Legrand has a distinct advantage over many of its Internet of Things (IoT) competitors.
Its devices are already in millions of the commercial and residential buildings that are candidates to embrace emerging and already-there IoT benefits.
“Our products are already in the walls, ceiling and floors of millions of buildings and residences around the world,” said John Selldorff, president and CEO, Legrand North and Central America, while launching its ELIOT IoT development program in those regions at an event in New York.
Specifically, the company cites 22 million Legrand connection points already in existence. Many of those devices already have the ability to send and receive information.
That, Selldorff said, is “unlike other players we see in the IoT space. We’re already there.”
In terms of being there, Legrand boasts annual sales of its connected devices at $350 million, which is up 34 percent since 2014.
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It is targeting double-digit average annual sales growth for connected products by 2020 and doubling the number of connected product families from 20 in 2014 to 40 in 2020.
ELIOT, which launched in Europe in 2015, is an IoT program that Legrand says advances connectivity and intelligence in the built environment and enhances value in the use of connected products.
The ELIOT program offers a purpose-built cloud, gateways for installed legacy offerings, an array of natively-connected new products, and innovative solutions comprising connected, intelligent technologies and services, according to Legrand.
An important part of the global program, according to Steve Schoffstall, CMO, Legrand North and Central America, is “fostering partnerships in the IoT space.”
Along those lines, Legrand is joined by partners Amazon Alexa, Samsung and Cisco in launching ELIOT.
Legrand will launch an Amazon Alexa smart home skill for its Radio Frequency (RF) Lighting Control system. So Legrand customers with Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap or Amazon Fire TV will be able to control their RF Lighting Control system via Alexa when the Legrand update is released in December 2016.
For Samsung’s part, Legrand announced integration of Connected Lighting Control systems with the SAMSUNG ARTIK Cloud. So Legrand’s RF lighting devices including the LC7001 whole house lighting controller, Tru-Universal dimmers, switches, scene controllers and plug-in devices will communicate with the SAMSUNG ARTIK Cloud ecosystem.
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The new functionality will be backward compatible with existing Legrand RF Lighting Control installations and available to users at no cost by December 2016, according to Legrand.
ELIOT will also be tied to Cisco’s Digital Ceiling Framework, which Cisco announced earlier this year. The initiative aims to change the way buildings and services are connected and managed. In June, Legrand joined the DigitalCeiling Framework as an ecosystem partner to help enterprise customers transform their buildings.
Internet of Things through Legrand’s Eyes
One of the big takeaways from the North American and Central America launch of ELIOT is, given how well-positioned Legrand sees itself to take advantage of growing demand for IoT solutions, that the global company is all in on the initiative.
