Dr. Janan Allos was born in Mosul, Northern Iraq, the son of a renowned doctor. Allos was a top student at the Jesuit run, Baghdad College and his potential was recognised with a scholarship to study electronics in the United Kingdom at King’s College London, where he accumulated a B.Sc followed by a PhD in record time.
Having moved back to Iraq and started a family, Allos began teaching at Baghdad University where he wrote many scientific papers and was a firm favourite with the students.
During this time, Allos was working on an invention that would became omnipresent throughout large parts of Africa, the Automatic Voltage Switcher (AVS), a device that disconnected power if voltage went outside of pre-set limits, and automatically re-connected power when the voltage returned to an acceptable level.
In the early 1980s, Allos moved to London as a result of rising tensions in Iraq and because his children were studying at universities in London. Around this time, Allos was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, an incurable condition that was attacking his nervous system and gradually limiting his ability to move under his own power.
In the midst of this life changing revelation, Allos launched Sollatek (Allos spelt backwards + tek) in 1983 along with the patented innovation of the AVS. Initial products were manufactured in a colleague’s garage and Allos’ son Manhal travelled around the world to countries that would benefit from the Automatic Voltage Switcher’s ability to protect electrical and electronic equipment from bad power. A natural home for the AVS was found in Africa, where the increasing uptake of electrical appliances was not being matched by development in electricity transmission infrastructure. Sollatek Kenya was launched in 1986 and followed by rapid expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa.
Allos was limited to a wheelchair for the final 25 years of his life; however, his enthusiasm for the business and product innovation never subsided. He was actively involved in Sollatek’s operations as it expanded into solar power, energy saving and temperature control, growing into a company that has offices in 14 countries and ships over two million products to over 100 countries a year. Allos was in the office on a weekly basis right up to his death from natural causes in January 2018 at the age of 81.
Research and Development is at the heart of Sollatek, with 30 engineers based at Sollatek’s UK head office continuing Allos’ legacy of developing solutions for Africa’s electrical problems under the guidance of Allos’ sons, Manhal and Maan Allos.
Enquiries: www.sollatek.com