This December CSA Group opened its new Lighting Center of Excellence in Irvine, Calif. The state-of-the-art facility will provide comprehensive services for lighting manufacturers to help them navigate applicable standards and requirements for LED safety testing and certification, performance testing, global market access, and more. Recently, ALA Director of Marketing Raelle Bell sat down with CSA Group Lighting Center of Excellence Manager KC Fletcher to learn more about the facility and how it will benefit ALA members.  

Raelle Bell: How and why was Southern California chosen as the location for the Center of Excellence?

KC Fletcher: Considered by many as an international hub for the lighting industry, Southern California was strategically selected by CSA Group as the location of the Lighting Center of Excellence for ease and convenience of customers across North America due to its proximity to ports and highways. The new facility directly addresses a need by manufacturers looking for a more streamlined testing, inspection and certification process and faster turnaround times. 

RB: What can ALA manufacturer members expect from the Lighting Center of Excellence? What are some of the benefits of using the facility?

KF: CSA Group’s new Lighting Center of Excellence will provide a comprehensive set of services and technical expertise.  The state-of-the-art facility will house a plethora of test stations for performance testing, safety testing, and IP testing. With direct access to technical experts including certifiers and engineers, customers can expect efficiency, transparency, and personalized customer service. 

RB: What are you most excited about regarding the Center of Excellence? How will it enhance CSA’s offerings and role in the industry?

KF: The new, state-of-the-art facility will centralize and enhance CSA Group’s lighting evaluation services. We have an excellent staff, all of the right tools, and an efficient process to get our customers’ products to market as quickly as possible. CSA Group is at the forefront of advances in lighting testing, especially in the horticultural lighting industry where we’ve developed new characterization methods for spectral ratios and near-field radiometry.

To learn more about the new facility, visit CSA Group’s Lighting Center of Excellence website, call 1-866-797-4272, or email client.services@csagroup.org.  The Lighting Center of Excellence fact sheet includes specific information about the Lighting Center of Excellence and its offerings.