Our Company
With its roots in The Netherlands, P.L. Light Systems is part of an international success story about the creation and growth of an industry - supplemental lighting for the horticultural market.
Sowing the Seeds of an Industry
More than a quarter century ago, a man by the name of Mr. J. Poot, an electrical contractor in The Netherlands, had an innovative idea to develop specialized lighting systems for greenhouses. Supplemental lighting would extend the growing season, and deliver better quality, higher yield and improved growth rate. To assist in the development of his vision, Mr. Poot partnered with The Schréder Group of Belgium, a worldwide leader in commercial and industrial lighting, to manufacture a specially designed fixture.
The idea caught on, and demand for the specialized lights spread to the North and South Americas. In 1997, Mr. T.C. van den Dool formed Hortilux Schréder B.V. in the Netherlands and purchased P.L. Light Systems Canada Inc. from Mr. J. Poot to continue the vision of providing the world with supplemental lighting for the horticultural market. In 1981, P. L. Light Systems Canada Inc. was formed to service these new markets, and to alleviate problems with differences in voltages and frequencies between countries. Today, leading the way in the greenhouse lighting industry for more than 25 years, P. L. Light Systems and its parent company, Hortilux Schréder B.V., has sold more than 2,000,000 fixtures worldwide! The legacy of innovation and quality continues
Backed by world-class innovation and Dutch-engineered technology, P. L. Light Systems operates from a state of the art facility in Beamsville, Ontario, Canada. This facility built in 1999 is presently being expanded to meet higher product demand. As of January 2002, P.L. Light Systems Canada Inc. became ISO 9001:2000 approved. While the light reflectors are still exported from The Netherlands, all electrical components, such as ballasts, capacitors and ignitors come from North American suppliers to ensure compatible voltages and frequencies. P.L. Light conducts lighting and manufacturing research, and tests new fixtures and reflectors in its own on-site laboratory and in the field.
Custom-Designed Plans for Optimum Results
Every installation is unique. P.L. Light Systems works closely with growers to consider factors such as greenhouse shape and construction, desired lighting levels, distribution and uniformity, planned screening, lighting height for optimal effect, outside climate, planned crops and the complex interaction of temperature, relative humidity, CO2, and fertilizer with the intended system. All elements are weighed and considered using a sophisticated computer program, specifically designed for P.L. Light Systems, with the ultimate goal being maximum light yield with the fewest possible fixtures at the lowest possible cost. The result is a customized system that delivers consistent lighting across crops for even growth and optimum results.