Glamox Acquires UK Defence Lighting Firm Consolite in Strategic Deal

Key Points

• Norwegian lighting group Glamox has agreed to acquire Wiltshire-based Consolite Technology, a specialist in military lighting and optical communication systems.
• Consolite designs night vision lighting, military LiFi systems and specialist lighting solutions for defence and naval environments.
• Consolite is a supplier to major UK naval programmes, including the Type 31 frigate programme and Royal Navy fleet replenishment projects.
• Once the deal completes, Consolite will join Glamox’s Marine, Offshore & Wind division and work alongside MARL International.
• Glamox Group CEO Astrid Simonsen Joos said defence remains a strategic growth area for the company.
• Consolite CEO Nick Rice said the move marks “an exciting new chapter” for his company.
• The companies intend to combine engineering, sourcing, production and commercial operations to create synergies.
• Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

Wiltshire (Britain Today News) July 09, 2026 – A Norwegian lighting specialist has agreed to acquire a British defence lighting firm based in Wiltshire, in a move that expands its footprint across naval and military markets. Glamox has entered into an agreement to acquire Consolite Technology, a company long established in the design of night vision equipment and specialist lighting for the armed forces, in a deal that brings together decades of combined engineering expertise in mission-critical lighting systems.

What Has Glamox Agreed To Acquire?

Glamox, an industrial lighting group headquartered in Oslo, has agreed to acquire Consolite Technology, a UK-based company that designs and manufactures military lighting and optical communication systems for naval and defence applications. The acquisition adds a specialist supplier with a long track record in night vision compatibility and warship lighting to Glamox’s existing portfolio of marine, offshore and defence lighting brands. The transaction is expected to strengthen Glamox’s position in the defence sector, an area the company has identified as a priority for expansion in recent years.

Who Is Consolite Technology?

Consolite Technology is a long-established British manufacturer that has built its reputation over several decades supplying lighting systems to the aviation and naval sectors. The company’s portfolio includes night vision technology, military LiFi systems and specialist lighting solutions designed specifically for defence environments. Its work spans cockpit lighting compatible with night vision goggles, filters used across a range of aircraft types, and comprehensive lighting upgrades for warships. The firm has developed a reputation for engineering rigour in an industry where lighting equipment must meet stringent military specifications, including compliance with electromagnetic compatibility and hazardous-area requirements.

Consolite’s business is built on the principle that lighting inside military aircraft and warships must satisfy far stricter requirements than lighting used in commercial or civilian settings. Cockpit and ship lighting must remain fully compatible with night vision equipment, must not compromise a vessel’s ability to operate covertly, and must withstand demanding environmental and electromagnetic compliance standards. Consolite’s engineers have spent decades refining lighting components to meet these specifications, giving the company a body of institutional knowledge that is difficult for newer entrants to replicate quickly. It is this accumulated expertise, as much as any single product line, that appears to have made Consolite an attractive acquisition target for a larger international group such as Glamox.

What Technologies Does Consolite Bring To Glamox’s Defence Business?

Among the technologies Consolite brings to the deal is its military LiFi capability, a form of optical wireless communication that uses light to transmit data securely. This is described as one of the company’s more recent areas of development, building on its long-standing expertise in night vision lighting. The addition of secure optical communication technology gives Glamox a further point of differentiation as it seeks to serve customers who require lighting and communication systems that can operate reliably in demanding, sensitive military settings. Consolite’s night vision lighting range, meanwhile, remains central to its business, having originated from decades of work on cockpit and warship lighting compatible with night vision equipment.

Why Is The Type 31 Frigate Programme Significant To This Deal?

Consolite’s role as a supplier to major UK naval programmes, including the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme, is one of the most significant elements underpinning the acquisition. The Type 31 programme is a multi-vessel shipbuilding effort for the Royal Navy, and suppliers involved in delivering lighting and related systems for the class occupy an important position within the UK’s wider defence supply chain. Consolite’s existing contracts on this programme, alongside its work supporting Royal Navy fleet replenishment projects, give Glamox an established route into ongoing and future UK naval shipbuilding work, rather than requiring the company to build such relationships from scratch.

How Will Consolite Fit Into Glamox’s Marine, Offshore & Wind Division?

Following completion of the transaction, Consolite will become part of Glamox’s Marine, Offshore & Wind division. Within that division, the company is set to work closely alongside MARL International, another UK-based lighting business that Glamox has previously moved to bring into its group. The stated intention is for the two companies to combine their respective technologies and areas of expertise, while drawing on shared synergies across engineering, sourcing, production and commercial operations. This structure suggests Glamox is building a cluster of specialist UK lighting suppliers within its Marine, Offshore & Wind division, rather than treating each acquisition as a standalone addition.

What Has Glamox’s Group CEO Said About The Acquisition?

Astrid Simonsen Joos, Group CEO of Glamox, set out the rationale for the acquisition in a statement. She said,

“Defense is a strategic growth area for Glamox, and this acquisition is another important milestone in executing our growth strategy.”

She added that Consolite

“brings unique technologies, highly specialized expertise and strong customer relationships that perfectly complement our existing capabilities.”

Turning to the wider ambition behind the deal, Joos said,

“Together with MARL, we are combining our engineering excellence, innovative technologies and deep understanding of mission-critical lighting to deliver even greater value to naval and defence customers.”

Her comments frame the Consolite acquisition not as an isolated transaction, but as part of a broader, deliberate build-out of Glamox’s defence capabilities, sitting alongside its earlier move for MARL International.

What Has Consolite’s CEO Said About Joining Glamox?

Nick Rice, CEO at Consolite Technology, also commented on the transaction, describing it in personal and forward-looking terms for his company and its workforce. He said,

“Joining Glamox marks an exciting new chapter for Consolite.”

Rice went on to highlight the shared values he sees between the two organisations, stating,

“Our companies share the same commitment to engineering excellence, innovation and long-term customer relationships.”

He added,

“Together, we will combine our strengths to develop even better solutions for defence customers while building on the expertise and dedication of our employees.”

Rice’s remarks placed particular emphasis on continuity for Consolite’s existing staff, suggesting that retaining the company’s specialist workforce and its accumulated expertise will remain a priority as the business transitions into the Glamox group.

How Does This Deal Fit Glamox’s Wider Growth Strategy?

The acquisition of Consolite continues a pattern of expansion through acquisition that has characterised Glamox’s recent growth strategy. The Norwegian group has built its position as a major supplier to the marine and offshore markets over a number of years, and has previously brought other specialist lighting brands into its structure as part of that expansion. By adding a defence-focused specialist such as Consolite to a division that already includes MARL International, Glamox appears to be positioning itself to offer a broader, more integrated set of lighting and communication solutions to naval and defence customers than any of the individual businesses could offer on their own.

What Does The Acquisition Mean For The UK Defence Sector?

For the UK defence sector, the acquisition represents a further example of a specialist domestic supplier being absorbed into a larger international group. Consolite’s existing relationships with UK naval programmes, including its work on the Type 31 frigate and Royal Navy fleet replenishment projects, mean the business will continue to serve those contracts, but now as part of a considerably larger parent company with international manufacturing and commercial reach. Companies operating in the UK’s defence supply chain have increasingly become attractive acquisition targets for larger international manufacturers seeking specialist technology and established customer relationships within sensitive military markets.
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What Does The Deal Suggest About Consolidation In Defence Lighting?

The acquisition also points to a wider trend of consolidation within the specialist defence lighting and optical communication sector. Smaller, highly specialised firms such as Consolite often possess deep technical knowledge and long-standing customer relationships within specific niches, such as naval fit-out or night vision compatibility, but may lack the scale, manufacturing capacity or international commercial network needed to pursue larger contracts on their own. Larger industrial groups, meanwhile, are increasingly looking to acquire that specialist knowledge outright rather than develop it internally, particularly in defence-related fields where established relationships with military procurement bodies and prime contractors can take years to build. Glamox’s move for Consolite, following its earlier acquisition of MARL International, fits this pattern, and may signal further consolidation activity as international lighting groups continue to build out their defence and marine capabilities.

What Happens Next Following Completion Of The Deal?

Following completion of the transaction, the immediate next step will be the formal integration of Consolite into Glamox’s Marine, Offshore & Wind division, working alongside MARL International. Both companies have indicated that combining their respective technologies and expertise, while leveraging synergies across engineering, sourcing, production and commercial operations, will be central to this integration process. Neither company has disclosed the financial terms of the transaction, nor a specific timeline for when the deal is expected to complete. Further details on the completion timetable and any resulting changes to Consolite’s operations are expected to be confirmed by the companies in due course. In the meantime, both Glamox and Consolite have indicated that existing customer contracts, including work tied to current naval programmes, will continue as normal throughout the transition, with the two businesses focused on preparing the ground for a closer working relationship with MARL International once the deal is finalised.