Ledlenser Report by Peter Brett


LEDLENSER – The Bright Stuff A Wee Bit of History It seems that people in sheds are often also inventive – the Ledlenser company


started in the garage of Harald and Rainer Opolka in 1993 when this clever (bright?) pair started Zweibruder Optoelectrics with nothing more than about 1,000 Deutschmarks, an old computer, some drawing kit and tools, and the familiar ingredient of sheer hard work. Twenty-four years later the company is a leading international producer of


torches and head torches, employing over 1,500 people. With a design & engineering facility at Solingen in Germany and a company owned production factory in China, the company prides itself on producing what it firmly believes are some of the finest lighting instruments in the world. In common with many other modern, particularly German, producers, the


company tries hard to foster ecological practices in manufacture and design. For example, it tries to use sustainable energy sources where possible and also prefers to invest profits in social projects and company housing for employees in China. Since 2011, Zweibruder Optoelectonics has been owned by the American


Leatherman Tool Group with which it shares the vision of top quality, eco-friendly innovation and design. The company


philosophy embraces the idea that ideas and innovation can come from anywhere, so it encourages everyone to input new ideas, re- examine old ideas and question the orthodoxies. Quite a daily challenge to maintain, but it seems to be an excellent way to ensure ongoing success in company aims. The Latest Crop of New Products Ledlenser has a


range of well- established torches – the P and H series. The P series of professional hand torches have been a


standard for many police and emergency service personnel for many years and the H series of head torches have had similar success both in professional and leisure markets. These ranges still sell in large numbers, but in the highly competitive torch


market, Ledlenser, as befits a market leader, has decided to take a massive step forward and develop sector specific ranges that better target the users in the professional, outdoor and sports, and general and domestic sectors. So rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach Ledlenser is leading the way by examining in detail what users require in specific markets and then developing ranges that meet those specific needs. This is backed up by sector specific communications and pricing leading to a more targeted approach to driving sales. Enter the industrial i-Series Professional Range that includes several interesting


variants of hand and head torches designed to cover a full range of users’ needs at different price points and different market segments. The hand torch range consists of the i9 the i7, the i6 and the i2 – but the i9 to


i6 each have a few variants, so that what looks like only four torches actually extends to a range of nine - with many others only a short time away. For example, the i9 range consists of the i9 Iron, the i9R and the basic i9. The i9R Iron shares a 400 lumen and 260m beam throw at full power with all


of the rest of the i9 torches, but it has the new Ytrion rechargeable battery pack that has up to three times more charging cycles than Li-ion batteries. At the other end of the range the basic i9 uses freely available alkaline batteries to keep costs down while still retaining the high-quality body and lens design of the i9 torches. I found the modular aspect of the construction of these torches interesting.


Each section of the torch – body, switch and head for example, unscrew from each other into separate modules. So, if a switch should fail, the switch module is simply unscrewed and replaced. I am sure that it adds to the manufacturing costs but makes maintenance very quick and reduces replacement costs. It is also quite ‘green’ since it limits the waste of valuable parts.


10 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE www.toolbusiness.co.uk


Head Torches The i-Series head range follows a similar pattern to the hand torches. Top of


the range is the iXEO 19R with a powerful 2,000 lumen beam. It is clearly aimed at the professional end user. Next is the iSEO 5R with 180 lumens and 120m range (full power) with the addition of a red LED. The iSEO 3 has 100 lumens and 30m range but is powered by alkaline batteries. Two iH6 models, one rechargeable, the other using 3 AAA batteries, have a


respectable 200 lumens and 120m beam throw each. And finally, the iH3 is a light weight general purpose head torch with a energy efficient LED and 120 lumens on tap at full power. Accessories However, the ranges are not the whole story. Ledlenser has put together a set


of accessories that enable end users to fully customise their purchase. For example, there is the option to have the i7DR double charging station for two batteries instead of the standard one. For users who really need it there is the multi-torch charging station for the i9R models that holds four torches, and it will also indicate, via lights, the state of charge in each torch. The charging kit has the option of USB or mains charging, and the car charger is a sensible option for many users. For the headlamps there is a small range of headbands in different colours, and a helmet mounting kit to provide a solid fixing for one of the head torches to be attached to a hard hat. Providing the extra accessories is a way of giving end users more choices, to


customise their torches to their spec, without having to provide all torches with extras that might simply sit in the box. This is where dealer product knowledge will have to come into play, to ensure that users buy what they need. Find out More To this end, Ledlenser have made information sheets about the products easily


available, with easy-to-read tables in the catalogues, showing which accessories are available for each model. Also, as we are only a month or two away from peak buying season when the days get shorter and the weather closes in, there are several key offers for dealers in handy counter display packs that reflect the ranges. These deals seem to offer dealers impressive returns in what is a competitive marketplace. Great product, great promotions for the dealers and consumers and excellent dealer returns make the Ledlenser offering a hard one to beat. Another addition is the extension of the already excellent 5-year guarantee to 7


years by users simply registering their products online. Thus consumers can be confident that their Ledlenser purchase will perform to the highest of standards. I am now just off to test the iXEO i9R and the iSEO 5R – just waiting for the


night to descend….


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