Beka-Schréder delivers advanced lighting solutions to a Mpumalanga coal mine. Beka-Schréder, a leader in innovative lighting, recently partnered with Womsebenzi, the EC&I contractor, to deliver robust, energy-efficient lighting systems for a major coal mining operation in Mpumalanga. The project saw the deployment of locally designed and manufactured luminaires tailored to meet stringent technical requirements, ensuring exceptional lumen-per-watt efficiency and optimal performance across diverse operational zones. Conveyor systems: superior illumination and safety To illuminate the mine's extensive conveyor systems, the project utilised LEDNOVA-MINI industrial luminaires. Engineered for rigorous environments, these luminaires reduce both energy consumption and maintenance needs while delivering excellent photometric performance. Their versatility makes them suitable not only for mining but also for oil and gas refineries, manufacturing facilities, and other heavy-duty applications. Certain LEDNOVA models are also available for hazardous locations requiring specific safety certifications. Adjacent to the conveyors, LEDLUME 3 streetlights were installed to light access roads. Known for their high efficiency, flexibility, and low total cost of ownership, LEDLUME luminaires offer tailored light distributions, ensuring both energy savings and optimal visibility. Transfer towers and structures: ensuring safe operations Staircases in the transfer towers are now equipped with LEDNOVA-MIDI bulkhead luminaires, providing uniform illumination that enhances personnel safety. For general-area lighting, LEDFLOOD floodlights were chosen for their durable marine-grade construction and suitability for harsh outdoor conditions. Inside the transfer towers, a combination of BEKA VAPOURLINE industrial LED luminaires and LEDNOVA-MINI bulkheads ensures reliable, glare-free light. BEKA VAPOURLINE, specifically, offers a robust LED alternative to traditional fixtures, featuring strong resistance to shock, vibration, dust, and moisture - ideal for challenging industrial settings. Together, these lighting solutions create safer, more efficient transfer structures, boosting visibility and operational productivity. Underground tunnels and haulages: long-lasting performance For underground tunnels and haulages, the mine adopted BEKA VAPOURLINE and ROUGHGUARD vandal-resistant linear LED luminaires. ROUGHGUARD, designed for industrial and corrosive environments, combines durability with efficient lighting, providing consistent illumination while resisting corrosion and physical impact. Substations & roads: reliable lighting for critical areas Substation interiors are illuminated by BEKA VAPOURLINE luminaires, while exteriors feature BEKABULK bulkhead luminaires. BEKABULK offers efficiency and vandal resistance and is certified for use in potentially explosive environments, making it ideal for underground mining routes and hazardous locations. For mine roadways, LEDLUME 1 luminaires were installed, delivering reliable, energy-efficient lighting to ensure safe passage throughout the site. Conclusion: lighting the path to a safer, more efficient mine The comprehensive deployment of Beka-Schréder's locally manufactured luminaires has provided the mine with a durable, energy-saving, and sustainable lighting solution. Each product was carefully selected to withstand the demanding conditions of modern mining, ensuring safety, reliability, and peak performance throughout the facility. Beka-Schréder remains committed to supporting South Africa's mining sector with advanced lighting technologies that drive productivity, lower energy costs, and enhance operational safety.

Schréder acquires smart cities technology company. Acquisition expands global capabilities in sensing, analytics, and connected infrastructure. Schréder Group has acquired EdgeMachines, an Australian specialist in low-power urban sensing and edge AI, folding the company into its broader smart cities platform. The announcement arrived last week from Brussels, not from the Belgian manufacturer's North American division - a geographic signal worth noting in an outfit that has otherwise been on an acquisition sprint across the U.S. lighting market. EdgeMachines developed StreetNet, a platform that turns existing lighting infrastructure into a data-gathering network. Cameras, microphones, and environmental sensors embedded in luminaires feed real-time information on traffic, parking, occupancy, and air quality back to a central dashboard. All processing happens on the device itself, a privacy-first design that avoids transmitting raw video off-site. The technology is already live in more than 20 cities across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Logan, Australia is tracking vehicle speed and pedestrian counts. Oeiras, Portugal is monitoring crowd movement and air quality. Cities embrace it partly because it stacks onto poles they already own, sidestepping the capital intensity of building new sensor networks from scratch.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Here in the U.S., Schréder's North American organization has not signaled immediate plans to deploy EdgeMachines tech in the U.S. market. When asked whether the platform would roll out domestically, the company said no immediate plans exist. That does not mean the company is absent from smart cities work stateside - Schréder NA already markets smart poles products through its existing portfolio. This move follows Schréder's acquisition blitz in North America. Since 2024, the company has bought Ligman Lighting USA and NLS Lighting, both aimed at deepening market share in architectural and utilitarian outdoor categories. Those deals are straightforward portfolio plays - adding brands, expanding coverage, increasing scale. The EdgeMachines acquisition operates on a different axis. It is a technology bet made by the parent company in Europe, tested internationally, and not yet committed to the North American market. For lighting people watching Schréder's U.S. trajectory, the question is whether smart cities sensing will eventually follow the company's branded products stateside, or remain a separate, globally deployed initiative.