Lighting “Made in Germany”: Heroes, bankruptcies and the current boom

Are we on the threshold of great enlightenment or are we descending into the darkness of world politics? Regardless of which side you are on, one trend is unmistakable: 

More and more people prefer local, German or European products again!

This focus on regional quality is particularly evident in an area that is often underestimated in everyday life: lighting. The question “Which lamp alternatives from Germany are there?” leads directly into an exciting story of pioneering work, scandals, crises and a surprising comeback. 

This article is about the German lamp industry from the development of the incandescent lamp to the latest lamp innovations. It's about companies that have been bringing light into our world for over a hundred years, about inventors who have turned night into day, and about new players who are completely reshaping an old industry with LEDs, AI and sustainability. “Made in Germany” is more than a seal of origin in the lighting industry – it stands for precision and the attempt to make light smarter, healthier and more environmentally friendly. 

 

The first German lamp factories

The golden age of the lamp industry in Germany began at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1904, Adolf Berrenberg, a former employee of Thomas Edison, and his partners founded the Radium-Lamp factory in Wipperfürth. This work is still considered today the oldest still active lamp manufacturer in Germany. 

Back then, electric light was a technological miracle. In the decades that followed, Radium developed tungsten wires, double-filament lamps and high-pressure mercury vapor lamps that bathed streets, industrial facilities and sports facilities in a previously unknown bright light. The fact that the plant survived two world wars, inflation, currency reforms and technological upheavals and still exists in 2026 with around 230 employees shows how tough the German lighting industry was and still is today. 

Shortly after radium, a name appeared that is still associated with light today: Osram. In 1906, the German Gasglühlicht-Anstalt, the Auer-Gesellschaft, registered the trademark with the Imperial Patent Office in Berlin. The name Osram was composed of the elements osmium and tungsten, which at the time were considered a beacon of hope for robust and efficient filaments. 

In the 1920s, Osram began to shape the world market not only with technical innovations, but also with a previously unknown industrialization of light. Standardized lamp lines made light bulbs interchangeable and reliable. Halogen lamps, compact fluorescent lamps and later LEDs were invented here. In the 1960s, Osram held around 40 percent of the global lamp market.

Today, after being taken over by the Austrian ams AG, the company operates as ams OSRAM on. It is still based in Munich and is a leading global player in the areas of optoelectronics, automotive lighting and smart lighting solutions - from digital car headlights to connected street lamps. 

 

The competition in the lamp shop

In parallel to these giants, numerous other brands emerged in Germany that shaped the image of the local lighting industry. NARVA, founded in 1912, was long synonymous with fluorescent tubes and everyday lamps from the GDR and later from all of Germany. The brand went in TRILUX on, a company that has transformed itself from a classic lamp manufacturer into a provider of complex lighting systems. 

The entrepreneur Rüdiger Paulmann started out thinking differently: “In the basement with decorated light bulbs”. What sounds modest has developed rapidly. Until the end of the 1980s Paulman Market leader in recessed lighting. Later, LED strips, rail systems and smart home lights were added, which are now used in many living rooms, Kitchens and Gardens hang and shine all over Europe. 

 

The tough fight for survival 

In the 1990s and 2000s, the industry encountered globalized competition with full force. Chinese manufacturers flooded the market with extremely affordable lamps. While Japanese and Korean corporations invested aggressively in LED research, parts of German industry continued to rely on the supposedly proven fluorescent and halogen technologies for too long. 

Digitalization, the triumph of the Internet and online retail not only changed sales channels, but also customer expectations. Prices became more comparable, brand loyalty waned and For many consumers, the mere wording “Made in Germany” was no longer enough as a selling point. 

Several high-profile bankruptcies occurred during this phase. Names like Grundig or Schaub-Lorenz are examples of traditional brands whose factories have been closed and whose once proud logos can now only be found in collector forums or vintage markets. In addition, the ban on light bulbs was gradually introduced across the EU from 2009, which meant the final death knell for companies that had missed the boat technologically and did not have a competitive LED portfolio. 

But where old structures break down, space arises for new ideas. This is exactly where the current revival of the German lighting industry begins. The starting position in 2026 is different than it was twenty or thirty years ago. Social pressure towards sustainability has increased significantly. 

Energy efficiency is no longer a nice additional option, but a political, ecological and economic necessity. On the other hand, the smart home has found its way into everyday life. Light is no longer just switched on and off, but controlled, programmed, integrated into scenes and linked to sensors. 

 

New ways and innovations

German lamp manufacturers have impressively repositioned themselves. TRILUX For example, has developed from a lighting manufacturer to a lighting system provider and equips complete Office building, logistics centers and production halls with networked LED lines. Modern TRILUX systems dynamically adapt their color temperature to the biological rhythm of the people working under them: in the morning, cooler, activating light supports concentration, and in the afternoon, warmer light helps to reduce stress levels. The effect of such “Human Centric Lighting” concepts has been well studied: They improve well-being, reduce error rates and can even have a positive effect on sleep quality and mood. 

Another example of industry reinvention is LEDVANCE. The company emerged from Osram's consumer lighting division and focuses heavily on LED lamps and lights for consumers. From classic E27 bulbs with app control to more complex lighting systems. At the Light + Building 2026 trade fair, the company even presented AI-based floodlights that recognize people and objects, adapt to daylight conditions and are controlled by gestures.

 

Special lamps from Germany – it’s the niche that counts!

The company founded in 1919 HELLUM is today the only German manufacturer that produces fairy lights in significant quantities. Anyone who values ​​long-lasting, repairable and visually appealing Christmas and decorative lighting will find an alternative to disposable lights from Asia, which usually give up the ghost after two seasons. 

Kent Leuchten, for example, relies on flexible systems that use an app to put themselves in different scenes: from work lighting to lighting for a movie night to lighting for a meditative quiet zone. Magnetic rails, modularly interchangeable spots and integration into common smart home standards such as Matter make the system particularly adaptable for homes and offices whose use changes frequently. 

Highly specialized manufacturers are also emerging in Germany in the professional sector: mawa design from Brandenburg develops lighting systems for museums, churches, libraries and high-quality hotels. This often involves soft, glare-free light that respects works of art rather than outshining them, or light that subtly emphasizes architectural details. 

 

“Made in Germany” vs. global competition

What is remarkable is how much the German lighting industry is now focusing on these issues Climate protection, resource conservation and circular economy explains. In addition, many German manufacturers today make sure to design lights in such a way that they are repairable, drivers and LED modules remain replaceable and the housings are made of recyclable materials such as aluminum or glass. In addition, there are long availability periods for spare parts - often ten years or more. This clearly distinguishes them from cheap products that have to be completely replaced after a defect. Against the background of growing mountains of electronic waste, this philosophy is becoming increasingly important. 

From an international perspective, there are clear differences. Italian brands like Flos or Artemide are famous for their emotional, often sculptural designs. Your products tell stories through shape, material and lighting. German manufacturers, on the other hand, traditionally place more emphasis on functionality, precise technology and standard-compliant lighting. 

China, on the other hand, is dominated by mass manufacturers whose lamps are particularly notable for their low price, but often have a significantly shorter lifespan. In the USA, companies like Cree are known for their technologically ambitious LED developments, but European sustainability standards usually play a lesser role there.

 

The future of the German lighting industry

“Made in Germany” could soon become a seal again that will also have a name in the lighting industry worldwide. The LED market in this country continues to grow at an annual rate of eight to ten percent. At the same time, EU climate targets, funding programs and rising energy prices are driving companies and municipalities to replace outdated lighting systems more quickly than before.

By 2030, it is expected that a large proportion of public and commercial lighting will have converted to networked LED and sensor systems. German manufacturers who have relied on technologies such as human centric lighting, AI-supported control and open interfaces such as the Matter standard in a timely manner are well positioned in this transformation. 

In addition, an exciting counter-trend to the decades-long relocation of production to Asia is emerging. Supply chain problems, geopolitical tensions and the growing awareness of CO₂-intensive transport routes mean that European companies are investing more in regional manufacturing again. For the German lighting industry, this means that know-how that was already thought to be lost is becoming relevant again.

 

Conclusion

Ultimately, it is clear that light from Germany actually illuminated the world in many ways - and continues to do so today. Anyone who buys a light “Made in Germany” today is investing in a product that generally has a longer lifespan and better energy efficiency.

Anyone who wants to trace this development historically should Museum of Industrial Culture in Nuremberg visit. The journey from the carbon filament lamp to the smart LED is clearly documented there. Maybe the next time you walk through the hardware store or ours, it will fall Online lamp shop then consciously look at the small label “Made in Germany”.