LEMO'S UK ambitions unhindered by Brexit
Exactly 10 years ago, LEMO UK moved into its spacious new building. It was a logical move for the company, which has been one of the driving forces for market development within the LEMO Group.
In the early 1970’s, LEMO’s UK subsidiary, located in Worthing on the south coast of England, was a modest small office dedicated to prospecting the local markets. As the business gained momentum and the team started growing, they moved into a 700 sq. m purpose- built building on North Street in 1979. Local distribution intensified, with the steadily growing reputation of LEMO solutions in the UK market, promoted by the Swiss Made label. In 2006, there was another move, a temporary one, while the old building was being demolished and the new one built.
The new building, inaugurated in 2010, offers a surface area of 3,900 sq. m, which is almost six times larger than before. This evolution is a perfect illustration of the UK subsidiary’s role. “ Over the years, we have continuously evolved and can now offer much more than simple distribution services ”, says Peter Dent. With his engineering background and over 30 years’ experience in the connector industry, the Englishman was appointed managing director in 2015. LEMO’s UK activities also include connector and cable assembly, as well as R&D : the subsidiary company has been actively contributing to the development of several iconic solutions.
It was from the UK that LEMO led the development of the F Series, for example. In the late nineties, Formula One was looking for new next-generation quick-connect, lightweight, compact connectors capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of car racing. Since several major racing teams are UK-based, LEMO launched an inquiry to identify needs, before setting to work. The solution developed in less than 6 months was rapidly adopted by Formula One. The F Series were then further developed into the M Series, also in cooperation with racing teams. Many Formula One cars are still fitted with M and F Series connectors and LEMO, via its UK subsidiary, has continued its close cooperation with these racing teams.
R&D for fibre optic solutions has also been influenced by the UK team, where a dedicated structure (LEMO FOUR, meaning Fibre Optic Unit of Research) was created in 1998. This is where the 3K.93C was developed, which has become an HD TV global standard. “ We have played an important role in helping the early adopters like the Premiere League ”, recalls Peter Dent. “ LEMO supplied the interconnect technology to equip their stadiums with permanent fibre optic infrastructure. ” This decisive asset for the high-quality broadcast of all football matches within the league “ has helped the Premier League become the global brand it is today. ”
Fibre optic know-how has also resulted in the development of a portfolio of media converters that LEMO has been marketing for over fifteen years. These hi-tech solutions, designed in the UK, are still assembled and tested here for the whole of the LEMO Group. Training for users of fibre optic solutions has also been offered for many years by LEMO FOUR.
Today, over 50 people work for LEMO in Worthing.
Automotive and broadcast were not the only applications that were added to the historical Test & Measurement market. “ Defence and security have become an important market for us ”, explains Peter Dent. “ Recent global events have increased the demand for equipment to fight terrorism, with intelligence gathering, surveillance and communication tools. These are rapidly changing technologies, as emerging new threats need to be continuously countered. Our support in the development of this emerging market has established LEMO as one of the de facto standards by default and a supplier of choice. ” Another global phenomenon - the aging population – has boosted the development of medical equipment, which has also become an important market for the UK company. “ We have been contributing to the next generation diagnostic equipment and surgical machines ” says the proud director, mentioning Spectrum Medical and their cardiovascular perfusion equipment, as an example.
Providing companies – even entire industries - with concrete support for innovation and development gives the greatest satisfaction to Peter Dent. He is also very pleased about the increasing value-added custom solutions. “ Today we are developing complete plug&play subsystems ” he adds. “ We are much more than a supplier : we are strategic partners for our top customers. As a matter of fact, they often consider us as part of their team ! ” The UK subsidiary has played a pioneering role in this repositioning strategy applied throughout the LEMO Group.
Last but not least, THE British topic of the last three years : Brexit. What are its impacts on LEMO’s services in the UK ? “ There are uncertainties, just like for everyone else, but it is mostly an opportunity for us ” thinks the director. “ LEMO chose a long time ago to invest locally in production and customer services. Brexit has confirmed and accelerated this strategy. The preference to source and partner locally has grown, and our capabilities and customer intimacy differentiate and enable us to do so. ”
To endorse this investment strategy, the UK subsidiary is proud to announce it has been nominated as a 2020 finalist for the “ Sussex Super Growth Awards ”. These prestigious awards are given to companies within the county who have the best growth rates measured over the prior four years of trading. This year’s awards are particularly important, as the period under analysis effectively measures how companies have adapted since the Brexit vote in 2016.
With Brexit effective since 31st January, LEMO has entered a new era in England. Peter Dent points out, with a touch of irony, that the subsidiary was created in 1973, the year the United Kingdom joined the European Community
