February 10, 2025
Touché Controls Turmoil Rattles Employees, Distributors & Reps
Company ceases normal operations. Customers may face challenges with prepaid technical support.
Touché Lighting Controls, an Indiana-based provider of wired lighting control systems, has reportedly terminated nearly all of its employees, raising concerns about the company's future. Multiple former employees, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicate that the company has been exploring an asset sale or bankruptcy. President Michael Picco, in response to an inquiry from Inside Lighting, acknowledged the company’s challenges but did not confirm a closure or bankruptcy filing, stating that Touché is "actively exploring options" to continue supporting customers.
According to multiple former employees, Touché Lighting Controls abruptly terminated most of its workforce on January 24. Employees were reportedly called into a conference room, handed a letter that was not on company letterhead or dated, and told to vacate the premises. One source stated that the messaging attributed much of the company’s financial difficulties to insufficient revenue from independent sales agents.
A former employee also claimed that on the same day of the layoffs, the company shipped approximately $120,000 worth of product to customers. This is noteworthy because the shipped lighting controls products may have no short- or long-term support relating to technical services or replacement devices. Alternatively, one could view the situation as Touché fulfilling orders for customers with projects that required the products to be immediately shipped.
Agent Shares Financial Fallout and Customer Impact
Brian Fitzsimmons, principal of New York-based Lightscapes and a former independent sales representative for Touché Lighting Controls, has revealed more details about the company’s abrupt change of course, citing financial mismanagement and unpaid debts.
According to Fitzsimmons, his firm is owed $83,224.58 in unpaid commissions. Additionally, Touché reportedly collected more than $47,000 in prepaid on-site and remote commissioning fees from distributors and customers, including payments for two church projects where services are unlikely to be fulfilled. Fitzsimmons noted that these outstanding debts are spread across 17 different distributors, many of whom are frustrated by the lack of resolution. He further stated that efforts are being made to place Touché into collections, though recovering funds may prove difficult.
Fitzsimmons also detailed early warning signs of the company’s financial distress, stating that commission payments to Lightscapes slowed in the months leading up to January 24. He referenced a communication from Touché to its sales representatives in September 2024, in which the company warned that it would be forced to shut down unless business conditions improved. Now serving as Director of Controls at Enterprise Lighting Sales, Fitzsimmons has been making efforts to assist affected customers who are struggling to find alternative solutions and support for their existing Touché Lighting Controls systems.
Above: An email message sent to agents from company president, Michael Picco, on January 27
Customer and Industry Impact
Former employees have expressed concerns over ongoing customer and product support. One customer allegedly paid $10,000 for an extended warranty covering 2025 to 2030, but it remains uncertain whether that warranty will be honored. With the company no longer operating at full capacity, distributors and customers may face difficulties obtaining technical and system support.
Reports from sources familiar with the company suggest that Touché did not own significant physical assets, as it leased its property. The fate of remaining product inventory remains unclear.
Official Response from Company President
In response to an inquiry from Inside Lighting, Picco provided the following statement:
"It has been a challenging time for our market, Touche included. We have developed an unparalleled solution backed by incredible people. We are actively exploring our options to continue providing our solution and support to our faithful customers. As we know more of what the future looks like, we will be able to share that with you.”
Picco did not confirm whether the company is pursuing bankruptcy or an asset sale.
Ongoing Developments
As of this publication, Touché Lighting Controls or its associated entity, ESI Ventures, has not filed for bankruptcy. Additionally, Indiana government records indicate that the company has not filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice, which is typically required for certain mass layoffs.
The circumstances surrounding Touché Lighting Controls remain uncertain. If a bankruptcy filing occurs, legal records will provide further insight into the company's financial standing.
