The most attention-grabbing lighting headline this week has been the closure of Elk Home. The demise of the 40-year-old company, which started as a lighting manufacturer, is sad but not unexpected; rumors of its struggles had been swirling in the industry for a while. You can read about that here and the auctioning of Elk’s $46 million in inventory here.
*******
Last month’s Lightovation show in Dallas saw an increase in new buyers from the central U.S. and the Northeast, according to the Dallas Market Center. It did not provide specific attendance numbers. “We were thrilled to see so many new faces and growing participation from key regions in the U.S.,” said President and CEO Cindy Morris. “June’s show built on the momentum from January and reaffirmed that Lightovation is the place where the lighting industry gathers for community, innovation and business growth.”
Tim Stumm, creative director of Z-Lite, told DMC he was pleased by the reaction the company received from both interior designers and lighting stores. “Existing customers told us that the renovation [we] debuted for June not only made for a beautiful experience to shop, but our decision to highlight the best-sellers and new products made their buying experience more efficient and enjoyable,” he was quoted as saying.
And Shawn Hulshof, vice president, marketing and e-commerce at Eurofase, said, “Despite broader market uncertainty and adjustments to global trade policies, we saw an encouraging increase in year-over-year showroom visits during June Lightovation. More importantly, the quality of those interactions stood out and we spent time with customers exploring our new collections and showcasing our updated merchandising and gallery programs, leading to meaningful conversations and positive engagement as we look ahead to the second half of the year.”
*******
MaxLite has expanded its leadership team with two executive appointments: Thomas Rhee returns to the company as chief operating officer and Dwight Kitchen, who has two decades of lighting experience, has been named chief revenue officer. Both will report directly to Chairman and CEO Yon Sung and “play critical roles in driving MaxLite’s growth, innovation, and operational excellence,” the company said.
*******
London-based design brand Buster + Punch has just expanded its iconic solid metal Electricity Collection with the new Linear range, launching this month — a series of modular toggle switches, dimmers, and outlets inspired by classic ‘60s hi-fi equipment and Swiss horology. Think knurled knobs, laser-etched index rings for analog precision, and solid metal wall plates secured with signature Torx screws.
Meanwhile, fellow UK brand Corston Architectural Detail, which offers crafted switches, lighting and hardware, plans to exhibit at Las Vegas Market later this month as part of its American debut. The company also recently exhibited at High Point Market, ICFF and NeoCon.
