Swedish craftmanship and tradition since 1947

In 1947, TV was broadcasted for the first time in Sweden, Marabou introduced Non Stop, the Volvo PV444 was launched, famous people like Björn Skifs, David Bowie, Elton John, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and David Letterman were born – and Holger Johansson started the company that would later become Westal.

Since then – for 75 years – Westal has designed, developed, and manufactured lighting for Swedish homes and businesses.

The 40s & 50s - How it all started

Westal's founder, Holger Johansson, began assembling lighting in Småland’s outbuildings as early as the 1940s. In 1947, Holger Johansson started Habo Elarmaturer, which manufactured decorative indoor lighting for home use, as well as the company Habo-mattan, which produced plastic mats. The factories were located in Habo.

The 1960s

By the end of the 1960s, Habo Elarmaturer had outgrown its premises, and in 1968, a larger, more modern facility/factory was built in Bankeryd. The building is still where Westal operates today. With the move, the company also closed down Habo-mattan and focused entirely on lighting.

Habo Elarmatur also changed its name to Westal during this transition. The name is derived from the Vestals, the chief priestesses of ancient Rome. Their main task was to guard the sacred fire that burned day and night in the Temple of Vesta. If the fire went out, it was considered the end of Rome, at least according to superstitious Romans.

In the 1960s, Westal manufactured and sold decorative indoor lighting such as ceiling lights, sconces, and more. Some of the most famous pieces were large brass and glass chandeliers designed by Holger Johansson. These chandeliers are now sold at several major auction houses around the world.

The 1970s

The 1970s are often associated with bold patterns and strong yet muted colors like orange, brown, and green. Westal partially embraced this trend with colorful fixtures, experimenting with glass in various colors. However, the company continued to primarily produce outdoor fixtures in classic, durable materials. The trend shifted toward light’s function, where the light source should not be visible or cause glare, which was also reflected in the design of outdoor lighting.

In the 1970s, the iconic wall fixture Tratt was launched, alongside Uni and Gustav.

The 1980s

In the mid-1980s – specifically 1985 – a generational shift occurred when Holger's son Per Johansson took over the business. Westal continued to successfully develop production techniques and designs and strengthened its position as an innovative lighting company through collaborations with some of Sweden’s leading designers. The result was unique, thoughtful, and high-quality fixtures. More and more focus was placed on outdoor lighting, and eventually, indoor lighting was completely phased out.

The 1990s

In 1990, Westal created the Jönköping lantern, a reconstruction of Jönköping’s historic gas lamps from the 1800s, hence the name. This impressive series became a true showpiece with stylish details in oxidized handcrafted copper and a spire in cast, decorated aluminum.

In 1997, the outdoor fixture Knatten was launched, which is now recognized under the name Tellus. Knatten, with its glare-reducing grid, was the first of its kind in Sweden and quickly became a success. It sold so well that the Bankeryd factory struggled to keep up with production and began collaborating with Finnish Northtrade to manufacture fixtures in Estonia. Tellus remains one of Westal's most popular fixture series.

In the late 90s, Stall and Nisse, designed by Per Johansson, were also launched. These classic stable lanterns still adorn many homes and facades today.

The 2000s and Beyond – The Journey Continues

In 2012, Frida Alexandersson became a co-owner alongside Huset Invest and took over as CEO of Westal. With Frida at the helm, an incredible growth journey began. Several major changes were made to drive the business forward. The company stopped selling directly to private individuals and instead entered into agreements with Sweden’s leading electrical wholesalers. Efforts to digitalize and optimize production were initiated. As sales steadily increased, the organization expanded with additional salespeople and production staff. To further accelerate the product range and cover more areas, the company began seeking manufacturers abroad, and LED modules were installed in several existing and new fixtures.

The combination of traditional craftsmanship, modern design, and the latest LED technology was a success, and turnover increased fivefold.

Per Johansson still designs fixtures for Westal. His latest addition is Westal’s climate-smart fixture series, Trius. A wonderful example of how Westal is not only proud of its history but also nurtures it and carries it into the future.