OSRAM Acquires Fixture and Controls Maker, Digital Lumens

OSRAM has acquired Digital Lumens, the Boston-based fixture and controls company, for an undisclosed sum.

More info and some takeaways:

  • Since parting ways with LEDVANCE, one of OSRAM's primary areas of focus has been on bolstering its luminaire and intelligent controls portfolios.
  • Reuters reports that OSRAM is buying Digital Lumens "for a mid-double-digit million-dollar sum, a source familiar with the matter said."
  • Digital Lumens is a 9-year old company that was one of the first lighting manufacturers to pair a feature rich, software-based controls system with LED industrial high/low bay fixtures.
  • OSRAM has two business units where Digital Lumens could fit nicely: (1) Lighting Solutions which included the Sylvania Lighting Solutions platform and Traxon Technologies or (2) Digital Lighting Systems which includes light engines, LED modules and the Encelium total-building lighting control system.
  • Munich based OSRAM CEO, Dr. Olaf Berlien, was in New England this week visiting OSRAM's North American headquarters in Wilmington, MA and the automotive lighting location on Hillsboro, NH. The LinkedIn post below was posted on Tuesday.



HERE IS THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:


OSRAM Acquires Leading U.S. Software Platform Provider Digital Lumens Inc.


  • Acquisition of Digital Lumens strengthens portfolio for Internet of Things (IoT) applications based on connected lighting systems in industrial buildings
  • Via integrated sensors, the platform facilitates customized applications beyond lighting control

WILMINGTON, MA – OSRAM has agreed to acquire Digital Lumens Inc., a U.S. company based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in industrial IoT solutions. Founded in 2008, Digital Lumens employs 65 people and in the last fiscal year generated sales in the mid-double-digit millions (USD). The Digital Lumens software platform can be used to run applications covering everything from intelli-gent lighting control, energy use, and security systems to the measurement of envi-ronmental parameters such as air quality. The cloud-based platform is compatible with components and hardware of other manufacturers. Digital Lumens has built a strong customer base for industrial IoT solutions, with more than 2,500 installations.

“The acquisition of Digital Lumens puts OSRAM in a strong position when it comes to offering future-focused digital solutions for the facilities management sector and IoT applications,” said Stefan Kampmann, Chief Technology Officer at OSRAM Licht AG. “By integrating software and sensors in a single platform, we will be able to give businesses a deeper in-sight into the environment within their buildings and their utilization of space. As a company that understands space, OSRAM is taking the next step in developing new business models that go beyond lighting. What’s more, the platform is also compatible with light products made by other manufacturers.”

The acquisition of Digital Lumens from a group of venture capital investors will enable OSRAM to expand its business with digital lighting solutions and add to its expertise in soft-ware, sensors and connectivity. Customers using the Digital Lumens cloud-based IoT solu-tion pay a monthly service charge to access data that is continually recorded and analyzed by their lighting management system. This allows them to optimize business processes and document process-critical environmental variables.

“I am delighted that we will be working with OSRAM’s technology experts to pave the way for further growth and new customer applications. Our existing and future customers can look forward to even more value-adding innovations,” said Tom Pincince, President and CEO of Digital Lumens.

Plans are in place to integrate some of OSRAM’s existing digital services into the platform. This includes the navigation and location solution Einstone, which uses Bluetooth to send targeted offers to users’ smartphones, for example, when they are in retail environments. In a pilot project, significant and measurable increases in sales were achieved, for which Ein-stone was presented with the Best In-Store Solutions Award at the Euroshop 2017 trade fair.

Building on its existing product and services business, OSRAM will increasingly be positioning itself not only as a provider of platform-based industrial IoT applications but also as a part-ner for tailor-made solutions, which optimize processes within buildings.

About OSRAM

OSRAM, based in Munich, is one of the world’s leading lighting manufacturers with a history da-ting back around 100 years. Its product portfolio includes high-tech applications based on semi-conductor technology, such as infrared and laser lighting. The products are used in all kinds of applications ranging from virtual reality, autonomous driving, and cellphones to smart and con-nected lighting solutions in buildings and cities. In automotive lighting, the Company is the global market and technology leader. Based on continuing operations (excluding Ledvance), OSRAM had around 24,600 employees worldwide at the end of fiscal year 2016 (September 30) and generated revenue of almost €3.8 billion in that fiscal year. The Company is listed on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt and Munich under the WKN ‘LED 400’ (stock exchange code: OSR). Additional infor-mation can be found at www.osram.com.


Related: Read the Reuters report

Related: Read the Reuters report in German

Related: Is Cash-Rich OSRAM in Acquisition Mode?

Related: "What happened to Sylvania?" and other lighting conundrums explained


August 23, 2017


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