Efficient, Smart Lighting Powers Sustainability, Energy Savings

Q: Could you start by giving us an overview of Signify’s operations globally and specifically in Mexico and Latin America?

A: Signify is the world leader in lighting. We manufacture and distribute professional lighting to all consumers, as well as to the industrial and public sectors. We have five production plants in Mexico, which employ around 5,000 people in manufacturing. Regarding our commercial operations, we cover the entire region, using not only these production plants in Mexico but also importing products from North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. 

Signify has had a continuous presence in Mexico for over 85 years. The country has always been an important country for the organization, not only as a significant manufacturing hub but also in managing a prestigious portfolio of products and brands, including Philips and our connectivity line, Interact. Globally, our company closed 2024 with €6.1 million in sales and approximately 29,000 employees worldwide, with presence in over 70 countries.

Q: What is Signify’s strategy for the Mexican and Latin American markets, and how are you positioning the company in the connected lighting segment?

A: As leaders in professional and consumer lighting in the region and with so many years of market presence, we are aiming to guide all the countries in the region toward connected lighting. In the past, lighting was practically used in an “on/off” way, mainly at night. Now, with all the connectivity schemes and connected solutions at each lighting point, whether in cities, industries, public buildings, or even some private buildings, LED connected lighting has become much more productive, allowing for a significant reduction in operational and maintenance costs. In Mexico, Central America, and throughout the northern Latin America region, we are using this strategy to not only deliver lighting products but also to connect them and provide solutions that go far beyond basic lighting.

Q: How is connected lighting technology being adopted across different sectors, from residential to industrial and public spaces?

A: In the domestic and residential sectors, our connected lighting products Hue and WiZ have made it possible for people to create different atmospheres within their living spaces using connected lighting. You can interact with the light and, with the same device, change its color, saturation, and mood, or even synchronize it with the television or a movie you are watching to create an immersive environment. Our goal is to use light in a more dynamic and, to some extent, fun way. 

All this is achieved with LED technology, which means energy efficiency. Typically, when you switch from a traditional device to LED lighting, you achieve significant energy savings. It is not just about energy efficiency when using our products; you also get the added benefit of being able to control systems remotely from a mobile device. 

The same technology used in homes is also being implemented at the industrial level and even in public lighting. Cities in Latin America, including Mexico, are already using connected lighting points that allow data centers or monitoring stations to have everything interconnected and perform active control of energy monitoring, preventive maintenance, and faster, more efficient repairs or installations. Clients cover both sustainability, through energy-efficient use, and improved safety, for example, by reducing traffic accidents and using connected lighting that, through data and devices, supports important applications at the operational level.

Q: What are the main challenges or barriers to the adoption of connected lighting solutions in Mexico and Latin America?

A: There is not necessarily a technical barrier to adopting these new technologies. The truth is that all our products have been certified to international standards, as well as local standards, in every country where we are present. It is more about unfamiliarity, and a bit of fear to some extent, in moving toward something more technologically advanced. 

Like with all technologies, not just lighting, there is often resistance to change because people are used to doing things the traditional way, and to change their minds, you must show them. Through our research, development, and lighting design centers, we have conducted several pilots and tests to help people see for themselves that this technology is fully proven. We are not talking about applications just in Europe or North America; we have already used them in various Latin American countries, including here in Mexico, so people can see that this is something natural, current, and without risks, that instead will bring them many benefits.

Q: What opportunities does Signify see in Mexico’s public lighting and infrastructure modernization efforts?

A: We see plenty of opportunities for Mexico, and we have already made significant progress. For example, Playa del Carmen now has a fully installed tele-management system which can control and supervise public lighting in the area while simultaneously monitoring security through CCTV cameras. The same has been done in states like San Luis Potosi, Nuevo Leon in San Pedro Garza Garcia, and Mexico City, where there are already pilot tele-managed public lighting installations. Governments are increasingly adopting these new technologies and seeing the benefits, not just with better lighting and much lower energy consumption but also in productivity gains from having everything interconnected and providing better services to the population. 

There has been very positive progress in recent years. It was slow at the beginning, but now it is accelerating, and I believe that in the coming months and years, most municipalities and states in the country will begin incorporating tele-management energy systems to better illuminate streets and cities while being much more productive.

Q: How does Signify’s sustainability agenda align with the priorities of governments and private companies in Mexico and the region?

A: Signify has always been at the forefront of lighting innovation, and this transition to LED is the safest and fastest way to achieve energy savings. Public lighting networks are critical in every municipality and state, and this is an investment that yields a very quick return. Our company’s plan is to achieve emission reductions as quickly as possible. We have a program called Brighter Lives, Better World, where we implement specific, measurable actions to double our positive environmental impact. 

Signify, as a global company with strong sustainability metrics, aligns well when a government or private industry also has sustainability indicators in its corporate guidelines. That is where we help companies and governments to more quickly reach their goals of reducing consumption while also having more environmentally sustainable products. One of our most important targets is to achieve zero emissions by 2040 and a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Q: What is your perspective on the balance between investing in new energy generation and pursuing energy efficiency through technologies like connected lighting?

A: Of course, governments need to keep investing in new energy generation, because otherwise, we will face blackouts in the future, and that is not desirable for any country. However, the other side of the issue is that we need to consume less. Both have to be done simultaneously. On the one hand, we need to carry out large-scale infrastructure programs for energy generation. These projects, however, take four to six years to complete, and they are costly and time-consuming. The simplest, fastest way to save energy is to not waste it. 

Through energy efficiency, you can use energy more efficiently and generate less environmental impact. We maintain open communication with all the governments with which we collaborate about how we can help to reduce their consumption by using efficient lighting quickly and with a much smaller investment. This gives them time to continue making large-scale investments in their energy generation infrastructure.

Q: What kinds of innovations and emerging technologies is Signify currently developing or deploying in the field of connected lighting?

A: Worldwide, we have more than 20,000 patents, and each year we invest about 5% of our sales in R&D, constantly bringing out new technologies like Li-Fi. In some places, we are using the internet through light. Through this connected lighting system, you can be in a secure location with much faster communication than traditional Wi-Fi. It is done through a very special lighting system. 

Other technologies we are using include presence sensors in interconnected networks, for example, in cities. Not only can you turn lights on or off and calculate energy consumption through the lighting device, but with external sensors, you can trigger actions. For instance, in a specific emergency, noise sensors can detect a gunshot or an undesired situation, which triggers an alarm that communicates through the lighting and tele-management system so the municipality knows exactly where it is happening. Authorities can then automatically activate greater lighting in that area to help their CCTV cameras better capture what is happening and generate alarms or alerts, whether it is a medical situation or a police emergency. In general, connected lighting can be used more efficiently and productively to deliver additional advantages and benefits to people in various fields.

Q: Looking ahead, what are Signify’s priorities and goals for expanding connected lighting and smart city solutions in the region?

A: We will continue working to promote the adoption of connected lighting in urban, industrial, and residential environments. We want to go beyond simple lighting replacements and focus not just on energy efficiency but also on using connected lighting data as a tool to make buildings or cities smarter. Our goal is to make all this available to anyone interested and guide them step-by-step toward having healthier lives and better environmental outcomes for the future.