More Changes in the Kansas City Lighting Market
Two Kansas City manufacturers' representative companies that provide lighting and electrical solutions have announced a merger.
Foley Group and Convergence have announced a merger and together will now represent over 210 manufacturers. The new 30-person business will use the Convergence name and will continue to cover the Western Missouri and Kansas marketplaces. The new business has a lighting line card highlighted by Hubbell Lighting, Cree Lighting and Lutron. It also has an electrical supply line card that includes GE lamps, Legrand and Fulham. In addition to electrical and lighting, the company offers A/V, shading and furnishing solutions.
The Kansas City lighting landscape recently shifted in 2018 when Acuity Brands moved from Foley Group to Premier Lighting & Controls. Shortly thereafter, Foley started representing Hubbell Lighting. Lighting agent Mercer Zimmerman is believed to be the largest lighting agent in the market and had held this position for a long time. Mercer Zimmerman's 50+ employees drive sales for Cooper Lighting Solutions and local factory favorite, H.E. Williams, among other brands.
The Foley Group and Convergence line cards seem to merge nicely; providing brands that are driven both by specifications and by stock & flow distribution sales. The one potential conflict to watch is to see how Hubbell Lighting and Cree Lighting coexist with one agent. History tells us that those brands usually don't prefer to share a line card with one another, forcing one of the lines to find a new agent partner. It would be unusual for an agency merger like this to happen without the agencies discussing the strategy with its major lines beforehand. We imagine that strong disagreement either from Lutron or from Hubbell Lighting could have squashed the deal before it happened.
The merger is part of a long list of changes that occured in the marketplace over the last 10 years.
2010 Lighting Agents in Kansas City
Mercer Zimmerman – Hubbell Lighting
Foley Group – Acuity Brands
Illumination Sales – Cooper Lighting
Premier Lighting & Controls – Genlyte (Now Signify)
Key Lighting – Day-Brite/Capri/Omega (Now Signify)
2020 Lighting Agents in Kansas City
Mercer Zimmerman – Cooper Lighting Solutions
Premier Lighting & Controls – Acuity Brands
Convergence* – Hubbell Lighting, Cree Lighting & Lutron
C&O Sales* – Signify
*agent also represents electrical supply lines
Here's the Convergence announcement:
NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Foley Group, Inc. and Convergence Partners, Inc., announced today the completion of the merger of their companies to offer the electrical industry a unified resource for virtually all their products, services, and design needs. The merged business will operate under the Convergence Partners brand.
"Convergence now represents over 210+ manufacturers including Hubbell Lighting, Lutron, and Legrand," Convergence president, Peter Kurtz said. "The availability of Lighting, Electrical Materials, Audio Visual automation, Shades and Furnishings from one resource is unprecedented within the market niche in this territory," said Kurtz.
"Helping customers solve problems more effectively and efficiently is a top priority," said executive vice president, Scott Denney, "and our combined number of account managers and product experts will help ensure streamlined interactions for architects, electrical engineers, lighting designers, electrical contractors, distributors, and end users as well," he continued.
Mark Denney, vice president projects and quotations stated, "Our industry partners will realize the convenience of accessing high-quality, technologically-advanced products, and appreciate the specialized proven expertise that ensures customers at all levels are well-equipped to readily implement the best possible solutions so the goals of everyone involved come to fruition."
About Foley Group, Inc.
Founded in 1961, Foley Group, Inc. is a manufacturer's representative agency with an emphasis on lighting sales within the electrical industry, primarily serving the new construction market, lighting retrofits, and energy saving upgrades.
The company is widely recognized as the leader throughout Kansas and Western Missouri.
Foley Group's headquarters is in Kansas City, Kansas, with a regional office in Wichita, Kansas.
About Convergence Partners, Inc.
Incorporated in 2014, Convergence represents quality manufacturers, and provide service solutions within four focused divisions. We have a family-first culture and operate with a humble reputation built on ethical business practices that foster long-term relationships.
Based in North Kansas City, Missouri, the territory Convergence covers is Western Missouri and all of Kansas, with a regional office in Springfield, Missouri. In addition, the Audio-Visual channel spans a four-state territory including Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas.
Company Website: https://ConvergeRep.com
SOURCE Convergence Partners, Inc.
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