5 Things to Know: August 9

A KPMG 2-page PDF teaser is shopping an architectural lighting manufacturer with annual revenue between $30 million and $50 million to potential buyers, offering a rare peek into how M&A discussions begin in the lighting sector. Known as "Project Specify," the company boasts a 97% on-time delivery rate, a healthy gross margin of 65%, and an established network of over 80 lighting agents across North America.

Notably, 10% of Specify's sales come from its top lighting rep, and another 48.5% from the next nine  —  a concentration that may not be all that uncommon among small to midsized architectural brands, but still may raise questions about risk and scalability. The info sheet breaks out sales by agent clusters and product line, providing potential buyers with big picture company insights.

While this is only a two-page info sheet, it paves the way for a more detailed offering memorandum or “book” that would follow for serious prospects. It’s a behind-the-curtain view of how architectural lighting companies get positioned for acquisition  —  and a reminder of how top-heavy rep performance can shape a brand’s future.

For months, Toronto-area lighting maker, PageOne Lighting has been living in a kind of limbo; not gone, but not fully alive either. In January, its Chinese parent company, Comely Lighting, decided to sell the brand and cut off stock shipments. Without inventory, orders slowed to a crawl. Calls were harder to return, and the operation seemingly began to fray.

That drift ended this summer, when FOYA Building Supplies Ltd., a Canadian distributor better known for tile, cabinets, and furniture, agreed to buy PageOne’s name and assets. The deal closed July 31, with FOYA taking control August 1. The company says it will immediately resume container shipments and roll out new fixture designs, a promise that could mark a real comeback.

The real question now is how swiftly, and how well, FOYA can turn PageOne from stalled lighting brand into functioning business. FOYA’s core business isn’t lighting, and a change in creative direction seems inevitable. Even the company’s online presence has entered a gray zone: the PageOne Lighting website went offline within days of the sale, leaving its catalog visible only in scattered remnants on third-party retailers like Lumens.com.

Mo Saad, CEO of Signify Africa, revealed plans to increase the company’s investments in the region by 20% annually over the next five years. Speaking to CNN Economics, Saad highlighted the launch of a $50 million Egyptian factory, Signify Gila Lighting Technology, which will begin with an output of 1.5 million lighting units annually with plans to scale up to 7 million within five years.

Signify will hold a 60% stake in the venture. According to the CNN report, approximately 60% of production is expected to be exported, primarily across Africa, supported by new hubs in South Africa, Kenya, and Morocco to reduce logistics costs. The initiative supports broader regional expansion across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Sustainability remains a priority, with 37% of the company’s €6+ billion revenue currently generated from products made using recycled materials.

The joint venture structure mirrors other Signify factory setups in China and a recently announced facility in India.

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Huyck Stadium in Lompoc, California, will host football games in the afternoon in 2025 due to persistent lighting problems, according to the Santa Maria Times. Faulty light banks have created unsafe nighttime visibility, prompting the Lompoc Braves to move kickoff times to 4 p.m. The change will affect the atmosphere of their October 24 showdown with archrival Cabrillo Conquistadors, long played under the glow of Friday night lights.

A district meeting is scheduled to approve Musco Sports Lighting for a full system replacement, with completion expected by January 2026. The upgrade aims to restore night games for soccer and football. Cabrillo High, which also uses the stadium, is adjusting its schedule. Girls flag football and JV games will follow modified start times as well.

Thousands of fixtures had already been installed as part of Norfolk’s multi-year streetlight replacement project when community concerns caused the effort to stall, according to Norfolk News 3 WTKR. Dominion Energy, facing pushback over harsh, blue-white light levels, is now introducing a warmer 2700 Kelvin option to address health and environmental concerns raised by residents and advocacy groups like Citizens for Responsible Lighting.

The project, which aims to convert 30,000 lights, had already seen about 9,000 fixtures swapped before the reassessment. Dominion says the new color temperature will offer a slightly warmer glow, and “zero uplight” fixtures are also being offered to reduce glare and light pollution.

In a spot-check sampling of over 15 existing fixtures, the Inside Lighting I-Team found a variety of luminaires from Acuity and Cooper Lighting Solutions, including American Electric Lighting, Lithonia, Holophane, and Streetworks named as part of the original spec.  Utility records show general specs of the 2700K fixtures, but don’t yet cite brands.

Local officials say the updated offerings allow the city to move forward more thoughtfully. “This is an opportunity to create a lighting system that adapts to the environment,” said Norfolk City Councilman Jeremy McGee. Dominion says both residential and commercial customers can now request the warmer light option.

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