S4GA, a Polish company specializing in airfield lighting, designs, manufactures, and supplies permanent solar-powered and portable lighting systems for civil airports, military bases, mining operations, air rescue services, private clients, and more. S4GA’s lighting solutions have reached all continents, with over 170 systems delivered to 50+ countries by March 2024.
Interview with Olha Ziniuk, Marketing Manager at S4GA.
Easy Engineering: A brief description of the company and its activities.
Olha Ziniuk: We deliver World’s Safest Runway Lighting.
Among our customers are Fraport (Greece), Avinor (Norway), Malaysia Airports, HIAL (UK), Shell, Chevron, Budeswehr (Germany), Brazilian Air Force, and many others.
E.E: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
O.Z: S4GA offers turn-key airfield lighting projects, including:
- Airfield lighting design
- Equipment manufacturing
- Installation and commissioning
- Personnel training
- Maintenance and after-sales support
E.E: What’s the news about new products/services?
O.Z: Solar airfield lighting is revolutionizing the aviation industry. This solution brings air transportation to previously inaccessible remote locations, creating vast development opportunities for communities and aviation.
E.E: What are the ranges of products/services?
O.Z: Solar airfield lighting: Fixed (permanent), off-grid runway lighting systems powered by solar energy and controlled wirelessly.
Portable airfield lighting: Mobile, temporary runway lighting systems in trailers, offering a “mobile airport in a trailer” solution.
E.E: What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
O.Z: The aviation industry has traditionally been conservative. Since the first wired runway lighting systems were installed in 1917 (in the US), wired systems remained the standard. However, the introduction of solar lights around 15-20 years ago began to shift the landscape.
Today, S4GA’s solar lighting has applications on every continent, with over 170 airports in 50+ countries utilizing S4GA’s fixed (permanent) runway illumination. Traditional wired systems are gradually becoming obsolete. S4GA’s solar airfield lighting is now a global trend and a benchmark for airports worldwide.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
O.Z: As mentioned earlier, S4GA’s solar airfield lighting has become a global trend and a benchmark for domestic, regional, and municipal airports, as well as mining sites worldwide. While solar lighting was initially seen as a novelty ten years ago, it is now a widely adopted standard, implemented and approved by numerous airports globally.
This significant shift from wired to off-grid solar solutions is driven by the key benefits solar offers airports:
- Green technology: Utilizes solar energy, a carbon-free source.
- Simplicity: User-friendly and intuitive operation, requiring minimal training.
- Cost: S4GA solar systems offer significant cost savings (equipment, maintenance, electricity bills) compared to traditional wired systems – up to 70% less.
E.E: What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
O.Z: Solar airfield lighting itself is the most innovative product. It disrupted the long-standing market dominance of wired (conventional) airfield lighting systems used by airports for decades. Currently, off-grid solar solutions are replacing traditional lighting.
E.E: What estimations do you have for the beginning of 2024?
O.Z: As of early 2024, we see a continued global displacement of traditional wired lighting by solar solutions in the regional, domestic, and municipal airport segment. This trend is driven by the clear advantages of S4GA’s solar airfield lighting – green technology, simplicity, and cost-effectiveness.