August 5, 2024
LightFair 2025 Lands LMPG — 129 Exhibitors Now Committed
Above: Attendees gather outside the exhibit hall at LightFair 2018. Photo credit: Messe Frankfurt
Securing a key architectural player is a win. Who else will follow?
On Friday LightFair management alerted the trade media that LMPG has confirmed its commitment to a significant presence at LightFair 2025, set to take place from May 4 to May 8, 2025, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
LMPG has secured a 3,500-square-foot space distributed among seven booths, marking one the largest allocations of booth space by a single company at the event so far. Each booth is expected to represent one of LMPG’s prominent architectural lighting brands, which include Lumenpulse, Fluxwerx, ALW, Vode, Sternberg and Lumca, among others.
With LMPG’s brands being highly regarded in lighting design circles, this development signals an important milestone for LightFair 2025, which is being organized for the first time by Messe Frankfurt after the company acquired a one-third share of the event earlier this year. LightFair is jointly owned by Messe Frankfurt, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD).
Above: LMPG started with Lumenpulse in 2006 and has acquired numerous brands since
LMPG’s decision to secure a large booth space could influence the participation of other major industry players. LightFair has a history of being a highly anticipated event for the lighting industry, but interest has diminished in recent years as uncertainties have surrounded trade shows in the post-pandemic era.
LightFair 2025: Total Exhibitor Commitments Lagging
As of nine months before the event, LightFair 2025 has now secured commitments from 129 exhibitors, according to the current tally on the show website. This figure is notably lower than the 201 exhibitors that had committed in August 2022 before LightFair 2023, which was held in New York City in late May 2023. The 2023 event ultimately featured 325 exhibitors.
Above: The August before Lightfair 2023, the show had secured 201 exhibitors compared to 129 this year.
Given the time and resources required to plan, build, and ship booths to Las Vegas, Messe Frankfurt is likely pushing to secure a vast majority of exhibitors by the end of 2024. This timeline would allow exhibitors at least four months to prepare for the event, which is crucial for ensuring a well-organized and robust exhibition.
"Who else is coming?"
It might be considered rude to ask "Who else is coming?" when you're invited to a party, but for a large-scale and significantly expensive trade show like LightFair, exhibitors often ask this very question — albeit in a more strategic manner. They want to feel confident that their investment will attract a sufficient number of high-quality attendees within their target market. This often turns into a game of "follow the leader," where the commitment of key brands can trigger a domino effect, encouraging others to join.
Three months ago Inside Lighting published its LightFair 2025 manifesto, suggesting that the event’s success hinges on the participation of seven specific brands. LMPG is the only one of the named brands committed so far. According to the manifesto, Acuity Brands is a critical Tier 1 make-or-break exhibitor, whose involvement could significantly boost attendance and encourage other major companies to commit.
We categorized Cooper Lighting Solutions, Signify's Genlyte Solutions, and Current as Tier 2 make-or-break exhibitors, noting that their involvement would likely mobilize large lighting agents and have a cascading effect on industry professionals. We pointed to Legrand Lighting and Controls brands, Lutron, and LMPG as influential Tier 3 exhibitors, whose strong market presence and loyal customer base could vastly enhance the show's appeal.
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Acuity Brands | Cooper Lighting Solutions | Legrand Lighting Brands + Wattstopper |
| Signify (Genlyte Solutions) | Lutron | |
| Current | ✓ LMPG - committed |
Above: "Make-or-Break" exhibitor tiers from the Lightfair 2025 Manifesto published in May by Inside Lighting
In the past 30 days, Inside Lighting has engaged with a few of these companies, learning that some are still in the decision-making process regarding their participation in LightFair 2025. Some have indicated they are still in active discussions with Messe Frankfurt, a sign that they are still considering a booth presence for the Las Vegas event.
Booth Size Breakdown of Key Exhibitors
In terms of booth size, LEDVANCE currently leads with its 4,000-square-foot allocation by the main entrance. Other prominent brands and their respective booth sizes include:
- LEDVANCE: 4,000 square feet (100x40)
- LMPG: 3,500 square feet among seven booths
- Keystone Technologies: 2,500 square feet (50x50)
- WAC Lighting and Modern Forms: 2,100 square feet combined (30x50 and 30x20, respectively)
- Satco: 2,000 square feet (50x40)
- TCP: 1,500 square feet (50x30)
- Edison Price Lighting: 1,500 square feet (50x30)
Looking ahead
As LightFair 2025 approaches, the commitment of major players like LMPG and others will be critical in determining the event's success. With 129 exhibitors already confirmed, Messe Frankfurt is working to secure more participants to ensure a vibrant and well-attended show. The next few months will be telling as companies finalize their decisions on whether to join this significant industry event.
