Opple Lighting

OPPLE Lighting Limited
欧普照明股份有限公司

File:Opple Lighting logo 2014.png OPPLE Lighting Logo 2014
Company type	Private
Industry	Lighting
Founded	1996 (Zhongshan, People's Republic of China
Headquarters	Shanghai, People's Republic of China
Key people	Huang Yaohai, CEO Ma Xiuhui, President
Number of employees	6,200 (2013)
Website	opple.com

OPPLE Lighting (simplified Chinese: 欧普照明; traditional Chinese: 歐普照明; pinyin: Ōupǔ Zhàomíng) is a multinational lighting corporation headquartered in Shanghai, China. Founded in 1996, OPPLE has grown to become the number one Chinese lighting company with annual sales exceeding USD 550 million. The firm's sales and service cover over 50 countries with over 30,000 sales outlets, with a diversified product portfolio ranging from consumer to professional products and from conventional to LED solutions.

Name

OPPLE’s chinese name 欧普(Pinyin: ōu pǔ, pronounced aʊ pʊ) embodies the goal Mrs. Ma and Mr. Wang had when they first established the company in 1996. 欧(ōu) means ‘European’, and 普 (pǔ) means ‘universal’ or ‘for all.’ Therefore the name OPPLE 欧普 shows the commitment that the company was founded on of bringing European grade quality products to all.

History

File:Opple's Burger King project.jpg

OPPLE's interior lighting design for Burger King in Songjiang,China

Foundation and early years

Founded in Zhongshan, China in 1996 by Mrs. Ma and Mr. Wang, OPPLE began as a manufacturer of ceiling lights and quickly moved into CFLs during its first years. In 1999–2000 the firm launched its own brand and the Opple trademark was officially registered. In 2001, it moved from a China-only brand to expanding internationally in the Middle East and South East Asia.

Domestic expansion

OPPLE has grown to become China’s number one lighting brand in terms of revenue. Its domestic sales network covers 95% of cities above county level through 5,000 Opple stores and 30,000 sales outlets.

Domestically, it has provided lighting solutions for clients including Burger King, Starbucks, Adidas and Holiday Inn.

International expansion

File:Opple's European office.jpg

OPPLE's European branch office in Eindhoven, Netherlands

Since 2001, OPPLE has made international development a priority with the opening of offices in 6 countries.

• Asia Pacific:

– OPPLE New Delhi, India Office – OPPLE Bangkok, Thailand Office

• Europe:

– OPPLE Eindhoven, Netherlands Office

• Latin America:

– OPPLE Sao Paulo, Brazil Office

• Middle East and Africa:

– OPPLE Dubai Office – OPPLE South Africa Office

• Pakistan

- OPPLE Lahore Office

OPPLE has provided lighting solutions to the governments of Uruguay, Thailand, South Africa and Egypt.

Plant and office expansion

OPPLE has invested over USD 150M in building the largest lighting industrial site in Asia (Wujiang production and R&D center), boasting a production floor area of over 600,000M2 as well as an attached R&D facility that employs over 400 engineers, scientists and technicians.

• 1996 – Headquarters built in Zhongshan, China
• 1999 – Opening of first factory in Guangdong, China

File:He Opple Wujiang factory.jpg

The OPPLE Wujiang factory located in Suzhou, China

• 2000 – Office opening in Wuhan, China
• 2004 – Opening of first overseas branch office in Dubai, UAE
• 2007 – Opening of Tehran Iran factory to bring manufacturing capability to Middle East
• 2009 – Headquarters moved to Shanghai, China
• 2010 – CFL production facilities built in Iran, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
• 2012 – Opening of the OPPLE Wujiang factory (largest lighting manufacturing site in Asia) in Suzhou, China
• 2012 – Opening of the Shanghai Research Application Center
• 2013 – Opening of the R&D center adjacent to OPPLE Wujiang Factory
• 2013 – Opening of branch office in Sao Paulo, Brazil
• 2014 – Opening of European branch office in Eindhoven, Netherlands
• 2014 – Opening of Indian branch office in New Dehli, India
• 2014 – Opening of The first Experience Store in Chennai, India

Products

File:Opple Lighting products.jpg

Opple products

While OPPLE began as a CFL and ceiling fixture manufacturer, it has significantly expanded its product line to include a vast array of products and services. It’s product line now features heavily LED, matching the global demand for more affordable and efficient lighting technology.

R&D and innovation

OPPLE’s Wujiang production center is the largest lighting industrial site in Asia. It boasts fully automated assembly lines. In 2012 Opple opened its Research Application Center in Shanghai with the goal of researching the effects of light on health and human life. In 2012 OPPLE opened a large R&D center adjacent to its Wujiang factory. The OPPLE R&D center employs 400 engineers, technicians and designers and is one of the largest of its kind in Asia. The company maintains a USD 20M annual investment in R&D and applied for over 200 patents in 2014.

Philanthropy

After the 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, OPPLE donated over 10 million RMB in addition to financially supporting psychological counseling efforts and donating supplies to those left homeless.

From 2007 to 2009, Opple donated 4.2 million RMB to the Lifeline Express Foundation and China’s Disabled Peoples Foundation to fund treatment of people with severe cataracts.

In December 2009, OPPLE established the “OPPLE Light Fund" on CCTV – providing donations and resources for the Red Cross Society of China to help improve the condition of primary and middle schools in impoverished areas.

Logo

• 
  OPPLE logo 2008
• 
  OPPLE logo 2010
• 
  OPPLE logo 2013
• OPPLE Lighting Logo 2014
  OPPLE Lighting Logo 2014

See also

• Wujiang District, Suzhou
• Guzhen, Zhongshan
• Eindhoven, Netherlands
• Chennai, India

References

"Wang Yaohai Business Leader Profile", Retrieved on 22 November 2013.

"Ma Xiuhui Business Leader Profile", Retrieved on 20 November 2013.

"Baike - Company Introduction", Retrieved on 10 October 2013.

http://www.opple.com/about-opple-lighting

"Opple evolution from 1996 to 2010", Retrieved on 11 October 2013.

http://www.alighting.cn/case/2014/9/3/104817_07.htm

"Top Lighting Brands - Introduction", Retrieved on 16 October 2013.

"Government tenders - Opple Lighting", Retrieved on 19 October 2013.

"Ma Xiuhui invests in new Suzhou factory", Retrieved on 16 October 2013.

"OPPLE donates 10 million in aid", Retrieved on 11 October 2013.

"OPPLE donates to cataracts foundation", Retrieved on 10 April 2013.

"Opple attends Yongle ceremony", Retrieved on 3 June 2013.

Opple Lighting Viet Nam 2013

• OPPLE Lighting Global

External Links

Facebook

• "OPPLE's Chennai Experience Store Opening 2014"
• "Light India Exhibition 2014"

News

• "Opple Lighting targets Rs 450 crore revenue by 2017"
• "OPPLE Lighting targets Rs 450 Cr revenue by 2017"
• "Chinese LED lamp firm sees bright opportunity in India"
• "Light India 2014 showcases LED lighting innovations and new developments in LED technology and applications"
• "Opple’s Europees licht schijnt vanuit Eindhoven"
• "Chinese lighting company Opple enters Indian market, sets up first retail store in Chennai"

Youtube Videos

• "Mr. S. Venkatramani, Chairman, Opple Lighting India's speaking about Light India Exhibition 2014"
• "OPPLE arrived in Europe"
• "OPPLE Brightening The Future Of China"