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Giant chandelier from Austria for mosque in Nizwa
Kny Design delivers chandelier for new mosque in the city of Nizwa (Oman)

(Ramingdorf, 9 March 2015) A further decorative masterpiece, delivered by Kny Design in the Sultanate of Oman, is also the largest they have ever produced and one of the three largest chandeliers worldwide. “For us, this is proof of the client’s recognition of our hard work, fine craftsmanship and focus on innovation,“ reports CEO Haraly Kny. “We are very happy that we were given the honour to furnish the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Nizwa with our inimitable chandelier.” The approximately 12 meter high new central chandelier for the mosque in the city of Nizwa was completed after six months construction time in the factory in the Lower Austrian town of Ramingdorf. In mid March, it will be carefully packed into containers and then embark on its voyage to Nizwa by rail and sea. The oasis town of Nizwa lies in the middle of the Oman heartland on the southern edge of the Hajar Mountains, approximately 180 km from Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman.

The installation of the Austrian giant chandelier on site will also be supervised by experts from Kny Design, and will take approximately one month to complete. The extremely complex shapes and forms of the chandelier were made possible by specially developed, in-house casting technologies and unique lighting design. This is yet another area in which the Austrian family-owned company is a technology leader. The size of the order for the collosal chandelier amounts to about 750,000 Euro.

Chandelier specifications
Total weight: 10,100 kg
Diameter: 5.0 m
Body height: 11.8 m
Special suspension: 19.0 m
Height including suspension: 31.0 m
Light output: 1,200 halogen high-voltage units a 48 W = 57,600 Watt
More than 79,000 cyrstals are illuminated
Construction time: 6 months

High-tech niche player in its third generation
Harald Kny is now the third generation managing the family business located in Ramingdorf, Lower Austria, currently with around 50 employees. The company Kny Design, founded in 1956, specializes in providing innovative solutions for lighting design – from classic chandeliers to glass facades and light sculptures made of metal. Kny Design has an annual turnover of almost six million euro and an export rate of 70 percent – the main export markets being Germany, the Arab world, Russia, China and India. The Austrian specialist provider develops innovative lighting solutions not only for sacred buildings such as churches and mosques, but also for public buildings and conference centres as well as casinos, ships or hotels.
“Many people ask me how it is possible to produce such highly specialized high-tech products in the so called “backwoods”, reports CEO Harald Kny. “My response: first of all Austria is by no means an economic backwoods on a global scale, and secondly, especially rural areas promote two fundamental attitudes: a focus on people and sustainable business management.
” For Harald Kny this means careful use of resources and environmentally friendly production, as well as focussing on social responsibility and economic success. “With clients all over the world - from the Arab region, to Russia, China and India – it is important to be able to recognise and take advantage of the strengths and differences of different cultures,” says Harald Kny about the complexity and potential of his business. (End)



Picture description: The central chandelier that was designed and manufactured by Kny Design for the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in the oasis town of Nizwa in the Sultanate of Oman, is characterized by its harmonious shape and design as well as its innovative casting and lighting technology. The new central chandelier is one of the largest chandeliers ever built worldwide.
© Kny Design (Reprinting is free of charge with copyright notice!)

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New chandelier from Ramingdorf for mosque in Muscat
Kny Design delivers chandelier for the new mosque in Oman’s capital city

(Ramingdorf, 12 November 2014) “We are extremely happy to deliver our now second mosque chandelier to Muscat, the capital city of the Sultanate of Oman,” reports CEO Harald Kny. In the beginning of November 2014, in the Kny Design factory in the Lower Austrian town of Ramingdorf, this almost eight meter high chandelier was completed after three months construction time. It has now been sent off on its journey via rail and sea to Muscat, where at the end of this month it will take its place in the new mosque.

“For the customer, the deciding factor of the new chandelier for the new mosque was almost certainly the shapely appeal,” recounts Harald Kny. “The shapely appeal of the chandelier must be in absolute harmony with the whole building complex. We have clearly succeeded, since the customer is very satisfied.” The extremely complex shapes within the chandelier are possible thanks to specially-developed casting technologies. This is yet another area in which the Austrian, family- owned company is a technological leader.

Proportions of the chandelier made in Austria
Total weight: 4,500 kg
Diameter: 4.5 m
Corpus height: 7.70 m
Height including suspension rod: 13.0 m Light power: 17,760 Watt
78,890 Swarovski crystals are illuminated Construction time: 3 months

Future prospects In October 2013, the chandelier that was designed by Kny Design and completed within a half-year construction period was installed in the Al Ameen Mosque in Muscat. It is one of the five largest lights that has ever been produced and installed. Still in this year, a third Kny Design chandelier will be delivered to Oman: The large central chandelier for the mosque in the oasis town of Nizwa. And the dimensions of this chandelier will exceed those of the chandelier from the Al Ameen Mosque. “With clients all over the world - from the Arab region, to Russia, China and India – it is important to be able to recognise and take advantage of the strengths and differences of different cultures,” explains Harald Kny about the complexity and potential of his business. (End) Reprinting of images is free of charge with copyright notice! )


Picture description: The central chandelier that was designed and manufactured by Kny Design for the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in the oasis town of Nizwa in the Sultanate of Oman, is characterized by its harmonious shape and design as well as its innovative casting and lighting technology. The new central chandelier is one of the largest chandeliers ever built worldwide.
© Kny Design (Reprinting is free of charge with copyright notice!)

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Innovative Lighting Solutions for the Global Market
Kny Design: Highly specialized, regionally anchored, internationally oriented

(Ramingdorf, November 2013) Located in Ramingdorf lower Austria Harald Kny leads the company Kny Design in third generation. The family business founded in 1956, currently employs around 50 employees and specializes in providing innovative lighting solutions for lighting design. They range from the “classic chandelier” to light sculptures made in metal and glass facades. „Many people ask me how it is possible to produce such highly specialized high-tech products in the so called “backwoods”, says CEO Harald Kny. “My response : first of all Austria is not to been seen as an econmic backwoods on a global scale and second, especially in rural areas, two very important settings are possible – focus on the people, on the human resources and the orientation to a sustainable economy.
For Harald Kny this means to act resource and environmentally friendly, be socially responsible and economically successful. All this based on a tradition of exact craftsmanship and highly skilled craftsmen.”Without highly qualified employees, the massive technology thrusts of recent years would not have been feasible or possible,”the CEO is certain.

The Clientele and the Core Competencies
The clientele of Kny Design is multifaceted: the Austrian specialist provider develops innovative lighting solutions for public buildings, churches, mosques and conference centers as well as casinos, ships or hotels. “One thing is constant: we focus on our core competencies,” says CEO Harald Kny.These core competencies are: lighting design, glass design and metal construction. The field of lighting design ranges from „ classic chandelier production“ to ship and bridge lighting plus custom lighting. Glass design includes glass facades as well as glass walls and glass doors. In the field of metal construction, we design and manufacture façade canopies, special banisters and light sculptures.

In all these areas Kny Design utilizes the latest technologies and innovates them in the context of practical applications. For example, with specially adapted LED technology, completely new light surface types are possible and using laserendographie “ stories in glass” can be created.

From Austria : One of the „Top-5-Chandeliers“ world-wide

In October 2013 the main chandelier for the Al Ameen Mosque in Muscat was installed, Kny Design planned and produced this chandelier in just under one year.

It is among the five largest chandeliers ever produced and installed.
Total weight: 6570 kg
Diameter: 4.5 meter
Body height: 10.70 meter
Height including hanging rod: 29.9 meter 67000 Swarovski crystals sparkle
Light output 48000 watts
Euro value of contract: just over 600,000 euros
Construction time: 12 months

Future Prospects

„especially when you have clients all over the world – from Arabia to Russia, China to India- which means being able to recognize and use the energy and differences of divergent cultures,” says Harald Kny pleased. This „inspiration through diversity“ continually leads to new and very practical applications. The next technology thrust at Kny Design is just around rhe corner.In April 2014, Kny Design will present its first applications in the field of inductive (wireless) energy transfer. (end)

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