Cordless table lamps have become a familiar part of hospitality interiors, bringing flexible lighting to restaurants, hotels, bars and event spaces without the restrictions of fixed wiring. But as the category has grown, so has the operational complexity behind it.
The Cordless Lamp Lock was developed in response to that shift. Designed to secure NEOZ cordless lamps to the table, it addresses a practical issue for venues while preserving the flexibility, atmosphere and design value that make portable lighting so effective. We spoke with NEOZ CEO Jon Hemming and Bim Blake, Head of Global Sales, about the thinking behind the lock and what it tells us about the needs of cordless lighting in hospitality.
The lamp releases with a single key action, designed to add no friction to the demands of a live service environment.
Cordless lamps have become ubiquitous in hospitality. Do you think the industry underestimated the operational complexity that came with that shift?
Jon Hemming: Yes, without question. From the outside, cordless lighting appears simple. But in a live hospitality environment, the complexity quickly becomes apparent. You are dealing with multiple staff across different shifts, varying levels of training and high-pressure service environments.
Take large venues, such as those in Las Vegas. These operations run 24/7, with hundreds of lamps in circulation. That introduces real challenges around charging cycles, battery life, durability and ease of use. Lamps are constantly being moved on trays and trolleys, handled by different teams and expected to perform flawlessly. What looks simple is, in reality, a highly operational product. I think the industry initially underestimated just how critical those operational details are.
At what point did theft and loss become a serious operational issue for venues?
Bim Blake: It was not something that happened overnight. As cordless lamps became a standard feature across restaurants, hotels and bars, operators started to recognise that the same portability that made them so valuable also created challenges.
Through conversations with clients around the world, we heard similar concerns time and again. Lamps were being moved between spaces, misplaced during service, or simply disappearing. For venues operating hundreds of lamps across multiple outlets, even small losses quickly became significant.
There was also the question of protecting more delicate lamp designs, particularly those incorporating glass shades, within busy hospitality environments where products are constantly handled and moved.
The Cordless Lamp Lock was developed in response to those realities. The brief was straightforward: provide operators with greater confidence while preserving everything that makes cordless lighting appealing in the first place. It needed to be simple, discreet and completely intuitive to use.
The best hospitality solutions are often the ones guests never notice. This is not about adding another process for staff to manage. It is about removing a concern that many operators have been living with for years.
Does the Cordless Lamp Lock suggest that portable lighting is no longer simply decorative, but part of a venue's operational infrastructure?
Jon Hemming: Lighting has clearly shifted into the realm of operational infrastructure. It is now considered capital expenditure, whether a venue is being refurbished, redesigned or even relocated. At the same time, consistency and design flexibility remain critical. What NEOZ does particularly well is align the product with each venue's identity. Through customisation and modularity, we enable operators to maintain a strong aesthetic while meeting operational needs. It is no longer just decorative. It is the infrastructure that also defines the atmosphere.
The Cordless Lamp Lock allows operators to deploy cordless lighting throughout a venue, with confidence that the investment is protected, service after service.
How do you balance the aesthetic expectations of hospitality design with the practical realities that operators face day-to-day?
Bim Blake: In hospitality, you cannot separate the two. A product has to look right within the space, but it also has to perform reliably every single day.
A beautiful lamp that creates operational problems will not last. Equally, a purely functional product that compromises the guest experience misses the point entirely.
What gives NEOZ an advantage is that design, engineering and manufacturing all sit under one roof. We can consider how a product looks, how it feels, how it is handled during service and how it performs over many years of use at the same time.
That approach allows us to create products that are visually refined while meeting the practical demands of hospitality operations. One should never come at the expense of the other.
Many hospitality products today are treated as disposable décor. NEOZ has taken the opposite position, designing products that can be maintained and repaired over time. Why is that philosophy important?
Jon Hemming: It comes directly from our long-term relationships with clients. We have had customers come back to us after 5, 10, even 20 years, asking us to service and maintain products they still value. That tells you everything. You are not building something disposable; you are building something worth keeping.
Durability has always been part of our DNA. Sustainability followed naturally from that. Today, with ESG expectations and compliance, it is even more relevant, but for us it has never been a trend. It has been a founding principle, and building products to last remains the most honest commitment we can make to our clients and to the industry.
Restaurants operate on tight margins, yet they also compete on experience. How do you see lighting contributing to that balance?
Bim Blake: Hospitality has become increasingly experience-driven. Guests have more choices than ever before, and the venues that succeed are often those that create memorable environments people want to return to.
Lighting plays a significant role in that experience. It shapes the mood of a space, influences how food and interiors are perceived and contributes to the atmosphere that defines a venue.
At the same time, operators need products that justify their investment over the long term. That is why durability, serviceability and longevity have always been central to the way we design and manufacture at NEOZ.
When clients invest in cordless lighting, they are investing in both guest experience and operational performance. The two are closely connected, and neither should be viewed in isolation.
Looking ahead, what does the Cordless Lamp Lock reveal about the broader direction of NEOZ?
Jon Hemming: The lock represents our commitment to being deeply customer-focused. It is a direct response to a real operational problem, and it signals a broader shift for us, expanding beyond core product into solutions that directly support operators in the field. Going forward, our focus returns to a simple question: how do we better support hospitality teams on the ground? The lock is where that answer begins.
