Manufacturer News: 3.4.2010

Lighting Supplier Reports

BRING BACK THAT PRESS RELEASE!!!—Nexxus Lighting issued several releases recently, including one (on Feb. 17) that noted it has launched a new national advertising campaign for its Array brand of LED replacement bulbs. However, another recent release included this:

“…according to a review of all nine rounds of CALiPER test results conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy, its Array Par 30 has the highest efficacy (lumens per watt) of any directional LED replacement lamp tested.”

What followed was this release, in which the company said it “mistakenly publicized” the CALiPER results—which the company was NOT supposed to do under the rules by which it and all other participants in the DOE testing had agreed to be bound.

ECOFIT HOPES TO GROW—according to the Kansas City Business Journal, EcoFit Lighting (Lenexa, Mo.) has the pieces in place for 2010: “Full-scale production of its LED-based technology began…in December, more than 60 cities are using EcoFit lights in pilot projects, and outside investors have poured in about $1.5 million [in December and January].”

ENERGY FOCUS BLIZZARD—a slew of info from and about Energy Focus, which now calls itself “a leading provider of turnkey energy-efficient lighting solutions,” included this news:

• Acquisition of Stones River Companies (Nashville, Tenn.) for $1.5 million in cash and other considerations (estimated total = $5 million). The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the acquisition “will help [Energy Focus] sell more of its lighting products into the existing building market.”
• $12.3 million in lighting retrofit contracts (seven all told) awarded to Stones River.
• $2.1 million in (two) lighting retrofit contracts with ESCOs (also won by Stones River).
• Formation of an alliance with Woodstone Energy, an ESCO—an “arrangement that creates a path for contracts totaling $15 million for Woodstone to utilize Stones River Companies…as the turnkey lighting energy services provider for Woodstone’s energy services projects.”
• Three LED lighting awards (total: $1.6 million)—two from the Defense Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and one from NASA.
• A feature in the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Jan. 1) on the company, in which Julia Dolsen, marketing manager, was quoted on the fact that the company, a lighting manufacturer is now (via the Stones River acquisition) also a contractor: “This full-solutions deal is a pretty new arena. There aren’t too many companies offering everything we do.”

HAI’S CFL-FRIENDLY LIGHT SWITCH—Home Automation Inc., issued a release in January saying that it was demonstrating a new UPB CFL-bulb-friendly light switch at the International Builder’s Show. “The switch has been optimized to account for the difference in CFL dimming behavior,” HAI said.

HALO GETS 11^TH STRAIGHT HONOR—readers of Builder magazine (who would be home builders—that’s the No. 1 magazine in that market) have named the Halo brand (from Cooper Lighting) of recessed and track lighting the leading brand—for the 11^th straight year.

HUBBELL LIGHTING—has been accepted into the two-year Virginia Leaders in Export Trade program (the acronym is VALET). According to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the eight-year-old program “assists exporters…. that have firmly established domestic operations.” HL has operations in Christianburg, Va.

LSG + SENERGY—Lighting Science Group (which makes LED products) will coordinate marketing to municipalities with Senergy USA (provides municipal lighting solutions). The idea is to replace cobra-head HPS street lights. The new allies claim they are working on “half a dozen pilot programs”—200,000 streetlights in all. They say they can produce an energy consumption reduction of as much as 67%.

LSI TO OUTSOURCE—LSI Industries, which makes LEDs these days, said it will close a manufacturing plant in Manchester, Tenn., on April 2 due to “weak domestic demand for wire harness components and the loss of high-volume business to offshore competitors.” LSI said it will now outsource wire harness needs to “existing domestic suppliers.”

LUMINUS RETURNS—late in 2009, rumors were flying that Luminus Devices was going to go bust. Now, LEDs Magazine reports, several private equity investors “have led a new investment round” in the company, raising $19 million. The company offers PhlatLight LEDs.

NORA TURNS 20—Nora Lighting celebrated its 20^th anniversary recently.

RAYOVAC LEDs—Cyberlux said it has delivered “the first generation emergency lighting product” to Spectrum Brands, which will distribute the products under its Rayovac trade name.

RALEIGH AS “LED CITY”—the city of Raleigh, N.C., “now boasts more than 40” LED installations, according to Cree Inc., which three years ago made Raleigh the world’s first “LED city.” 

RONK TURNS 60—Ronk Electrical Enterprises is celebrating its 60^th anniversary this year.

SENTRY ELECTRIC DELIVERS—This Freeport, New York-based company “delivered a series of custom-designed, historically styled lampposts” to the new Yankees Stadium in Bronx, N.Y., according to the Jan. 21 Athletic Turf News. As you may be aware, the team that plays in that ballpark is the defending World Series champion.

U.S. POLE’S 25^TH—U.S. Pole (Palmdale, Calif.), an outdoor lighting manufacturer, celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year, according to US Business Review.

WAC SUPPORTS—the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team is running in the 2010 Boston Marathon; WAC Lighting is supporting the team, to help fund cancer research.

ZHAGA EMERGES—a group of lighting manufacturers (including Acuity, Cooper, OSRAM, Panasonic, Philips, Schreder, Toshiba, and Zumtobel) have launched this “industry-wide cooperation” aimed at developing standard specs “for the interfaces of LED light engines.” Website.

ZUMTOBEL ADDS LEDs—Zumtobel Group of Austria has formed Ledon Lamp GmbH (Dombirn, Austria), a new subsidiary, to “promote the sale of a broad portfolio of LED lamps,” according to LEDs Magazine.