God created light first for the most obvious reason – for men to appreciate His marvelous creations.
Natural or artificial, light always has a way of making things stand out. As light mixes with colors, they become bright and rich – a feast to the eyes. Light gives a feeling of animation, bringing existence to all still life.
Re-discovering light
“Without my lighting…kahit gaano kaganda ang furniture mo, carpet mo, o nung bahay mo e hindi mo pa rin makikita without my produce (no matter how stunning your furniture, your carpet, or even your house, you’ll never get to appreciate it without my produce),” Eduardo Zuluaga, Executive Vice-President for Azcor Lighting Systems, proudly shares as he emphasizes the importance of light in any household.
It was in 1981 when brothers Arturo and Eduardo Zuluaga put up Azcor. Initially, the company produced garden lights for residences. But as most residences already have garden lights, they re-focused their business on creating recess-down lights such as pin lights, table lamps, wall lights and chandeliers. These new line of products brought the company more sales than their first products.
Although there were a number of light manufacturers in the Philippines, Azcor stepped up the game as they perfected the craft of avant-garde light fixtures. Using indigenous materials such as coconut, rattan, sugar cane bars and fused them onto sturdy wires, the company creates a unique piece that truly stands out.
Lights that are practical and stylish…
Almost 26 years in the business, Azcor remains at the forefront of the light manufacturing business. Not only do they create light pieces that are practical. But they turn it into stylish crafts that qualify as a good centerpiece.
Often dealing with hotels and foreign contractors, the company needs to come up with designs that are different and avant-garde. Azcor’s design team is always exposed to the latest trends in the market. They often research or visit places wherein they could get inspiration for their new designs.
Some of their old designs are still in demand in the market. For this reason, they do not find the urge to change nor reinvent. “Kung mabenta pa rin ang ilaw mo, bakit mo pa babaguhin? Ganon pa rin (If my light is still in demand, then why do I have to change it? I will still sell the same product),” Eduardo explains.
However, Eduardo and his team is still open for a possibility to update their most in demand product if designers and customers needed something new. “E ako naman (as for me), we are exposed to that and if the designers need something new,” he added.
Made in the Philippines set to take the world
Azcor’s clients are everywhere! From hotel owners, furniture contractors, and even resident-owners, they want to have a piece of luxury and character which Azcor products can only give.
In the Philippines, some five-star and three-star hotels tap Azcor for their lighting needs. You can see their one-of-a-kind chandeliers and stylish lamps at the New World Hotel, Manila Inter-Continental Hotel, and the Shangri-la Hotel franchise. The company also sells their products on retail. Their lamps are not mass-produced. Instead, they are custom made depending on the specifications of their clients.
But the company’s main bread and butter is in the export market. As the head for marketing, Eduardo sees to it that they participate in international trade shows. They join in trade shows in Germany, Dubai, Hong Kong, and France. They are also regular participants of locally-held international fairs such as the Manila F.A.M.E. International and the Philippine International Furniture Show (PIFS).
Most of the clients that they meet at these international trade shows are hotel owners and contractors. They are amazed with the keen design in light fixtures that Azcor can only create. It is also through these shows that the company gets to highlight the ingenuity and creativity of Filipino designers. With the use of indigenous materials, their products remain up-to-date as they follow the latest trends in design.
“Nobody from Europe or America would like to see just one guy that’s why I have to show abroad…Here in the Philippines, there are only a few key international shows which I join. That is PIFS and Manila F.A.M.E., organized by CITEM (Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions). It is most economical way to market because of the show.” Eduardo says.
The future looks bright…
As the competition in the international market gets tough, Azcor continues to research and create more new designs that are exceptional yet marketable. Also, the company taps other markets wherein their brand of lights will be in demand.
But at present, the company is focused on stabilizing its contract market. “We have a long-term and short-term goal. Five years from now, we may be tapping other international markets. But our long-term goal is to stabilize our contract market which is the only place wherein we can compete in terms of volume,” Eduardo ends.
For more information on Azcor Lighting System’s products, log on at www.azcor.com.ph.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
It is a real pity that today, in 2012, Azcor no longer holds to the old principles of not changing its designs. Instead of the old designs which could stand in an art magazine alongside designs by Firma, now Azcor is full of stuff that might be bought by the present owner of the Manila Hotel.
Thank you for giving a valuable input on lighting system. Using latest high bay led lights; we can improve our lifestyle and save energy.
Post a Comment