Next level lighting solutions: TOTALLUX 2.0

Experts in providing innovative LED interior and exterior lighting solutions to some of the world’s best superyachts, Dutch LED lighting solutions company TOTALLUX has gone from strength to strength despite the pandemic. In fact, over the past 12 months, the company has undergone substantial changes – including the purchase of a brand new HQ in the Netherlands. Here we catch up with TOTALLUX Founder, Jan-Mark Zumpolle, to hear about the company’s latest innovations and how they have navigated the challenges of the pandemic to come out stronger than ever before.

How has TOTALLUX faired over the last year and what is your secret to success?

During the pandemic, we didn’t sit still. Spurred by our customers’ needs, we developed ‘shortcutting’ versions of our TLX Flexline Series. The development of this shortcutting range means we now produce Flexlines that can be cut as close as one or two LEDs. In the case of our most popular TLX8 Flexline, this takes the cutting length from 83.3 mm to a very short 13.9 mm. This allows designers much more creativity in their designs and reduces shadow issues. It also gives more flexibility to installers and builders and, of course, massively reduces waste. This has been met with great enthusiasm by our customers. Amongst our teams, we offered training and self-development courses to help boost morale and further advance our collective skillsets, and we continued to be proactive in discovering new ways to improve the way we do business.2021 is the year of TOTALLUX 2.0. Tell us about the latest developments at the company.

We are very excited about all the new developments at TOTALLUX. We have just bought a new building which will serve as a bigger and better HQ for our expanding teams. It has a larger warehouse and workshop facilities where we can conduct mock-ups, in-house testing and customisations. Additionally, there will be a brand new showroom and dedicated training facilities. 

We have expanded our geographical base, with experienced yacht professional, Mike Jardine, who joined our team in 2020. Mike operates out of offices in Nice, and his main remit is to introduce our product ranges to customers in France, Italy and Spain and to support our Mediterranean-based customers. These new markets have already experienced considerable growth, with several new companies now regularly working with TOTALLUX, especially in the important refit market in key shipyards at Palma, Barcelona and La Ciotat. Furthermore, considerable interest has already been shown from new key markets, most notably Germany and the USA. So expansion is certainly predicted to continue going forwards!

To meet the needs of our rapidly growing customer base, new expertise is also being added to our teams in the form of several new sales personnel and high-level consultants. All of this will ensure we continue to offer the same exacting standards of support, innovation and service that our customers have come to expect from TOTALLUX. 

We also recently joined forces with two leading lighting companies in the marine industry: Lumishore Underwater lighting and LightGraphix Luxury indoor and outdoor lighting. TOTALLUX is their exclusive distribution agent for the Netherlands, with more countries soon to be added. These collaborations form part of our goal to offer our customers all their LED lighting solutions under one roof. How is Totallux taking steps to transition to a green future?

We feel very strongly about playing our part in doing business in a more sustainable way. Being in the Marine trade, the oceans are naturally our top priority. We are committed supporters of The Ocean Clean Up - a proudly Dutch initiative that aims to collect 90 per cent of plastic from oceans by 2040. When it comes to our products, one of our proudest sustainability innovations is the Shortcutting range of TLX LED Flexlines. The ability to cut to a much more precise length means a massive reduction in wastage. We also use only recyclable packaging. Our new building will be totally self-sustainable with solar panels and rainwater systems, and we will be offering bicycles to all of our staff to decrease our carbon footprint as a company further. During the lockdown, in a small bid towards raising awareness in our industry, we sent a handbook on sustainability as a gift to our customers to inspire new ways to live a little lighter every day.

Totallux recently purchased a specialised Silicone Injection Molding machine. What makes this so exciting?

We are always looking for ways to improve our service, and one of these is investing in new machinery. Our new specialised Silicone Injection Molding machine is the only one of its kind in Europe and gives us in-house customisation capabilities. Before now, all customisations had to be done abroad, so this is a significant development for TOTALLUX and our clients. Another recent, exciting technical development: we have upgraded our TLX LED Flexline series from a standard 80CRi to 90CRi across the range.

The team is also expanding significantly. What’s the importance of creating a great team?

Teamwork is everything. We understand the importance of working closely with the shipbuilders, installers and lighting designers to achieve the best end result in the most efficient way. Having the right people in place who can facilitate this process and think outside the box is essential. That is why only the best in the business will do. One big reason for the success we’ve enjoyed at TOTALLUX is the strong business relationships we have built with our loyal customers. We specialise in listening to the needs of our customers and working closely with them to achieve their design dreams. Using the latest LED technologies coupled with our lighting knowledge and installation expertise, we are committed to finding the right solution for each individual project. What can we expect to see from TOTALLUX over the rest of the year and beyond?

We will continue to offer the highest quality service, support and products in the business, challenging the norm and going beyond what was thought to be possible when it comes to marine LED lighting.Complementing the company's expansion plans, TOTALLUX also recently relaunched their new website. To learn more about Totallux, head to the new www.totallux.com.