Fonroche Lighting, a Lot-et-Garonne company specialising in solar-powered public lighting, hopes to reach a turnover of 100 million euros by 2024. 25 million euros of this turnover is generated in the United States. This is just the beginning.
Things will come full circle for Laurent Lubrano when Fonroche Lighting goes to illuminate the village of Rupeni Caucaunibuca on the Fijian island of Vanua Levu. At the turn of the century, Laurent Lubrano was not yet the established General Manager of Fonroche. He was from the SUA rugby club he played for.
“Rup’s” was the UFO of world rugby at the time. A global star. He didn’t have the same software as a “classic” player. He multiplied the attempts and escapes. He forgot to return to Sporting, where he was contracted, at the end of the summer of 2006. That’s why the CEO of Agen decided to go there to explain things to the rare bird of the oval. The journey to the island of Vanua Levu was long, difficult and folkloric… It was unforgettable.
Fonroche street lights in 45 American states
Laurent Lubrano has been on the plane many times since this incredible event. But this time we will be managing Fonroche Lighting. The solar public lighting specialist is located at Technopôle Agen-Garonne in Sainte-Colombe-en-Bruilhois. There is no better company on the planet than Lot-et-Garonnaise. It is a leader in its sector.
The La Paz viaduct in Colombia, a parking lot in Andalusia, the Piera road in Greece, a residence in Casablanca, Senegal, Santiago de Chile, Italy, Switzerland, Benin, etc., Fonroche plants its flag everywhere. But there is one country where development promises to be magnificent: the USA. The average basket has 13 to 14 street lights. In France, this number is 7.
Today, there are Fonroche street lights in 45 states in the USA. 270 municipalities are customers, including Las Vegas, San Antonio, Denver, Philadelphia, New York (where Fonroche lights are located in the heart of Manhattan). In Las Vegas, for example, solar street lights were installed to prevent theft of copper wires that would leave entire neighborhoods in the dark. “These solar solutions, which require neither underground network nor electricity, not only reduce costs, but also reduce the dependence on already overloaded electricity networks,” emphasizes Laurent Lubrano.
Space Port parking lot lighting
Fonroche has installed solar power systems in isolated areas in San Antonio, providing a sustainable and self-sufficient solution for neighborhoods that have long lacked adequate lighting. And then there’s its flagship project in Fort Worth (read our box).
Fonroche hopes to reach a turnover of 100 million euros this year. 25 million euros are produced in the US. It already has prestigious private American clients such as Virgin Galactic. The lighting for the Spaceport parking lots, the starting point for space tourism and trips to the Moon, was designed by Fonroche.
In July 2023, the headquarters of the company founded by Yann Maus was opened with great fanfare. It is considered the world’s largest center for solar street lighting. A revenge…
In 2010, the government president, François Fillon, declared a moratorium on new solar panel projects. The Maus-Lubrano duo are part of the photovoltaic panel. They had to go outside. They had an idea: to make solar-powered street lights. A brilliant idea.
Fort Worth, flagship project
Fonroche Lighting continues to be a leader in solar street lighting in the United States with ambitious projects like the one in Fort Worth, Texas. The flagship project installs approximately 3,500 solar lights in the city’s southern neighborhoods, particularly in historically disadvantaged areas, the company says. “The goal is to promote equitable urban rehabilitation while providing a sustainable and affordable lighting solution,” says director Laurent Lubrano.
Fonroche says SmartLight technology will allow Fort Worth to save on infrastructure costs, avoid trenching and heavy construction, and install it all in less than 18 months. “With this solution, the city hopes to not only modernize its lighting fleet, but also improve safety in areas that previously lacked adequate light coverage.”
The American adventure began in September 2019 with the announcement of the acquisition of Solar One. Founded in Massachusetts in 2004, Solar One had relocated to Boston. It was a pioneer of solar street lighting in the United States. “That’s when we put our technology into practice,” says Laurent Lubrano.
