Maximum Yield Australia/New Zealand March/April 2020 | Page 62

SOL-SENSE
PRECISION HORTICULTURAL LIGHTING
Sol-Sense provides innovative horticultural lighting solutions and
accessories for commercial greenhouse operations, research
institutions, and horticulture enthusiasts. With decades of combined
experience, co-founder Richie May says Sol-Sense aims to merge
their knowledge and passion for growing with delivering cutting-
edge technology to the market.
What did you and your partners do
before starting Sol-Sense?
We all came from different backgrounds
ranging from hydroponics and accounting to
importing and logistics. We have a combined
20 years of experience in horticulture.
How did you get into this industry?
My business partner and I had started an
importing company in March 2013. Soon after
we started, a friend of ours who is a long-time
grower, was planning a commercial setup and
wanted us to import the equipment for him. The
deal was a success and as they say, the rest is
history. Six years later and we are still in the
market with more than enough passion for the
industry and no intentions of slowing down.
When and where did Sol-Sense begin?
Grow lights have been our main product
focus since we started in 2013, four years prior
to launching the Sol-Sense brand in 2017.
What were some obstacles you had
to overcome as you got Sol-Sense
off the ground?
In the beginning people were very skeptical
of our products and us because we were fairly
new to the market and no one had ever heard
of us. We continued to persist and before we
knew it, some time had passed and growers
started talking about the great results they
were achieving from using our products.
How did you gain market share
and recognition?
North Western Sydney, March 2013. By being customer-orientated and
creating a brand growers can trust.
How does Sol-Sense’s philosophy
translate to opportunities? Sol-Sense started in a garage.
Have you moved to a bigger space?
We recognised the issues growers were
facing with their current lighting systems,
so we decided to research and develop
alternative solutions.
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What products did you initially focus on?
Maximum Yield
Yes, we started in the garage. We then
upgraded to a storage space and later we
upgraded to a warehouse where we
currently operate.