August 1, 2024
Top Brands Weigh in on Agents, Technology and Project Strategy
Left to right: Al Uszynski, Chip Taylor, Brendon Van Campen, Jenny Brust, Pablo Leguina, Rob Duncan
LightX panel features leading brands sharing approaches to streamline complex lighting projects
This week, the Gaylord Texan Resort near Dallas transformed into the epicenter of the Southern U.S. lighting industry with the much-anticipated LightX event. Hosted by Bell & McCoy and FRM Lighting & Controls, this exclusive, invitation-only event captivated over 1,000 industry professionals, establishing itself as a key platform for discussions on the present and future of lighting and controls.
One highlight of the event was a panel discussion that proved successful, even with Al Uszynski of Inside Lighting as the moderator. The panel brought together top executives from leading lighting and controls manufacturers, alongside a notable agency representative, to delve into the industry's dynamic changes and future directions. The insights shared during this panel discussion delve into the nuances of agent relationships, technology and servicing lighting projects from specification to installation.
The esteemed panel featured executives from some of Bell & McCoy and FRM's leading manufacturer partners, including:
- Chip Taylor, Chief Commercial Officer, Current
- Brendon Van Campen, Vice President Sales - North America Commercial, Lutron
- Jenny Brust, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing, H.E. Williams
- Pablo Leguina, Senior Vice President, LSI Industries Inc.
- Rob Duncan, Vice President - Lighting and Controls, Bell & McCoy Companies and FRM
Following the significant expansion of Bell & McCoy and FRM Lighting & Controls — including their merger in late 2023 and the acquisition of several lighting agents across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, and other states in recent years — the panel explored the topic of industry consolidation. The Bell & McCoy and FRM agency map now covers 11 states and 22 markets in the Southern U.S., from the Carolinas to Arizona.
The panel discussion also focused on the complexities of managing projects from specification through to installation, emphasizing the importance of effectively navigating the relationships between manufacturers, agents, and stakeholders to ensure seamless project execution, from initial design to final programming and use by the end occupants.
Industry Consolidation and Regional Expansion
The discussion kicked off with insights on how agency consolidation is reshaping the industry. Chip Taylor, COO from Current, highlighted the benefits of partnering with agencies that have broad regional coverage.
"We see Bell & McCoy and FRM Lighting & Controls as key partners that can effectively deliver our products, solutions, and applications across their customer base," Taylor said. "Ultimately, it's all about the customer and how best to serve them in the market."
Brendon Van Campen from Lutron emphasized the importance of consistency across large territories. "The ability to deliver consistent design, consistent service, and consistent approach and have accountability throughout that whole process is one of the really nice reasons why having an agency with that footprint really matters," Van Campen stated.
Technological Evolution and Integration Challenges
As lighting technology advances, manufacturers face new challenges in integrating sophisticated control systems. Jenny Brust from Williams highlighted the complexities this presents.
"Maintaining the technical expertise on staff sometimes to support all of those controls becomes very complicated," Brust explained. "We have to take into consideration things like testing requirements, UL requirements, electronics compatibility, driver compatibility, new tooling provisions and investments."
Pablo Leguina of LSI Industries stressed the importance of having a strong support system to address these challenges. "If you don't have the backbone inside the company, if you don't have the capable and responsive team to support the service, then you're not going to be successful," Leguina said.
Consensus on this Critical Factor:
The panel unanimously agreed on the critical role of service and support in today's lighting industry. Rob Duncan from Bell & McCoy Companies elaborated on how their agency has evolved to meet these demands. "We've gone way beyond just a sales organization, it's really become more of a service and sales organization," Duncan explained. "And service is really becoming paramount to the sales side of it."
This sentiment was echoed by other panelists, with Chip Taylor of Current emphasizing the importance of educating customers on the right applications for different solutions.
Emerging Trends and Future Outlook
Looking ahead, the panel identified several key trends shaping the industry's future. Connected lighting platforms, increased end-user involvement in lighting decisions, and demand for faster, localized service were among the top trends mentioned.
Van Campen noted, "We're seeing more and more the end user, the developer getting deeper into lighting and lighting control than we ever have before. They want to be involved in the technology that they select on projects."
Duncan predicted further regionalization of lighting agencies, stating, "I think the regionalization of agents, I think we're just on the early curve of that. You're going to start to see that more and more across the country."
The panel also touched on a potential shift towards more American-made products and an increasing emphasis on risk mitigation in choosing lighting partners.
As the lighting industry continues to evolve, manufacturers and agencies are adapting to meet the changing demands of customers and the market. The insights shared at LightX highlight the importance of technology, service excellence, and adaptability in navigating the complex landscape of modern lighting solutions.
This week’s two-day LightX event offered attendees the opportunity to explore the latest products and innovations from dozens of manufacturers, providing a glimpse into the future of lighting technology and design. Inside Lighting will provide video highlights and other recaps of the event next week.
