Contract Manufacturing Case Study

Servicing the Grow Light industry

The significant advantages offered by LED light has caused many companies to replace their traditional lighting systems with LEDs. This is especially the case in the agriculture industry with regard to grow lighting. While not only being environmentally friendly and economically resourceful, LED grow lights increase production and help to lower energy bills by decreasing energy usage and lowering heat production. As LED light technology continues to expand, LED grow lights have the ability to offer more efficient and effective solutions – resulting in more companies making the transition.

With this adoption expansion, many grow light companies are faced with the challenge of ramping up both production and distribution in order to meet market demand. This was exactly the case for one client who approached SabeRex looking for an answer after determining that they did not have the space or personnel to manufacture their lights in-house. Starting with a finished lighting system as well as price quotes on the parts to assemble it, the SabeRex team went about engineering a complete contract manufacturing solution. The following is what SabeRex was able to provide:

• Worked with the client to develop detailed work instructions and a build process in order to scale grow light production.
• Offered suggestions to improve the build process and maximize cost savings.
  • Example: A UV conformal coating needs to be applied evenly across the fixture to protect against moisture damage. SabeRex utilized a black light during the manufacturing of the system to confirm the correct application of the coating without causing any inefficiency in the assembly.
  • Example: Utilized in-house additive manufacturing capabilities to create fixtures that allowed for a quicker, more efficient and highly consistent manufacturing process.
  • Example: In conjunction with the client, SabeRex worked with Austin Reliability Labs (a fellow TyRex Family Company) to develop a heat tunnel, which reduced drying time to allow for a faster cure rate and more efficient throughput.
• Provided packaging solutions for grow light distribution.
  • Example: Based on the client’s needs, SabeRex worked with an outside vendor to design an eco-friendly (recyclable) package solution that would not only protect the grow lights in transit from damage, but also meet optimal size and quantity requirements to minimize freight costs.
• Collaborated with Austin Reliability Labs (ARL) to provide life cycle testing of the grow lights to ensure performance and meet warranty standards.
• Initiated continuous quality improvements throughout the project to ensure overall project success.

In the end, SabeRex was able devise a contract manufacturing solution for grow lighting that efficiently and effectively ramped up production and distribution to meet market demand on the required time table. Additionally, the team was able to accomplish this task while finding significant cost savings without sacrificing quality or safety. For more information on contract manufacturing services or how SabeRex can help you, please contact us.