Following NVC Lighting’s acquisition of Dernier & Hamlyn, CEO Joe Clark discusses hospitality projects and plans for the future.
What attracted you to invest in Dernier & Hamlyn?
NVC has been increasingly active in the project market, however we were seeing opportunities in the hospitality and high-end residential sector that were not available to us due to our standard product lines. When such an established and well respected name as Dernier & Hamlyn became available, it made sense to secure a great brand that is at the top of the premium decorative lighting market, and therefore be able to deliver a greater service to our clients.
Tell us about NVC and the hospitality projects you have worked on?
NVC designs and manufactures in 12 state-of-the-art facilities in Europe, Asia and the Americas and is a leading innovator in LED lighting technology. Our parent company is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and includes Goldman Sachs and Schneider Electric amongst its shareholders. In late 2019, it sold a 70% share of its domestic market business to KKR, the large US private equity firm.
Hospitality projects we have worked on include The Gantry in London, Hampton by Hilton in Birmingham, Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel in Doha and Al Habtoor Polo Resort (formerly St Regis) in Dubai.
How will the acquisition enhance the NVC offer?
We intend to keep NVC and Dernier & Hamlyn operating in their distinctly different spaces and our objective will be to secure multiple aspects of a project.
The acquisition will enable hospitality designers to use a single source for all the lighting they require, from basic LED downlights through functional bedroom lighting, decorative pieces for public areas, and up to custom bespoke fittings for reception areas, restaurants and bars.
What will the first six months following acquisition involve?
Our priority is to talk to existing and past clients to ensure we build on Dernier & Hamlyn’s strengths. We will then look at investing in the business to ensure that its future is secure, and the customer experience is enhanced. At this stage, we believe there may be opportunities to upgrade the use of technology, not just in the manufacture, but in the design and pre-sales processes, using 3D printing and other innovations for example.
And what’s on the cards longer term?
For Dernier & Hamlyn, we currently have an extensive hotel project in the factory; we’ve been sworn to secrecy for now, but it will take a well-known brand into new areas, which is very exciting to be involved in. And on the NVC side, we are a potential lighting supplier on project to convert a Grade II-listed heritage building in London into a five-star hotel and apartments.
Long term, we are committed to investing in the business; we aim to build on the heritage that Dernier & Hamlyn has built over its 130-year history and improve that with working practices and customer service fit for the future.
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