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MACLEAN ELECTRICAL CREATES INNOVATIVE LIGHTING TEAM TO HELP COUNCILS CUT COSTS

Internationally recognised leading electrical distributor MacLean Electrical Group has followed the establishment of a £4 million headquarters for its lighting division with the creation of a unique lighting consultancy which could save clients, including local authorities, hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The company’s Light and Energy Designs (LED) consultancy, based at the new headquarters in Cumbernauld, offers solutions for improving lighting efficiency through the use of new technologies and improved techniques. MacLean’s team also identifies funding sources, for projects where appropriate.

MacLean Electrical has invested more than £100,000 in creating the new division which will initially focus on road and street lighting projects for the public and private sector but which could also expand into the renewables and oil and gas industries.

The good news for taxpayers is that the company anticipates some authorities could save up to £300,000 each a year on street lighting through a review of current practices and implementing recommended cost-efficient changes.

LED national project manager Darryl Bullock said: “While some companies may offer aspects of such a service, for example avenues to funding, what we are offering here is the full package of support, which is unique in the lighting industry,”

“We are not aligned to any particular supplier, so we are able to provide our clients with a truly independent assessment of their stock and an honest assessment of all the options available to them on the best approach.

MacLean has already begun reviewing clients’ lighting assets and infrastructure and is showing where they are losing money and how to make savings. The team then points them in the direction of funders who are providing attractive terms for energy saving projects.

Mr Bullock added: “The latest innovation and technology can make street lighting much more efficient and cost effective. The kind of savings we can identify can be anything from £50,000 to £300,000 a year, depending on the client's infrastructure. Additionally, our experience tells us that the latest thing is not always the best thing. For example a lot of lighting infrastructure is less than 10-years-old but has an inefficient engine, so only that part needs to be changed, rather than replacing the whole system.”

MacLean Electrical managing director Donald MacLean said: “The launch of our Lighting and Energy Designs division provides our clients with a service that has been unavailable until now. It creates significant potential for our company, by delivering a genuine, value-adding element to our offering.

“The three-strong team behind it has more than 60 years’ experience in this field. Initially the service will be available to clients UK-wide, but in the long term there is no reason why we cannot expand it onto the international arena and into a wide range of sectors.”

MacLean’s new Cumbernauld facility, which opened in May, replaced the lighting division’s former hub in nearby Bonnybridge. The two-storey facility, which includes a 50,000 sq ft warehouse, a spacious yard, workshop, testing area, lecture/training area and IT support, is located in Drum Mains business park, situated between the M80, M8/M74 motorways and serves MacLean Electrical’s lighting clients throughout Scotland, and the North-east, North-west and Midlands of England.

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