Wisconsin Lighting Lab, Inc. (WiLL) in Fond du Lac, which specializes in high-output LED lighting, professional-grade light poles and wireless lighting controls, launched the GFX wireless controls system 18 months ago and has seen a steady increase in sales over the last year.
The lighting and entertainment software and control system allows users to present dynamic, color-changing light shows, with or without music, using a simple touchscreen control or mobile app.
WiLL co-founder and President Adam Rupp says the system is currently used primarily in athletic lighting — from sports fields to gymnasiums — and architectural lighting. It has also been getting interest from warehouse and industrial customers.
“You wouldn’t really think of an entertainment system as part of a factory experience, but we have a couple larger brands that want to purchase the system for product releases and product showcases,” Rupp says. “You can turn the whole inside of a factory your company colors, and it creates a lot of excitement for tours and walkthroughs. It’s essentially like going to a concert.”
In addition to adding a “wow” factor to an athletic field or factory floor, the system offers practical use implications with automated scheduling capabilities.
“We worked with a soccer club here in Fond du Lac so every night during the summer the system turns on and off on a schedule. Kids are able to use the soccer field and facility without a coach,” Rupp says. “It allows them to make use of the investment and not have to hire additional maintenance staff.”
WiLL has recently worked with Tuscola High School in central Illinois and Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Wauwatosa to upgrade their sports facilities using the GFX wireless controls system, bringing a little bit of the big time to youth sports.
“This technology has been available to professional stadiums and large college complexes for a while, but we are trying to provide that technology without any compromises to small American ball fields and high schools,” Rupp says. “It becomes a cool asset for a community.”
