October 8, 2024
Current Announces Plans for Forum Lighting Phase-Out
Consolidation aims to shift Forum’s products and operations to Litecontrol facility in Massachusetts
Current Lighting, a leading $874 million lighting and controls manufacturer, has announced its intention to phase out its Forum Lighting (Forum Inc.) operations, which have been based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since 1963. The decision, announced on Monday marks another consolidation move in the company’s architectural luminaire portfolio.
The proposed plan will transition select product lines and manufacturing operations into Current’s Litecontrol company, which operates out of a facility 35 miles south of Boston in Plympton, Massachusetts. This transition aims to take place over the next year, pending the outcome of a decision-bargaining process with the local International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union, which represents many of Forum’s employees.
Union Negotiations and Job Impacts
When Forum was acquired by Current in 2021, the company reported 39 workers in Pittsburgh. The unionized employees of Forum, a core part of the manufacturing workforce, now face uncertainty as Current negotiates with the IBEW during a 30-day decision-bargaining period. A final decision is expected by November 12.
Chief Commercial Officer Chip Taylor stated, "Current will continue to service Forum business without change during the thirty-day decision bargaining process." He also emphasized that the consolidation aims to streamline production and improve service to the company’s agent base.
If the consolidation proceeds as planned, it is expected to enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs, reflecting broader trends in the lighting industry. Current’s consolidation efforts would align with its goal of integrating acquired brands and leveraging its existing manufacturing infrastructure.
History of Brand Consolidation
Current’s intent to phase out Forum is not an isolated incident in the lighting industry. In fact, this move echoes similar consolidations within Current and other major lighting companies over the years.
In 2014, Hubbell Lighting (now part of Current) acquired Litecontrol as its first architectural linear lighting acquisition, a move that eventually led to the absorption of another linear lighting brand, Alera Lighting. Alera, once a homegrown brand spun off from Columbia Lighting 25 years ago, was phased out as its product lines merged into Litecontrol. Similarly, legacy brands like Spaulding Lighting, Sterner, and Moldcast were consolidated into Hubbell Lighting’s broader portfolio, which Current later acquired in 2022 for $350 million.
The acquisition of Forum in 2021 came just months before Current completed its large-scale purchase of Hubbell Lighting, further expanding its architectural lighting offerings. Forum, known for its custom architectural luminaires and modification capabilities, was expected to complement Current’s growing product line. However, it remains to be seen how many of Forum’s product families will transition to Litecontrol and how much of the company’s modification and custom capabilities will be available out of the Litecontrol facility in Massachusetts.
With changing market conditions and the need for efficiency, Forum’s intended phase-out mirrors broader industry trends. Major lighting companies have increasingly consolidated smaller, regionally focused brands into larger, more centralized manufacturing operations. These shifts are often driven by the need to streamline operations, reduce production costs, and offer a unified product line to a broader customer base.
