Smart Home Leader Somfy Uses Innovative EFR32 Wireless Gecko Chips for Motorized Window Coverings
AUSTIN, Texas – May 31, 2017 – Silicon Labs (NASDAQ: SLAB) announced today that it has won an Innovation Award from Somfy, a global leader in motorized window coverings for smart homes and buildings. Somfy recognized Silicon Labs for outstanding performance in delivering EFR32 Wireless Gecko system-on-chip (SoC) devices, software stacks, development tools and applications support. Somfy, which hosts its supplier recognition event every five years, announced the award on May 4 in Krakow, Poland, at a gala honoring its top global suppliers.
“We are delighted to honor Silicon Labs with an innovation award for providing groundbreaking Wireless Gecko silicon and software,” said Bruno Stragliati, Corporate Purchasing Director, Somfy. “Somfy has pioneered automatic controls for window coverings for more than 40 years. With the help of Silicon Labs’ wireless connectivity solutions, we’re revolutionizing the market for motorized window coverings. Consumers now can easily control their blinds and shades with a smartphone and integrate their window coverings into a connected living experience.”
Somfy uses Silicon Labs’ Wireless Gecko SoCs and software in a wide range of motorized interior and exterior window covering products. Wireless Gecko enables flexible control of window coverings through multiple connectivity options popular in home and building automation, including zigbee® and Thread for mesh networks as well as proprietary stacks such as io-homecontrol®.
“We value our close relationship with Somfy in solving tough design challenges and enabling connected home solutions that enhance comfort, security and energy savings for millions of consumers worldwide,” said Daniel Cooley, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IoT products at Silicon Labs. “Our companies are committed to supporting Thread technology as the future of mesh networking in the connected home.”
Silicon Labs and Somfy are leading members of the Thread Group, which determines the specifications for the Thread wireless protocol. As a founding member of the Thread Group and chair of the Group’s technical committee, Silicon Labs has been instrumental in defining and developing the Thread specification. Somfy joined the Thread Group and its Board of Directors in January 2015 and actively contributes to the Group’s initiatives to transform the connected ecosystem.
Silicon Labs is the leading supplier of silicon and software for 802.15.4-based mesh networking applications, which include both zigbee and Thread protocols. To date, Silicon Labs has shipped more than 100 million mesh networking SoCs and modules to customers worldwide.
About EFR32 Wireless Gecko
The EFR32 Wireless Gecko portfolio is the most versatile, feature-rich multiprotocol, multiband platform available for the Internet of Things (IoT). The Wireless Gecko platform includes SoCs, modules, software stacks (zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth® 5 and proprietary protocols) and development tools that enable solutions for efficient switching among different wireless networks. Wireless Gecko supports a broad range of use cases for home and building automation, connected lighting, wearables and industrial IoT.
About Somfy
Somfy Group is the global leader in opening and closing automation for both residential and commercial buildings, and a key player in the connected home. Its markets are structured around three divisions, namely home and building (blinds, shutters, etc.), access (barriers, gates, etc.) and connected solutions. It operates eight industrial sites, connected to more than 50 logistics centers, and employs 8,000 people in almost 60 countries. 2016 sales totaled €1,132 million with net profit of €143 million.
