Redmond company's lanterns helping light up Japan | Business

Weeks after the Japan disaster, millions of people there continue to deal with rolling blackouts as the government works to restore the electrical grid. As they work to through the rebuilding, a small company in Redmond steps up to do its part.

Industrial Revolution makes about 100,000 candle lanterns a year from raw material through assembly and packaging for shipment to 30 different countries. Originally designed for hiking and camping, it's now in high demand for the emergency in Japan.

The company's sales skyrocketed more than four times just since the quake hit Japan and people there look for ways to light their homes and offices during rolling blackouts.

The original candle lantern provides more than nine hours of light and even a little heat in small spaces.

"They've placed orders, really unprecedented orders with us, and so we've been scrambling to fill those orders as best as we can with as much product as we can," said company owner Keith Jackson.

It's all hands on deck with office and marketing staff out here at the assembly tables, putting together candle lanterns to be quickly shipped overseas. The company just produced nine weeks of product in only four weeks time. And how, you wonder? The company's assembly line is efficient and flexible.

"In China, to make a candle lantern, to make 100,000 candle lanterns like we do here, you would have 50 or 100 people organized in a single production line," said product development director Graeme Esarey.

But here, they need just five people to operate this entire factory. And they're working to get the product overseas faster than ever before.
    
Shipping by sea takes about 45 days, but the Japanese just can't wait that long for this product. So they're now shipping by air, getting candle lanterns into Japan in just 72 hours.

"It's really gratifying to really make a tangible difference to what's going on in Japan," said Jackson.

Jackson says Japan normally accounts for ten percent of the company's sales, but so far this year, that number's up to 50 percent.

If you want to plan ahead for your next emergency lighting need, you can buy these candle lanterns at local outdoor stores and online.