October 6, 2023
5 Things to Know: Week Ending October 7
8 of the world’s top lighting design firms. Plus, our recap of Boston Lights.
Here's a roundup of some of the week's happenings curated to help lighting people stay informed.
1. The return of Boston Lights is met with mixed reviews
The Boston Lights Expo & Conference took place on Wednesday at the Hynes Convention Center, organized by the Designers Lighting Forum of New England (DLF). This year marked the event's first return since the pandemic.
The trade show and conference was met with widespread approval from the attendees with whom we spoke.
Exhibitor feedback, on the other hand, painted a concerning picture of attendance. A significant number of exhibitors voiced their dissatisfaction, citing lower than expected turnout. Although major architectural lighting design firms attended due to the event's association with DLF, the headcount fell short of exhibitor expectations. There were expressed desires for more representation from the engineering and distribution communities.
Costs emerged as a pain point for exhibitors. Many stated that all associated costs of exhibiting at the Boston event was equal to that of New York’s LEDucation event. They did not anticipate Boston's traffic to match LEDucation's, but the perceived low return on investment raised eyebrows. Some exhibitors claimed that Boston's exhibition costs far exceeded those of a recent IES event in San Francisco and agent event in Chicago, especially considering the far lower engagement they experienced in Boston.
The event drew strong support from Boston's major lighting agents, which helped bring in over 150 exhibitors and provide attendees with curated booth visits from agent personnel on hand. Agency preparedness appeared to be of key importance as agencies that scheduled appointments with the design community ahead of the event reported more positive experiences.
Speaker sessions at the conference were well-received, touching on various professional development topics, from advocating for oneself in one's career to the tools professionals use and how they change the work experience. Discussions also delved into material specification's role in shaping the industry and the broader implications of specification processes on community and city-scale designs.
Lastly, the Boston Lights Expo served as a relaunching pad for Women in Lighting & Design (WILD) Boston. The afterparty, according to attendees, was a significant success.
2. Bell & McCoy buys Memphis Rep
Multi-state, Texas-based, electrical and lighting agent, Bell & McCoy Companies has acquired Lighting Design & Sales, a lighting agent located in Memphis, Tennessee.
The newly formed company, Bell & McCoy Lighting and Controls of Memphis, will cover West Tennessee and North Mississippi. LDS was founded in 1991 and is a second generation lighting agency. LDS represents numerous lighting and lighting controls lines including LSI Industries, NLS Lighting and ASD Lighting.
Geoff Fetzer-Gill, Justin Hefley, and Brian Siegel will be joining the Bell & McCoy Lighting and Controls team. The agency expects their collective experience and relationships to be the foundation of its presence in the market. "The continuity of both companies representing so many of the same brands will make this a smooth transition. Our goal is to represent best in class lighting manufacturers and LDS's line card is perfectly aligned with our goals" says Chris Coursey, Principal of Bell & McCoy Companies.
Last month, Bell & McCoy Lighting and Controls finalized a deal to represent Current HLI brands across numerous markets in the South Central U.S.
3. Architizer’s 8 Leading Lighting Design Firms
New York-based media outlet Architizer recently highlighted the significance of architectural lighting design, emphasizing its transformative ability to turn structures into experiences.
The article pointed out that while numerous architectural lighting design firms globally are showcasing impressive lighting projects, eight stand out for their mastery. These firms recognize lighting not just as a means to brighten a space but as an art essential to showcasing a building's unique essence. Architizer suggests that these elite eight firms are raising the bar in the industry.
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L’Observatoire International
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TM Light
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HLB Lighting Design
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Tillotson Design Associates
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Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design
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PLANLUX Lighting Design
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Fisher Marantz Stone
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QPRO
4. Streetlight Stumble Doesn't Brighten Woman's Legal Hopes
A woman, Tara Scott, who sought $5,000 CAD in damages after walking into a Burnaby, British Columbia streetlight pole and breaking her foot, has had her claim denied by the province’s Civil Resolution Tribunal.
Scott attributed her injury to the pole being obscured due to a burned-out streetlight, its black paint, and obstructing tree branches. Her injury led her to miss work for two months and withdraw from college. The city fixed the streetlight within a week after learning it wasn't working, adhering to their policy. The tribunal found no evidence of the city's negligence, emphasizing the importance of pedestrians exercising care when walking.
5. Winsupply acquires Keidel Supply
Dayton, OH-based Winsupply Inc., one of the nation's major distributors with a strong focus on electrical distribution, has acquired Keidel Supply, a distributor of plumbing, cabinetry, lighting, appliances, and PVF, with two locations in Ohio.
Established in 1911, Cincinnati-based Keidel Supply has long catered to residential and commercial plumbing contractors, builders, and homeowners in the Greater Cincinnati region. Winsupply operates with a shared-ownership business model, typically owning the majority stake in its associated companies. Winsupply Inc., known as "The Winsupply Family of Companies", holds equity in over 660 local businesses across the U.S.
