Production Units

True to the principles of its constitution as a foundation, the Lighthouse for the Blind of Greece operates three Production Units.

  • Laboratory of Cleaning Supplies 
  • Metal Processing Unit
  • Linen Production Unit

These are the only production units that can provide jobs for blind and visually impaired people, as the professional alternatives and training opportunities, especially for these people, are very limited. These units employ blind and partially sighted workers, both men and women, as well as people with other disabilities, who are paid and insured in accordance with the law.

The production units have special and updated technological equipment and are certified with the ELOT EN ISO Quality System 9001: 2015, ensuring excellent quality levels. The products of these Workshops are the subject of cooperation with various Municipalities nationwide, the Armed Forces, Private and Public hospitals and with Companies in Greece and abroad.

In fact, there is a specific legal framework relatively to the direct award of contracts to the association exclusively, with its exception of the tender procedures, for the ensurance the operation of the Workshops and the maintenance of the working positions for the blind workers.

The Workshops, always monitoring the needs of the market, adapt their production accordingly, with highly developed and specially designed products, based on the specifications set by each customer, while the production line is constantly enriched with new product codes. It is of high importance that many of the products are intended for the blind and they are specially designed and produced by the blind and thus totally adjusted to their needs; something that automatically makes them unique in terms of efficiency of use

Workshop producing brushes and brooms

The Brooms-Brushes workshop was created in 1952 in order to integrate the visually impaired people into the production process of cleaning products, constituting a unique and innovative condition of professional rehabilitation. A great impetus for the development of the Laboratory was the Royal Decree of 1954, according to which all the products produced are made available by direct assignment to the Armed Forces and public organizations, covering the relevant needs.
The workers employed are constantly trained in all stages of production and are rotated in the various posts depending on the needs and the flow of orders, while the products of unquestionable quality and under strict specifications are made available to municipalities throughout Greece, private hospitals, public hospitals, Super Market chains, etc.

Products

  • Brooms
  • Brushes
  • Mops
  • Broom/mop handles-poles
  • Brushes


Equipment

  • Automatic Brush Machine M40
  • Clipper Brush Machine
  • Singer Sewing Machine
  • Packing Station - Sander

METAL PROCESSING UNIT

The Metalworking Unit of the Lighthouse for the Blind of Greece is a truly pioneering unit as for the first time  people with visual impairments pass from manual work to industrial production, creating new opportunities for professional rehabilitation..  

The department began its operation in 1984 during an electrical/mechanical training course for people with visual problems.
The production process started in 1985 with the manufacturing of labeling metal plates for the Public Energy Company (DEI) and spare parts of EVO’S weapons (greek military industry), while at the same time the sections of screen-printing and metallization are starting their operation.  

In 1996, it obtained a license from the Ministry of Industry, while the innovative design was noted, and the implementation of mass production of the only domestic White Cane for blind people began. The upgrading of its equipment and the training of its employees is continuous, while the modern Production Unit, under strict specifications, has developed a wide network of collaborations with customers in Greece and abroad, such as Siemens, EVIOP-TEMPO, BSH, Intracom, ELSA, while the first exports to Romania, Nigeria, etc. have been realized from the collaboration with Frigoglass.  

The person responsible for its operation is Mr. George Karcoulias, a blind man himself, who in 1996 was awarded by the Academy of Athens for the creation and organization of the company, as well as for his ingenuity and the broader services he has offered in the field of visually impaired people.  

Equipment

  • Machine tools
  • Lathes, Milling Machines, Drilling machines
  • Welding machines
  • Grinding machines
  • Plating, screen printing and degreasing machines
  • Eccentric mechanical presses
  • Tube cutters, material Feeders
  • Thermal treatment Machines
  • Hydraulic press 150 tons, sheet metal scissors

Linen Production Unit

The Linen Workshop started its operation in 2010, with the execution of orders for the Armed Forces and the Hospitals.

The Unit employs people with special needs who sew sheets, pillowcases and pillows, which are filled with the material requested by each customer. The workers, having been trained in the specific production process, have the ability to fully meet any technical specifications required by hospitals, the Armed Forces and any other public and private sector service, given the strictly applied Quality System.