2010; the other divisions in the group are all headquartered in Dornbirn
Dornbirn
Dornbirn is a city in Vorarlberg, Austria. It is the administrative center of the district Dornbirn, which also includes the city of Hohenems, and the market town Lustenau....
.
The division with the longest history in the group is Thorn Lighting, which was acquired from Thorn EMI
Thorn EMI
Thorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. Created in October 1979 when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI, it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it demerged again in...
in a leveraged management buy-out. Its integration in Zumtobel was completed in 2000. Thorn Lighting was founded in 1928 by Jules Thorn
Jules Thorn
Sir Jules Thorn was the founder of Thorn Electrical Industries, one of the United Kingdom's largest electrical businesses.-Career:...
and Alfred Deutsch.
Zumtobel was founded in 1950 by Dr. Walter Zumtobel as "Elektrogeräte- und Kunstharzpreßwerk W. Zumtobel KG" in Dornbirn. The company produced ballasts for the newly introduced fluorescent light fittings
Fluorescent lamp
A fluorescent lamp or fluorescent tube is a gas-discharge lamp that uses electricity to excite mercury vapor. The excited mercury atoms produce short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor to fluoresce, producing visible light. A fluorescent lamp converts electrical power into useful...
.
Thorn Lighting had a lamp factory in Buckie (Scotland) which opened in 1956 and continued manufacturing incandescent 'light bulbs' until it closed in 1987. It also manufactured lamps at factories in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
(mostly auto and high and low pressure discharge), Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
(incandescent) and Enfield
London Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
(fluorescent) which were sold to GE Lighting in the early 1990's. It relocated its factory in Spennymoor
Spennymoor
Spennymoor is a town in County Durham, England. It stands above the Wear Valley approximately seven miles south of Durham. The town was founded over 160 years ago...
, UK, to a new site in 2009 reducing its carbon footprint for manufacturing in the UK by 25%.