His lights are flooding the global sporting market. He’s bringing back manufacturing to South Australia, creating jobs for locals, and boosting the economic benefits for the state in an emerging advanced manufacturing industry.
Aaron Hickmann’s company VALO launched a new product this week with perfect timing to celebrate Australian Made Week. The Zenith Gen‑V. Rolling off the purpose-built South Australian manufacturing line in Kent Town, this product will take floodlighting performance to the next level.
The company has invested heavily in research and development, plant and equipment – including surface mount technology and an assembly line. VALO made sure they could manufacture their most advanced lighting systems in Adelaide.
VALO’s research and engineering teams scoured the globe for the best partners, technologies and materials to work with. They pushed the boundaries in performance, weight, size and quality for the Zenith Gen‑V. Lowering the product weight and size minimises the infrastructure and installation labour, reducing overall project cost.
As a graduate of the South Australian Business Chamber’s South Australian Young Entrepreneur Scheme (SAYES) program in 2012, Aaron could articulate his plans for VALO with the help of experienced business mentors. The bespoke program took him through the critical elements of business, including sales, customer service, marketing, finance, HR, and leadership. With the final business plan reviewed by a panel of mentors, it sets him up for success.
“The SAYES program allowed me to refine my skill set and utilise those skills in real-world situations thanks to the guidance of real mentors, some of which I’m still in touch with today.”
“One of my rules to success is to give something back, which is why VALO is incredibly proud of its ongoing support of the SAYES program and its membership with South Australian Business Chamber”.
