In the face of today’s spiraling fuel prices and growing environmental awareness, reducing energy consumption is a top priority. Everyone is interested in using energy saving lighting for their offices, factories and homes.

As the world renowned leader in lighting solutions, Philips Lighting has taken up the challenge of providing improved comfort at lower cost, and transformed the lighting landscape with state-of-the-art lighting tailored to individual needs.

Factories and office complexes need lamps that are energy-efficient, long-lasting and give high-quality colour when precise attention to detail is required. Fluorescent lamps are the best equipped to meet these exacting needs, but such lighting installations could increase total running costs by as much as 50%. The new Philips electronic ballast, used in fluorescent lamps, is the smart answer to cutting operating costs. The electronic ballast replaces the traditionally used electromagnetic ballast and starter in fluorescent lamps, and is quick, easy and less expensive to install. It is very cost effective as the investment pays for itself within a relatively short period, and money is saved daily thereafter, by not using electromagnetic ballasts and starters.

"Electronic ballasts used with daylight linking lead to additional savings of up to 50% in energy and they assure a reduction in energy costs of between 20-25%, which automatically translates into lower energy bills whilst the lamp life can also be extended upto 50%", Hayleys Lighting Business unit Manager Janaka Kiridena, said.

"Electronic ballasts are flexible as well, in that present lighting systems need not be upgraded to accommodate them", Kiridena said adding that once used on existing lamps, they give much greater efficiency by saving on unnecessary energy usage.

Philips electronic ballasts come with a host of other benefits too. They enable lower air-conditioning running costs because they dissipate less heat. Ignition is also fast and flicker-free, as the lamp lights up quickly and smoothly. Research that lies behind Philips’ latest lighting innovations confirms that comfortable lighting in workplaces makes employees more alert, motivated, and active, which lead to higher productivity. These considerations are at the heart of Philips’ office and industry lighting solutions.

Having been involved in lighting since 1891, Philips is well experienced on the impact that lighting technology can have on people, work and the environment. Design flexibility in shop and industry lighting, innovative products, in-depth expertise and extensive research, have brought Philips to the forefront of lighting solutions the world over. As the world’s largest supplier of lamp control gear, Philips Lighting has over two decades of experience in developing and producing ballasts for all types of discharge lamps.