Nimbus Group at the Orgatec 2014 – Light meets acoustics

Symbiotic relationships abound in nature. Usually they go unnoticed. Mushrooms, for example, usually live in the forest in symbiosis with other plants. Chanterelles grow near pine trees, fly agarics and birch boletes love the proximity of birches.

The mushroom absorbs carbohydrates from the roots of the tree and gives water and minerals in return, which, thanks to its very fine roots, it is better able to filter from the soil than the tree. Both partners benefit from their relationship.

Occasionally, we from the Nimbus Group also indulge unnoticed in a little tinkering, we enjoy being in the forest, we like mushrooms - at least the edible ones - and now and then we follow nature's example. Like at this year's ORGATEC in Cologne, where, for the very first time, we joined our two exclusive brands, Rosso and Nimbus, in harmonious symbiosis.

While our newest LED floor-standing, suspended and ceiling luminaires provided the light for the all-important photosynthesis in a 140 m² forest of acoustically effective panels, the natural spectacle in the middle of a light-filled glade ran its course, surrounded by bark chips, felt birds and wooden foxes, before it culminated in a trailblazing innovation – a sound-masking LED workplace luminaire. The purpose of sound-masking is mainly to counter the intelligibility of speech which "buzzes around" in open-plan offices and disturbs employees' concentration.

The brands in both fields – light and acoustics – have joined forces in pursuit of innovation and, together with leading research institutes, are developing acoustically effective LED lighting solutions aimed at optimising office design.

There were of course other fantastic highlights besides sound-masking. Rosso presented the newly developed Team Tools workplace organisation range for our featherweight acoustic panels. With eight useful accessories from a whiteboard through to a flower vase, employees can now shape their own individual, tidy and comfortable workplace. Team Tools are simply slotted onto the panels without the use of tools.

For those of you who couldn't make it to our trade fair forest, here is a summary of all the information on our new products and on the subject of sound-masking.

Good hunting.