Content
INTERVIEW WITH WALTER NORZ
Where does new come from? The story behind “Designed to Create.”
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Q: Walter, PROLICHT has just introduced a new positioning and claim: “Designed to Create.” What was the spark behind this shift?
“It wasn’t a sudden shift. It was more like a sharpening of something that had been there all along. We’ve always worked closely with creative professionals – architects, lighting designers, planners. And over the years, we realized that what they value most isn’t the product itself. It’s what the product enables them to do. That was a big insight. Our role isn’t to steal the spotlight. It’s to give others the freedom to design spaces exactly as they envision them.” - W.N
Q: The new brand story opens with the line “Where does new come from?” Why start there?
“Because it’s a question that gets to the heart of the creative process. New ideas don’t appear out of nowhere. They come from people who aren’t satisfied with the expected. Who see a space – or a problem – and choose to challenge it. We wanted to honour that mindset. To say: if you’re someone who pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, then this is for you.” - W.N
Q: You describe PROLICHT now as a platform rather than a manufacturer. Can you elaborate on that?
“We still manufacture, of course. But we don’t just send out products, we enable creative work. A platform, for me, is exactly that: something others can build on. Our product portfolio is modular, our services are fast and flexible, and our people think in solutions, not limitations. And that includes the digital side as well. Tools like our configurator are designed to give creative professionals full control and instant clarity, right from the start. That’s what turns a supplier into a partner. That’s the kind of platform we’re building. One that exists to empower those who create.” - W.N
Q: What does “Designed to Create” mean to you, personally?
“It means refusing to accept that things have to stay the way they are. I started PROLICHT because I saw how often designers had to compromise – on timing, on customization, on quality. I didn’t accept that. And I still don’t. “Designed to Create” is a commitment: to support bold ideas, to stay curious, and to always push beyond what’s expected. That’s what drives me. And that’s what I see in the people who choose to work with us.” - W.N
Q: Was there a specific moment where you knew this was the right direction?
“There wasn’t one moment. It was a pattern. Conversations with designers where they told us, “You’re the only ones who let us do this.” Or architects who said, “You actually listened and made it happen.” That’s when we understood: it’s not about being louder. It’s about being clearer. So we made a decision – not to reinvent the brand, but to speak more directly about what we’ve stood for all along.” - W.N
Q: Final question: What do you hope people feel when they hear “Prolicht. Designed to Create”?
“I hope they feel seen. Especially the ones who work late because the idea still isn’t quite right. The ones who challenge the brief, who look at empty space and see potential. I hope they hear an invitation. To explore. To question. To build something that’s never been built before. Because in the end, new doesn’t just happen. New is created. And the people who believe that, that’s who we’re here for.” - W.N
