Manufacturer of translucent concrete reaches out to Asia

LCT GesmbH, the manufacturer of translucent concrete, now takes its lighting concepts to Asia as well. Its floor lamps, made of self-compacting concrete (SCC), LEDs, and plastics, are now protected by international patents and utility patents. The company, headquartered in Austria, has moreover realized projects in Europe and Arab countries – and has for the first time been represented at the trade fair Korea Build in South Korea. The opportunities in Thailand are especially promising due to the transportation infrastructure there: the company, in collaboration with Kasetsart University in that country, plans to install the lighting for tunnels and bridges on a test section in the spring.

LCT GesmbH, established in 2010, put out its feelers abroad very early and has already gained a great deal of international experience. In Switzerland, the company has already successfully implemented five projects, in addition to four in Slovenia, one in Serbia, and one in Saudi Arabia. International awards for the Most Innovative Product and for Best Design at the Smart Lighting Summit 2017 in Australia followed. In 2018, LCT was nominated in Germany for the German Brand Award and the German Design Award, and now plans to conquer Asian markets with its already highly advanced technology.

In mid-February, LTC demonstrated the various possible uses of translucent concrete for private and public spheres in the foreign trade center in the Thai metropolis of Bangkok for 80 representatives of contracting authorities and from the construction industry. The company was supported by the Austrian Economic Chamber as well as its two partners System3, importer of LCT products in Thailand, and the important supplier AT Mechatronics Technology GmbH.

Traffic safety in Thailand in focus

In Thailand there is an especially high pent-up demand for traffic safety technology. The country, according to the World Health Organization WHO, has the greatest incidence of deaths, with 32.2 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, most of them traffic deaths. In comparison: in Germany, according to the same statistics, 4.3 deaths per 100,000 per inhabitants were reported.

The translucent concrete specialists got in touch with Kasetsart, Thailand’s largest university, which initiates and vigorously promotes road construction projects. With a street-lighting concept based on Light on Demand and illuminated LightStones installed at the beginning and the end of zebra crossings, translucent concrete technology can improve visibility and, in turn, safety. But there are still other possible uses. Dieter Christandl, one of the two CEOs at LCT, is cooperating with the University’s department for high-speed roads. A test section for making tunnels and bridges safer with translucent concrete will be built in spring already.

South Korea as ideal starting point for Asia

Last month, LCT presented the LightStone jointly with its Korean partner firm Seong HWA Support Co., LTD. (SH Group) at the trade fair Korea Build in Seoul. Alexander Haider, also CEO at LCT, is confident: “Here we have a high-tech market, in particular with regard of the topic of Smart Cities. South Korea and its geographic location and export strength is the ideal starting point for sales as well as production for the APAC region. Thailand and South Korea will be only the starting point. We are planning a broad approach into the entire APAC region and we will prepare the market entry in China from here.”