Company
WHO WE ARE
Vision, mission, company values
“Light where it is needed and when it is needed, to integrate and disappera into the architecture, therefore to excite in time“.
Simes, light for all around the building
“Light for all around the building” is our mission: propose a variety of solutions to enhance, through the light, the facades and all the araes around the building to make them pleasantly usable, during the darkness hours, gardens and open spaces. More than producing lighting fittings, SIMES produces emotions for architecture, landscape, private houses and urban spaces .
Made in Italy
SIMES is an Italian company based in Franciacorta, famous land for its wine excellences but also strategic hub of a district strongly specialized in die-casting and metalworking. The wisdom in the handling of the elective raw material, aluminium, combined with the experience gained since its foundation in the field of IP rated electrical material, has projected the company towards success in the outdoor lighting market.
HEADQUARTER
An open-air showroom
A place for discussion and inspiration
SIMES headquarter is a real open-air showroom that represent the concept of quality and excellence. The spaces are a sophisticated combination of art and light: the visitor is guided through a succession of artworks, Zen gardens and showrooms enhanced through the careful use of light.
DESIGN
Elegance and essentiality
“Our luminaires, designed for more than 50 years around the light source, are precious tools at the service of architects and lighting designers“.
Harmony of shapes and light quality
Light for SIMES is an elegant and discreet form of writing, that can transform the face and the perception of the space. For this SIMES deisgns fittings that are the tangible synthesis of harmony and elegance, rigour and rationatility, rigourous and essential, a design that integrates itself into the architecture leaving the leading role to the light . Minimal shapes, attention to details, visual comfort and light quality are essential features of all collections, many of them won important international design awards.
Keen family represents a revolution of conceiving a LED spotlight. Its compact shape and the special double joint allows the fitting to take infinite poitions for different light effects.
Cool family was the milestone of the “Solid and voids of light” concept, a wide range of products designed as void volumes: visually very light objects that can be passed from one side to the other creating continuity in the environments.
Wood family has distinguished itself for the use of new materials and expressive languages that investigate the relationship between light and materials.
Ghost family has made invisible the lighting body completely integrating it into the architecture.
What remains is just light.
What remains is just light.
REFERENCES
Light at the service of architecture
“Light as the fourth dimension of architecture, able to change the face and the perception of the used space and therefore of each architecture“.
Projects in Italy and wordlwide
SIMES exports to more than 60 countries putting its creativity and experience at the service of sophisticated clients, attentive to a culture of light oriented to everyday well-being. The countless projects realized in Italy and worldwide have revealed the beauty of prestigious architecture making accessible and liveable gardens, parks, urban spaces, paths and outdoor living areas.
CERTIFICATIONS
Laboratories, test and technology
Certified quality and reliability
SIMES products are marketed after passed the most severe technical reliability tests in compliance with the norms in force. The three laboratories within the company deal with safety tests, electromagnetic compatibility and both photometric and colorimetric performance operating in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025. The tests are carried out according to the main European and International standards. The reliability and transparency of the tests results are guaranteed by the advanced equipment and the competence of our technicians, gained from experience and continuos updating.
Quality and Environmental Management
Simes has always been committed to producing high-quality lighting fixtures with a sustainability-oriented approach. Since 1997, the company has been ISO 9001 certified, confirming the adoption of a quality management system in line with international standards. The entire production process takes place at our facilities in Franciacorta, where every phase—from design to final testing—is managed internally, in full alignment with Simes’ Italian manufacturing identity and in compliance with applicable regulations.
In 2025, Simes also obtained ISO 14001:2015 certification, further strengthening its commitment to responsible environmental management. The joint adoption of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards consolidates a production model based on long-term quality, efficiency, and sustainability.
HISTORY
From the origins to today.
“SIMES is a living and evolving company, always committed to innovating and defining new ways of making light“.
The stages of a history of intuition and innovation
Founded in 1973 by Cav. Egidio Botti gained on the experience of aluminium die-casting, over the years becomes synonymous with quality and reliability in the world of outdoor lighting. Under the guidance of his son Roberto Botti conquers foreign markets and, thanks to continuos investement in reserach and innovation, is knows as one of the world's leading outdoor lighting companies.
1957
Willingness and resourcefulness.
A turning machine, a milling machine and the desire to merge.
After several years of experience in the field of mechanical processing, Egidio Botti start a new business in a small room in the back of his house.
1969
OMT and the first orders.
The beginning of the activity as manufacturers of lamp holders.
The original activity of OMT approaches the world of light acquiring the “Brevetti Cappelletti” patents, a company specilized in aluminium and ceramic lamp holders.
1972
Towards the world of light.
The first experiences with electrical material.
Egidio Botti takes over the “Bruno Magnani” a company dedicated to the production of electrical material. The catalogue also consists of products such as headlights and waterproof luminaires.
1973
The “bulkhead”: the restyling process and the use of colour.
The first costumization strategy.
Egidio Botti re-engineers the waterproof luminaires: the new bulkheads are in die-cast aluminium, have hidden cables and are proposed in attractive colours. On January 26 was born S.I.M.E.S., Società Italiana Materiale Elettrico Stagno.
1984
SIMES illuminates the symbol of France.
The “bulkhead” lands in Paris.
SIMES faces the international market with some products recognized for their quality and resistance in outdoor environments. With an important order from the Paris City Council the SIMES waterproof bulkeheads are installed on the Tour Eiffel.
1986
The collaboration with Pino Spagnolo.
SIMES opens the doors to the design world.
SIMES takes its first step towards the world of design by commissioning to the designer and architect Pino Spagnolo, the design of some lighting fixtures that will become soon very successfull collections.
1990
SIMES, Apparecchi d'illuminazione.
Roberto Botti leads the company towards a new approach to think the light.
Roberto Botti takes the lead of the company and expands the producton sites by moving the headquarter to Corte Franca. The company becomes “SIMES Apparecchi d’illuminazione” and offers to the market high quality products designed for architects.
1993
Inspirations and intuitions.
The in-ground waterproof luminaires are born.
Roberto Botti, inspired by a trip to America, pursues the idea of light from ground up and he invents the “recessed box” that isolates the lamp body from the corrosive contact with the ground: the in-ground luminaires are born.
1999
The advent of LED.
Protagonists of a major breakthrough.
The first LEDs appears on the market and it's the beginning of an epochal trasformation. SIMES develops its first LED products engineered in collaboration with OSRAM, it develops the first in-ground LED signal light.
2005
The power LED draws new scenarios.
Lighting saving energy is now possible.
LED becomes a real light source for power lighting. SIMES starts the LED trasformation process and progressively replaces the traditional light source. The new production center “Project3 Illuminazione” is born.
2008
Simes, luce per l’architettura.
No longer only luminaires but culture of light.
As response to the serious economic crisis SIMES is increasingly approaching the world of professionals. The logo turns into “Simes - Luce per l’architettura”. The headquarter themselves become a tool to promote the culture of light.
2013
Skill and the solid and voids of light.
Reduced dimensions for a minimal design.
Product shapes are simplified in favor of a delicate balance between the lighting body and architecture. Skill is born, the first step light without recessing box, and the collection of solid and empty voids, void volumes that visually appears as very light objects and that give off an unexpected light.
2014
Klaus Begasse.
The aesthetic and functional revolution of the spotlight.
The german designer Klaus Begasse starts his collaboration with SIMES designing Movit and Keen. It opens the way to a new aesthetic based on the simplicity and rigor of the shapes combined with an extreme functionality and flexibility of use.
2015
Matteo Thun.
Teak wood dress the SIMES best sellers.
The combination of the warmth of wood enhanced by the light and the rigor of aluminium creates a collection of great charm, particularly suitable for integrating in gardens and all natural environments.
2016
Marc Sadler.
Ghost, a void to be filled with light.
The renowned designer leads SIMES to the creation of “Ghost”, a revolution in the world of outdoor lighting. Sadler translates into an industrial product the concept of “structural light”, the complete integration between the building material and the luminaire.
2017
Stig Myler.
The danish resyling of an icon from SIMES portfolio.
The danish studio Holscher Design collaborates with SIMES for a new restyling: the modern reinterpretation of the iconic “Techno” spotlight. The result is Stage, a product with a minimal and attractive design.
2018
Paolo Rizzatto.
The structural luminous brick.
SIMES expands the concept of “Structural light” in collaboration with the renowned architect Paolo Rizzatto. “Brick of Light” is born, a luminous glass brick to be used as a real constructive element that can be integrated into the architecture.
2019
Human-centric design.
Light quality becomes synonymous of visual comfort.
SIMES favours the psycho-physical well-being of light condition over the idea of quality merely linked to quantitative paramenters in favor of a more sophisticated and complex vision of the concept of visual well-being.
2020
Microlighting.
The product miniaturization.
SIMES faces a new challenge, pushing to the extreme the concept of miniaturization. With the Microlighting collection the products dimensions are extremely reduced while maintaining the visual comfort.
2020
The third generation.
New energies to support business management and product design.
First Claudia and then Angelica support their father Roberto Botti bringing their contribution in two strategical areas: business and financial administration and product design. Bell is born, the first minimal decorative collection.
2021
The headquarter meets the art.
Beauty and wellness for workers and visitors.
In addition to being a workplace for a team of over 120 people, the offices and production sites become a tangible expression of the concept of quality and well-being. Artworks, zen gardens, showrooms alternates in a sophisticated place enhanced by light.
2022
Constant research and innovation.
IP System® marks a new milestone in outdoor lighting.
The result of long and constant research, IP System® is the first linear lighting system for outdoor and humid environments and represents another important step traced by the company.
2023
SIMES is now in spazio Arena.
The entry into the milan district and the new synergies with high-end companies.
SIMES faces the international scene with a new touch point. Become part of Spazio Arena, an exhibition and cultural space that hosts various high-end companies linked by the material expression theme.
