03 May Fluence Bioengineering Acquired by OSRAM
Since Randy and I founded Fluence Bioengineering in 2013, the company has gone through a series of transformations to achieve our goal of moving the world to a more sustainable form of crop production. In 2013, we launched a custom lighting business to manufacture custom spectrum LED solutions for photobiology and horticulture research institutions. Then in 2014 we started designing lighting systems for the commercial horticulture industry. 2015 was a breakthrough year, as we introduced our current LED product portfolio which enabled the world’s largest greenhouses and indoor farms to move away from legacy lighting products (typically HPS and fluorescent).
A paradigm shift was happening, but only when you look back can you see it unfold with such clarity.
And yet with everything we have accomplished, there is still so much to do. Today marks the biggest transformation in our company’s history with our acquisition by OSRAM. Upon closing, Fluence will be positioned within the OSRAM Professional and Industrial Applications segment in the Specialty Lighting business unit – bridging Fluence leadership in LED-based horticulture lighting systems with OSRAM expertise in lighting technologies, sensors and connectivity. Fluence will lead the digital farming industry as we deliver intelligent plant growth solutions to growers around the world who use our systems to become more efficient and more profitable.
Today’s news marks a new era for our existing and prospective customers, as well as for the countless friends and industry partners we have met during the last five years. Not only will we continue to develop the renowned solutions which helped us become the leading provider of LED-based lighting solutions in North America, but we now have a very capable partner who will help us deliver even more sophisticated products and services to a global market.
While I am excited for our company and our partnership with OSRAM, I am most excited about the solutions which will be developed via the Fluence/OSRAM collaboration. This partnership was forged to create a stronger Fluence, which starts on the foundation we built over the past five years and we have no plans of changing how our customers and partners operate with Fluence. I look forward to sharing more details about the relationship in the near future.
Nick Klase, Co-Founder and CEO
Fluence Bioengineering