Agents Merge to form Large Cooper Agent
The Upper Midwest lighting business landscape sees major changes.
An agent merger across two lighting territories will create a much larger combined business to support Cooper Lighting Solutions in Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas.
Mlazgar Associates is merging with Elan Lighting Systems. Mlazgar has been the Hubbell Lighting agent in Minnesota for most of the last 30 years. The agency expanded into Wisconsin in recent years. Elan Lighting has been the Cooper Lighting Solutions agent covering Wisconsin since 2018. As a combined entity, the new agency will use the Mlazgar Associates name and represent Cooper Lighting Solutions (effective November 15) and other leading lighting brands. The agency is parting ways with Hubbell Lighting.
Pulse Products has long represented Cooper Lighting in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Our sources tell us that it is likely that long-time Pulse Products Principal, Burt Holm may somehow be involved with the Mlazgar agency in part of the territory. The new agency will have over 60 employees and represent approximately 230 lighting brands.
"The combination of these two market-leading organizations, with decades of collective experience providing their customers with exceptional service and support, will undoubtedly allow us to continue serving our customers at a best-in-class level – showing strong continuity across the four states."
- Cooper Lighting Solutions
These business moves leave Hubbell Lighting momentarily without an agent, and it causes there to be one less lighting agent in Wisconsin. It’s likely to set off a number of chain reactions and we speculate some of them with the questions below:
Who will be the new Hubbell agent?
The biggest opportunity for agent sales and commissions lies with Hubbell, who is momentarily without an agent partner. Traditional lighting territory boundaries treat Minnesota and the Dakotas as one territory and Wisconsin (along with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula) as another territory. So, it’s possible that Hubbell solves this with a different agent in each territory. Acuity Brands agents Davis & Associates (MN) and Enterprise Lighting & Control (WI) seem well-entrenched with Acuity throughout the territory and are not considered to be likely Hubbell partners.
Does JTH see this as an opportunity?
JTH Lighting Alliance already represents Cree Lighting throughout this entire territory (and Iowa as well.) Will they see the Hubbell Lighting family of brands as a more attractive option? And if they part ways with Cree to strike a deal with Hubbell, will Wattstopper be forced off the line card?
Does this quell Cooper - Signify Agent Consolidation concern?
The start of these changes began with some leadership changes that were occurring with Pulse Products in Minnesota. If there was a short-term game plan for Signify and Cooper Lighting Solutions to consolidate agencies, we likely would have seen that occur in Minnesota. This may cause Signify and Cooper agents to feel more secure about not being the next contestant on The Weakest Link.
How many of the combined 230+ lines will stay with the new Mlazgar?
The new agency will have an incredibly robust portfolio across the entire spectrum of lighting product categories and price points. We predict independent line attrition to take place, especially after the new Hubbell agent is trained and well-established in the territory.
What happens to Pulse Products?
Burt Holm has left Pulse Products. While he was one of two Pulse principals, he was considered by many to be the local face of the agency and leader of the 25-person staff in Minnetonka. Is it possible that Cooper-entrenched Pulse Products people will join the new Mlazgar Associates? Time will tell if Pulse attracts Hubbell, Cree and/or other lines to replace the Cooper Lighting void.
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