A local small business creating LED lights has recently paved the way in the illumination industry by creating a cabinet that will sanitize and disinfect any object placed into it, thus defeating sources of COVID-19. The company was formed in 2012 with the idea of powering LED lights in a unique, AC — alternating current — way.
Tara Clay, executive administrator at LiteSheet, said the company has patents on the idea and creates LEDs for commercial and industrial applications. After receiving a grant from the state in 2014, it was able to open its first facility in Bedford County. A few years ago, after outgrowing that space, it moved to Venture Drive in Forest to expand its production line. Since then, its company of about 10 employees has developed a product line around commercial LEDs.
“So if you’re in an office building, you can probably look up and see these lights in the ceiling,” she said.
When the novel coronavirus pandemic hit in March, things slowed down at the company, Clay said, and while the company was still considered an essential manufacturer, it wanted to do more.
“We were hearing from the federal and state governments that they were calling manufacturers to redesign their production lines to meet the need of more PPE, ventilator systems, anything that would be along the supply chain to meet those needs. And of course, we’re sitting here as a lighting manufacturer, how are we going to help?” she said.