Narva Australias Proud Association With the German Company

SYDNEY – May 31, 2010: Today NARVA is a household name throughout this part of the world, particularly within the automotive, transport and mining circles. The association of the NARVA name with Australian company Brown & Watson International goes back more than 25 years and as the German company based in Plauen celebrates its 60th birthday, it is a double celebration of remarkable growth and a prospering trading relationship.

NARVA Germany was founded in East Germany at the end of world war two with the fortunate discovery of old OSRAM machinery in an abandoned textile factory where lamp manufacturing for general lighting was once conducted. The business began with 190 employees working out of a 500 square metre production facility.

Within a few short years the company added the production of automotive lamps to its range and quickly established itself as a player in automotive lighting for the aftermarket industry, particularly in Eastern Europe.

The new brand NARVA was first registered in 1957 and reflects some of the necessary materials and processes required to develop a quality globe: N for Nitrogen, AR for Argon and VA for Vacuum.

By this time the company had grown to employ more than 1000 workers with an ever increasing product range of over 560 different types of globes. Rapidly NARVA became known as a quality manufacturer capable of producing both industrial and automotive lamps.

A significant step forward occurred in 1966 with the development of the quartz-iodine globe. With it came brighter, whiter light along with increased life expectancy thanks to its ability to withstand far greater temperatures. Following this saw the dawning of the age of halogen technology and with it the H4 halogen globe.

1974 through to1987 was a period of series production of halogen vehicle globes utilizing quartz glass plus the development by NARVA of tempered-glass technology, and in 1987 the production of miniature halogen globes commenced.

In the middle of these significant developments, first contact was made between Narva and Brown & Watson International located in Melbourne, Australia. It was the beginnings of a long and successful relationship that has gone from strength to strength over the past 25 years.

Today Brown and Watson International own and operate the NARVA trademark in Australia and New Zealand and are the sole distributors of NARVA globes throughout Australasia with offices and representation in each state of Australia and in New Zealand.

Over a period of 10 years, Narva Plauen has invested heavily in the construction of new buildings, warehousing and machinery to handle the ever expanding range and the continuing growth of the company. Advancements in globe technologies have seen the company’s exports grow to 65% with sales to 71 countries around the globe.

With the falling of the Berlin wall a new partnership between NARVA Germany and PHILIPS began. During this time 75% of the entire production was made up of vehicle and miniature globes with the remaining 25% consisting of projector and special bulbs for traditional lamps, headlights and projectors. Today NARVA Germany is a wholly owned division of PHILIPS and part of the world’s largest electronics corporation.

The close relationship established more than 25 years ago between NARVA Plauen and the independent Australian company Brown and Watson International continues to prosper with record NARVA sales and continual product development setting the benchmark for globe quality and range throughout Australasia.