INTERVIEW WITH AKTO

AKTO is a factory located in Lithuania that specializes in the manufacture of advanced LED lighting solutions for both international and Lithuanian markets. The company was established 10 years ago. Over this period of time, AKTO has developed practicable market know-how, a loyal customer base, and trust. In the last year, the company expanded and increased overall production capacity up to 4 times! This led to a new opportunity – the capability to supply new customer segment: from small and medium-sized to medium and large-sized businesses. Regardless of fast growth, the AKTO team is willing to maintain its root priorities – listening to every customer’s needs and going the extra mile to attain them!

The main customers of the company are lighting planners, manufacturers of luminaries, advertisement signs, household appliances, shopfitting companies. Primary export destinations: Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, The Netherlands, UK, Portugal, France, UAE, Egypt.

AKTO believes that the main key points of long-term customer loyalty are based on the company’s strong care of its clients and the orientation to quality products at reasonable price points. Due to the components of trusted and well-known brands, precise Japanese SMT lines, and a team of skilled employees, who check the quality of the products after every single stage of manufacturing process, AKTO provides at least a 5-year warranty for all products!

Standard AKTO LED modules and flexible LED strips are produced and stored locally which ensures 3-4 working days delivery in Europe and maximally short delivery terms all over the world. Moreover, AKTO engineers are open to develop, design and produce custom-made LED strips and LED modules. They can create a brand new design, fulfilling the specific needs of the client or they can also modify their standard products. Qualified staff and an efficient manufacturing base with one of the most advanced technologies allow AKTO to produce high-quality products and complete orders within 1 to 4 weeks

Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?

AKTO: R&D, design, and manufacture of LED modules, flexible LED strips, flexible LED NEON, and custom LED lighting products. 

E.E: What’s the news about new products?

AKTO: We are always in search of new possibilities to fulfill clients’ needs better, thus standard product assortment is periodically reviewed. Within 2021 we presented a few new releases: completely renewed PREMIUM series flexible LED strips, which have an exclusively 7-year warranty and can be installed in significantly longer lengths without a noticeable voltage drop. Tunable White (CCT) flexible LED strips which you can freely adjust the LED color temperature from 2000K to 6500K were also added to the AKTO product portfolio. The newest release – flexible RGBTW (CCT) LED strips, which can enlighten your surroundings with a wide range of colors as well as with adjustable true white!  

E.E: What are the ranges of products?

AKTO: LED modules – mostly used for the manufacture of panel lights and various shapes of luminaires. 

Flexible LED strips – extensive use of options: for the manufacture of furniture, architectural, accent, edge-lit, cove lighting, etc.

Flexible LED NEON – extensive use of options: for signage, manufacture of furniture, architectural, accent lighting. 

Custom LED lighting products – can be designed to fulfill the specific needs of the client.

E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?

AKTO: We strongly believe that the LED lighting market is still in the growing phase, but the growth rate is definitely slower than it was 10 or 20 years ago, where we could see a drastic increase in the use of LED lighting solutions. This is not surprising, since LED technology is known to be more efficient, longer-lasting, and can be used in a wider variety of areas – from fluorescent and halogen lighting fixtures replacements to costume and accessories design or even special applications for growing plants! Nevertheless, over the last years, technological solutions used in the industry are settling on the market and we could predict that the market is already turning from a highly growing phase to settlement and maturity.

E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?

AKTO: In the earlier days, requests were simpler, customers expected just a source of light. However nowadays clients suppose quality, aesthetics, and high-functionality. SMART lighting solutions, that can match natural human biological clock rhythms, save energy resources are becoming the new standard among both domestic and industrial LED lighting projects.

E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?

AKTO: Talking about innovations, we would not want to single out a specific product, but we can surely agree that mentioned SMART lighting solutions, more accurately – smart lighting systems overall can still surprise in new intelligent ways. Nowadays the market can offer simpler and more complex solutions with a wide variety of sensors that can regulate lighting even without human interaction, help to save time and energy resources. However, we should notice that our company does not implement final projects, we specialize in what we do the best – manufacture of advanced LED lighting products that can be compatible with the newest SMART lighting systems on the market.

E.E: What estimations do you have for 2022?

AKTO: We could say that we are preparing for a challenging year ahead. Firstly, we are keeping in mind potential challenges due to globally ongoing problems in the supply chain of some electronic components. Secondly, we are thinking about the further development of the AKTO production base. Thus generally, challenges await both due to external and internal factors, however, despite the potential difficulties, we see an opportunity for growth!