As the world’s best tennis players battle it out on the grass courts at Wimbledon fortnight, all of us at DRK Lighting are enjoying the Championships with an extra sense of pride because it was our Remanufacture Division that upgraded all the floodlights on Centre Court.
Bringing New Life to Iconic Lighting
We were approached by ALTEC (All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club), who wanted to choose a more sustainable path by investing in remanufacturing rather than replacement. At DRK Lighting, we carefully stripped down the existing fittings, refurbished and upgraded them using modern LED technology, before rigorously testing them, ready for many more years of service (pun intended).
Among the most significant elements of the project was the remanufacturing of the main floodlights for Centre Court, helping to deliver high-performance lighting for one of the world’s most prestigious sporting venues while dramatically reducing waste and embodied carbon. Over 200 downlights were also remanufactured.
Precision Remanufacturing DRK’s The White Cube Laboratory
Every luminaire was remanufactured in DRK’s The White Cube, our dedicated laboratory, by our expert remanufacturing technicians.
The White Cube is where existing fittings are carefully dismantled, inspected and cleaned before receiving new LED gear trays, drivers and electrical components. Every fitting is then reassembled and fully tested to ensure it meets modern performance and safety standards.
The images show the process from start to finish:
- Original floodlights arriving for refurbishment.
- Engineers carefully dismantle and rebuild each luminaire.
- New LED assemblies being installed.
- Fully remanufactured floodlights are ready for use.
- Installation and commissioning at Centre Court.
It’s meticulous work, but that’s exactly what’s required when the lighting will be on show in front of millions of viewers worldwide.
All remanufacturing was carried out in accordance with our BSI 8887-220 accreditation, extending the life of existing assets.
This option delivered significant operational and environmental benefits, including an estimated:
- 46% reduction in annual energy consumption (71,526 kWh saved)
- £22,888 annual energy cost savings
- 46% reduction in operational carbon emissions
- 10.42 tonnes of embodied CO₂ avoided through remanufacturing existing luminaires rather than replacing them.
Bespoke Downlights with 3D Printed Innovation
Alongside the centre court floodlight remanufacturing, DRK Lighting also supplied remanufactured downlights featuring our own bespoke 3D-printed honeycomb diffusers.
These custom-designed diffusers help improve comfort by reducing glare while maintaining excellent light output. By designing and manufacturing these components in-house, we were able to tailor the solution specifically to the project’s requirements while avoiding unnecessary waste associated with producing entirely new luminaires.
It’s an example of how additive manufacturing can work hand in hand with remanufacturing to deliver highly customised, sustainable lighting solutions.
Sustainability Without Compromise
Remanufacturing is about retaining the value already embodied in existing products and extending lifecycles. At DRK, we light the future with the past.
By refurbishing the original luminaires rather than replacing them, projects can significantly reduce:
- Embodied carbon
- Raw material consumption
- Manufacturing energy
- Waste sent to landfill
At the same time, the upgraded fittings deliver modern LED performance, improved efficiency and long-term reliability.
As the tournament continues, we’ll be cheering on the players and taking quiet satisfaction in seeing remanufacturing taking centre stage.
Interested in remanufacturing your lighting?
Get in touch with DRK Lighting to discover how remanufacturing can extend the life of existing luminaires, reduce embodied carbon and deliver modern lighting performance without compromising on quality.
