Illuminating Innovation: Julie Clark’s Vision for Savage Lighting
In an industry where adaptability and creativity are paramount, Julie Clark, Managing Director of Savage Lighting, has carved a niche for herself as a trailblazer in marine lighting solutions. With over two decades of experience, Julie’s journey reflects her commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation. Under her leadership, Savage Lighting has not only navigated the challenges of a rapidly evolving market but has also embraced opportunities for growth and collaboration. In this interview, Julie shares her insights on the company’s journey, the importance of customer relationships, and her vision for the future of marine lighting.
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Career Journey: Can you share your career journey and what led you to your current role as Managing Director at Savage Lighting?
After leaving school with minimal qualifications, I had my first daughter at a young age. I decided to go back to school while being a young mum to study accounting. Shortly after two years, I realised that being an accountant was not for me, so I pursued further education in business and sales. I worked for various banks, large utility corporations, and IT companies before settling into self-employment, where I helped small businesses by implementing procedures and sales pipelines—from initial inquiries to following up on sales, accounts, payroll, and basically all administrative duties.
That’s when I received a call from a contact for whom I had done some previous work, asking if I could help a small, relatively new company that had only a team of three people for around six months. That was 23 years ago! I was informed that the office lady was due to go on maternity leave in about four weeks, so she would help show me the ropes. However, as babies do, hers decided to arrive the next day, so it was sink or swim time. Luckily, I have always been a good swimmer!
I had to navigate around the products while implementing procedures and dealing with customer inquiries. I am sure I drove the production manager insane with my constant questions. However, I soon started to learn the products, build relationships, and double the turnover within the first year. After six years, I was presented with the opportunity to acquire shares. In 2007, I became a shareholder and managing director. After various business partners—some retired and some simply did not work out—I became the sole owner in 2021 and have never looked back!
Company Overview: Savage Lighting has a strong reputation in the marine lighting industry. Can you provide an overview of the company’s history and its core areas of expertise?
Savage Marine is known for its high-quality products. We offer a full turnkey bespoke service, as we engineer everything in-house. This capability enables us to create products as specified or desired by our clients. We work closely with interior designers, architects, owner teams, installers, and the shipyards.
Product Innovation: Savage Lighting is known for its high-quality, customisable lighting solutions. What drives your innovation, and how do you stay ahead of trends in the marine lighting industry?
With dedicated in-house designers, R&D, and product engineers, we create and introduce new products and services. We constantly look at trends and the latest technologies that are new to the market or represent a substantial and novel iteration of an existing product. We listen to what our clients require and produce in-house from the initial concept through to the finished products.
We are continuously seeking improvements in components and materials, technical specifications, and other functional characteristics such as ease of installation and maintenance. Technology has advanced significantly over the last two decades. We now produce lighting that cleanses the area and kills bacteria, as well as lighting that works with the human circadian rhythm, helping our brains be more alert and productive.
Lighting has always been an essential tool to help us see when it’s dark, but it is now also available to enhance our mental well-being and clean our spaces.
Sustainability Initiatives: Sustainability is a growing concern across industries. How is Savage Lighting incorporating sustainable practices in its products and operations?
Savage Marine prides itself on minimising waste. We use fully recyclable metals to produce our products and offer a refurbishment service—why replace when you can refurbish? For example, if a client wishes to upgrade from an old halogen system to LED and some parts of their existing fittings are still usable, we can offer a full restoration and upgrade service, thereby minimising waste. We can also manufacture to suit existing cutouts, which eliminates the need for replacement overheads.
Additionally, we look at using recycled ocean waste materials in our manufacturing processes wherever possible. We are also set to have a new facility in 2026, and sustainability will be key to the design and build of the new headquarters.
Customer Relationships: How does Savage Lighting ensure that it meets the specific needs of its diverse clientele, especially in such a niche market?
The superyacht world is a global industry, but it is also a very small community. I have always prided myself on offering the utmost level of service to our clients. I listen to what the clients want and deliver a first-class service along with a first-class product. Yes, we are all human, and errors can sometimes happen, but we will always rectify any issues. This commitment has earned us an excellent reputation within the industry and repeat business from our clients for over 20 years.
Technological Integration: How does Savage Lighting leverage the latest technologies in the design and manufacturing of its products?
Lighting has changed significantly over the last two decades. When I first started, it was a simple halogen bulb that could either be turned on or off or dimmed using mostly a standard pot coil dimmer. The introduction of LEDs dramatically changed this landscape. LEDs outperform traditional forms of lighting, such as incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. They produce a much brighter light, contain no mercury (making 95% of the bulb recyclable), and have a lifespan of around 50,000 hours.
Now, we can change colours with the push of a button or a voice command, integrate lighting into our music, control it via Wi-Fi apps, and set scenes— the possibilities are endless. When it comes to product development, Savage Lighting ensures that their products have full technical functionality, allowing seamless integration with all high-end control systems.
Strategic Partnerships: Can you discuss some of the strategic partnerships Savage Lighting has developed and how these collaborations have influenced the company’s growth?
With ever-changing technologies, it made perfect sense to collaborate with some of the industry’s leaders. As a manufacturer, we were approached by Crestron to develop a new range of fittings using the Crestron DMX C. We now have a full range of fully addressable fittings. These fixtures, utilising Crestron DMX, come with a built-in program for the circadian rhythm, allowing for ease of colour change. Using these on artwork or fine pieces can truly bring the colours to life.
They are easy to install, with no need for individual circuits, as all are addressable. This also gives clients complete control, enabling us to change the cluster of fittings at any time without the need to rewire—simply by changing the app.
In addition, we have collaborated with VYV Technology to create a range of fittings using their UV-Free Antimicrobial LED Technology, which kills viruses, bacteria, fungi, and mould on surfaces. Not only does this help control and eliminate viruses, including COVID-19, but it also reduces the need for harsh chemicals, making it more sustainable for the environment.
Collaborating with both of these companies has opened up a world of opportunities for Savage Lighting, including in the hospitality, residential, healthcare, and food preparation industries. Additionally, we work with key control experts like Crest System and MP Technical Solutions, which enables us to provide a fully experienced team for a complete lighting solution.
Challenges in the Industry: The lighting industry, especially for marine applications, faces unique challenges. What are the main challenges Savage Lighting encounters, and how are they addressed?
Without a doubt, being a UK manufacturer exporting to the EU has brought some of the biggest challenges with Brexit. To enable us to trade seamlessly with our clients, we opened a European office in 2021. Additionally, the ongoing crises from wars have resulted in a downturn in new builds over the last couple of years. However, the refit market remains buoyant for us.
With our ability to manufacture and adapt our products for existing systems, we maintain a competitive edge in the refit market. There is no doubt that there is more competition in the industry; therefore, we must stay ahead by innovating, listening, and offering excellent products along with outstanding service.
Future Growth: What are your plans for the future of Savage Lighting in terms of expansion, innovation, and market presence?
We have some very exciting expansion plans for Savage. With the recent award of planning permission for a new sustainable headquarters, which we hope to complete by 2026, we will be able to expand our engineering department, establish a new R&D technology centre, and create an in-house exhibition space. With our diversification into new markets, the future looks very bright!
Leadership Philosophy: What is your leadership philosophy, and how do you guide your team to uphold Savage Lighting’s standards of quality and innovation?
I always encourage everyone to be self-aware, have respect for each other, and maintain a vision that looks beyond today. Collaboration is essential for forming the best team. Additionally, I believe in being passionate about what you do, having courage, and demonstrating resilience.
