INCEPTOR (noun)
in.cep.tor
Definition
1. One that begins or introduces
Latin.~ Pioneer.
The Beginning
In 2011 the now ubiquitous light-source that is The LED (Light Emitting Diode) - was still scarcely adopted by most mass-manufacturers of domestic and commercial lighting in the UK.
Scolmore International sought to exploit this emerging technology and build upon its tremendously successful range of fire-rated downlights (FlameGuard®) by developing their first Integrated LED downlight.
Launched in November 2012; The Inceptor combined the core strengths of its predecessors (FlameGuard) and the hugely successful Flow® system (a system of fast-fit electrical connectors) with a powerful, new and vastly more efficient LED light source.
The Inceptor would prove to live up to its name, bringing Scolmore into the new age of lighting and leading the way for what would become one of Scolmore International's biggest areas of growth over the coming decade.
Today
In 2020 the Inceptor brand continues to lead the way for Scolmore's lighting division, now governed by its dedicated lighting branch; OVIA (www.OVIAuk.com).
The brand represents Scolmore's premium range of lighting products, not just for downlights, but for all Domestic, Commercial & Industrial lighting products too.
Wherever you see the Inceptor brand, you can guarantee the product goes above and beyond industry norms to deliver cutting-edge performance, outstanding product support and the best user-experience on the market.
A Career and a Brand in the making
I began my design career at Scolmore International, fresh from University (bar a brief tour of the Americas) in 2011.
Initially, I was carrying out small CAD tasks and investigative projects, but it wasn't long until I was handed my first major design brief; to create a Fire-Rated LED downlight with built-in Flow® connector. That was November 1st 2011.
Precisely 1 year later, on the 1st November 2012, the first stock of Inceptor landed at the loading bay of its UK Headquarters ready to be stacked, front and centre, in anticipation of an imminent launch.
It was an immediate success finding its place on Electrical wholesalers' shelves up and down the country. A success due in-part to a uniquely user-tailored design which kept the installer in-mind at every interactive step.
In 2013 The Inceptor was nominated for several Electrical Industry awards, taking home a "highly commended" badge for the UK Electrical Indutry Awards and was a finalist in Northern Irelands Electrical awards for Innovative Lighting Product.
Inspiration: A design for electricians, by an electrician('s son)
I don't mean inspiration as an abstract concept; it's not as though anybody has ever asked "Dan, What was your inspiration for designing this downlight?". My job required that I designed a product which met the brief and I just did my job.
However, I do believe that inspiration played a role in this product's success, particularly because of where that inspiration came from... My Dad.
However, I do believe that inspiration played a role in this product's success, particularly because of where that inspiration came from... My Dad.
I have a whole post to write about Dad and his influences on my career - but the short of it is that - through the years working alongside him, I learned more than just what he did. I learned about how he did it and what he struggled with, day-to-day. And as I would come to learn through my design education at university; the best designs solve real problems.
When I got this brief and began to design, I was able to picture Dad and I installing it; in a front room of a house, in a hotel corridor, a pub or a college canteen, and I could envision what problems we'd likely run into.
I recalled in-particular, an old Victorian house that we worked on together and it's fragile and awkwardly shallow ceiling void. This is what directly inspired the patented "Flip-Over" driver, which seemed to go down a storm with contractors at the time.
Growth by Shrinking
In 2013, following a year of success for The Inceptor range and introduction of the brand into the marketplace, commercial pressures were already mounting. A new brief was drawn-up to push the brand into more competitive markets. A new product was required that could be produced, shipped and stocked more efficiently, in order to save cost compared to its competitors.
I designed the Inceptor Micro to capitalise on some of the more successful elements of the first two models but also set about to reduce the product's footprint in a number of ways.
Advances in LED technology were occurring rapidly at this time and we were able to significantly decrease the size of some key components such as the driver and heat sink.
With the reduction in size of the heat sink I was able to free-up space to create a pivoting gimbal inside the steel housing of the product. This would turn out to become the world's first Fire-Rated downlight that could function with both Fixed and Adjustable bezels on the same unit.
This aspect was unique enough to be granted a Patent which helped the company to capitalise on an feature which allowed it to stock a reduced number of unique SKU's saving space in both containers and warehouses.
Small but mighty!
In 2018 The Inceptor brand made its way back onto the Electrical Industry Awards Finalist list. This time, with the Inceptor Nano 5; a range of premium Fire-Rated 5W LED downlights.
Among the most compact in its class, the Inceptor Nano would again reduce the physical footprint of the fire-rated downlight and bring with it a number of appealing features for installers and end-users.
The Nano continued to utilise Scolmore's successful Flow connectors, but for the first time in an Inceptor Product the light output face shifted from a multi-point to a single-point light source and a facetted lens was used to create the effect of the popular halogen reflector lamp.
Omni - "All"
The most recent addition to the range is the Inceptor Omni which built upon the success of the Micro by adding some refining features; a curved front-edge and canted cable-grip to aid installation into the ceiling, an Insulation support bracket and a CCT adjustment switch. Combined with the Flow connector and interchangeable Fixed and Adjustable bezels makes The Inceptor Omni perhaps the most well-equipped Fire-Rated downlight on the market today.
Ever-Growing Efficacy
In 2012 the original Inceptor surpassed the industry standards of the day boasting 50 Lumens per Watt. Today the Omni and Nano ranges continue to do so by delivering over 70 Lumens per Watt. Since its inception, the range has helped its users and the country reduce its energy consumption by bringing the typical lighting bill down by over 80% compared to traditional halogen and incandescent lighting.
