History

Ushio Germany looks back on a long history. Founded in 1968 as BLV Licht- und Vakuumtechnik GmbH, the company introduced a variety of innovative products to the market and became one of the leading manufacturers for specialized lighting solutions worldwide.

In 1990, the company was acquired by Ushio Inc., Japan, a world leader in highly specialized industrial lighting applications.

With the change of name from BLV to Ushio Germany GmbH in 2021, the company  further underlines its global reach and its intent to use worldwide resources even more intensively in the future and to further advanced research and development of innovative lighting solutions.

BLV remains as an independent brand for sports facility lighting within Ushio Germany GmbH. Our well-known and trusted horticultural label HORTURION® will now be marketed under the brand name Ushio.

Our milestones

2021      The company is renamed Ushio Germany GmbH. BLV will contunue to operate as an independent brand for sports facility lighting within Ushio Germany. The products for horticulture lighting, the HORTURION series, is marketed under the Ushio brand.

2020      BLV presents the world’s first HPS 1150 W with 2,400 μmol/s for the hortiulture lighting business

2018      Celebration of the 50th anniversary of BLV

2013      New standards in plant growth lighting: BLV introduces a 10% more efficient HPS lamp with 2.1 μmol/Ws

2005      BLV expands its product portfolio of high-pressure sodium lamps through the acquisition of the Polish company NATRIUM S.A.

1991      DIN ISO 9001 certification – BLV is the first light source manufacturer worldwide to receive this certification

1990      Takeover of BLV by Ushio Inc., Japan, today a world market leader in highly specialised industrial exposure applications

1987      BLV starts production of metal halide lamps (MH) for professional general lighting

1984      Takeover of Reinhold Eggers GmbH and expansion of the business area of special components in the field of special wires and electrodes

1982      BLV adds cold-light reflector lamps to its manufacturing programme

1976      BLV launches its first high-pressure discharge lamp (HPS)

1969      BLV presents its first own halogen floodlight lamp at the Hanover Fair

1968      Foundation of BLV: Bayerische Licht- und Vakuumtechnik GmbH with the production focus on halogen lamps