COMPANY

Development history:

Lescrauwaet BV was founded in 1990 as a holding company for a number of private limited companies in the industrial engineering sector, and in 1998 became an active CSR operating company specialising in sustainable innovations in horticulture, livestock farming, the housing sector, the construction sector and industry.

Raymond Lescrauwaet, founder and owner of Lescrauwaet BV, has a background in electrical engineering and electromechanics, and over 30 years’ experience with a wide range of innovations in horticulture, livestock farming, construction and industry.

Since 2002, he has been further exploring the electromagnetic spectrum in collaboration with, amongst others, Prof. Prof. Dr. Ir. Michiel Haas (Delft University of Technology) and Eng. Jan Meutzner (European Lighting Expert Association), and in 2012, amongst other things, introduced the Swiss electromagnetic water technology Aqua-4D in combination with earth resistance and EMC measurements in greenhouses, livestock housing, homes and buildings in the Netherlands and Flanders.

During numerous discussions with growers, cultivation advisers and scientists, the great importance of precisely tailored lighting for each crop or plant species – alongside other cultivation aspects – was consistently emphasised. There were also several requests for improvements from, amongst others, livestock farmers, sports hall managers and building owners regarding light intensity, light colour, contrast and luminance.

Based on the information gathered, a development plan was drawn up, after which contact was sought with various relevant institutes, companies and manufacturers. In our own development facility, several small-scale tests were carried out with surprisingly positive results, following which a pilot production facility was built for further development.

Pilot projects were then launched in a number of greenhouses, offices and sports halls. During the indicative on-site light measurements, the differences in luminous intensity and colour temperature between coated and standard reflectors proved, in most cases, convincing to the pilot clients concerned.

Various scratch tests were also carried out after 1, 10, 100 and 1,000 hours of operation to test the wear resistance of the coatings in a range of applications. Cleaning tests were also conducted for the same purpose.

It was subsequently decided to register and protect Reflecoat® coatings through a trade marks agency and to introduce them gradually across the various sectors, collaborating as much as possible with existing market players in the relevant sectors, such as horticulture, livestock farming, the housing sector, the construction sector, industry and public spaces.