Belgian lighting! Happy to awnser any questions you may have!
1. Schréder
Schréder Started in the Belgian City of Liège in 1907. They made electrical appliances like electronic boxes and Panel boards. They started making Indoor lighting in 1933. The first outdoor lighting catalog came out in 1950 introducing the Schréder VP, PQ, PG, EI and SD. The VP was huge success in Flourescent lighting throughout the 1950s-1970s. In the 1960s Schréder Brought out lanterns such as the GI, GN, GNS, GR, GHP, GP, DM, DTN and importantly the GSO. The GN achieved the most success out off the first 8; A flouresecent (GN lantern that was used all over the country throughout the 1960s till the 1980s. The GSO achieved Huge success throughout the country! Especially on Motorways and Large Roads. In the 1970s Schréder released, the Z range(consisting of Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z18), Rhombaloux (pronounced for a couple months then modified and renamed RX), Saturn, GTN and DZ. The Z was popular around the world including Belgium, The RX was also fairly popular around Europe especially, but the GTN could be found very occasionally in the Netherlands and France but other that that could only be found in Belgium. The DZ was designed by Socelec, the Spanish Subsidiary of Schréder, Therefore common in Spain ( the Spanish sold out of DZs at some point) and I am pretty sure it’s quite common in Portugal? It was also fairly Common in France, The Netherlands, UK etc. etc. But Unpredictedly common in the UAE! In the 1980s Schréder Released the VZ, the GZ sisters (GZM, GZB), MC range (consisting of MC1, MC12, MC2, MC3. ZX if your British). The VZ and VZ-3S was very common in Belgium with THOUSANDS of units being sold in the Countryside. the GZM was the Replacement of Many Failed GSOs and GTNs and insanely common throughout the Country. The GZB however was more common in the North of the Country, Flanders (Vlaanderen), The GZB was mostly common on Main Roads, Country Riads and City Roads, not motorways. The MC is a global classic! Being sold all over Europe and Finding it’s way somehow to Chile and Hong Kong! The MC12 was most widespread of the Range in Belgium, they covered the Small roads along with it’s Sister, the MC1. While the bigger MC2 and MC3 would handle larger roads. In the 1990s, Schréder Introduced the Altra, Onyx, Sintra, TXN, TXS, VTC, and VTP. the Altra was designed by the Dutch Subsidiary, the Altra was very common in the Netherlands and in Hungary, it remained More occasional in Belgium and the UK. The Onyx, designed by Socelec, Was a very Common fixture throughout Europe and pretty much the world! In Belgium however it was mainly used in Flanders where it is literally everywhere! The Sintra was designed by Schréder Iluminação, the Portuguese Subsidiary, Very common in Portugal and Spain, The Netherlands, and some African countries. In Belgium it was mainly used in Motorways in the north, the most notable Installation being in Antwerp (Antwerpen). The TXN was the Successor of the RX, and the TXS was only found in Belgium. The VTC and VTP were also exclusively for Belgium. In the 2000s, Schréder Released, the Ipso, Squalo, Evolo, Fuyro, Falco, K-Lux and Vezzo. The Ipso was designed by the Italian Subsidiary and mainly common in Italy, found in Belgium only in Flanders. the Squalo was designed by Italy as well, being very common there. In Belgium it was very common in Flanders and in Brussels. The Evolos was designed by Urbis (British Subsidiary) and very Common in the UK and The Netherlands, In Belgium it was only installed on the E19 from Brussels to Antwerp (Antwerpen). the Fuyro was designed by Comatelec, the French Subsidiary of Schréder in 2005 achieving great Success there mainly used in Flanders for Belgium! It’s Sucssessor was called the Falco and very popular in the South Of Belgium, Wallonia (Wallonie). The K-Lux was a residential light used mainly in Brussels and Flanders and the Vezzo was the Successor of the VZ, Basically just A VZ filled with LED panels, unfortunately it was a Huge Flop. Now the LED times, which I can’t be bothered to write down, go find about them yourself
2. ACEC
ACEC started of in Charleroi in the 1950s. They made a Flourescent Lantern called the REV and That was a huge success around the country. From there they made more compact lantern such as the RQS, RQM, RQA. They Also made SOX lanterns such as the RAM (1966) which was a great success in Charleroi and Flanders (Vlaanderen), the REM-S, That was actually pretty rare that one, RUM, very very common all over the Country! (One of my Personal favourites the RUM is 😉) Towards the end of their existence they made the Hirondelle their last self designed lantern before they just sold The Schréder MC and VZ under their own name they didn’t do them any good. Their French Subsidiary, Clarel made some great lantern that weren’t common in Belgium but more in France, The Westinghouse OV15 was soLD by Clarel as The OV, There was the Rafale, a Sox lantern, There was the Pro, A cool round sphere…circle…thing! ACEC also made a lantern Suspiciously similar to the Schréder RX called the RBE that still gets me confused today! The lighting company went bankrupt in the Mid 90s but the company still go on today making mainly office lighting.
3. L’Industrielle Boraine
The Belgian Subsidiary of the French, BBT. They made Some really cool lanterns! Such as the ACLH, Sohfli and DX 100!
https://the-lights-of-belgium.odoo.com/en_GB/l-industrielle-boraine4. Arthos Technics
They made LED panels that fit on Old Schréder fixtures such as the VZ and GZM
5. VH
Not much is known about VH all we know is that they made a fluorescent lantern that the name is Unkown therefore we call Stardust!
6. ELSA
A Company from Herstal, Belgium. They made lanterns Such as the Elsodia and HNGI. Their Most Common Lantern’s name isn’t known so we just call it the Gruella
7. ETAP
Make Railway Lights such as the B1 and Ferrobell
8. Europe Lighting International
They Made Flourescent residential Lighting. Name is misleading as they were only founded in Belgium
So, there you have it, this took me 5 hours to write and 4 hours to do reasearch that got me nowhere, So hopefully you know a little bit more about Belgian lighting then you did before
I will place links to what websites I used to reasearch and help me write this.
https://the-lights-of-belgium.odoo.com/en_GBhttp://phozagora.free.fr/?page=repertoirePlease note, I didn’t do all fixtures, I just did the ones that are important. May be missing the Schréder Saphir, if this does offend anyone pls tell me
