Fall River, Mass., January 1, 2004—
Lightolier, one of the oldest lighting companies in America, celebrates
its centennial this year. Founded in 1904 in the Bowery section of New York
City by Austrian immigrant Bernhard Blitzer, Lightolier has illuminated
the nation's homes and workplaces for a hundred years.
"For the last century, lighting has changed how we live, work and play,"
said Zia Eftekhar, President of Lightolier, "and Lightolier has been a
leader throughout."
Leading the Industry
In the early 1900´s, lighting was mostly produced by gas. While Thomas
Edison pioneered the light bulb 25 years earlier, it was not yet popularized,
nor were electric lighting products widely available. Lightolier helped
to change that.
Originally named the New York Gas and Appliance Company, the company
first distributed both gas and electric fixtures, which were mostly sold
as component kits. The company quickly distinguished itself by styling
and manufacturing its own designs. An early success was the addition of
tasseled fringes to fixture shades. The name Lightolier, adopted in 1919,
combined "light" with "chandelier." and signaled the company´s transformation
into a forward-looking business.
From the outset, Lightolier was an innovative marketer. Its early advertising
efforts linked good lighting with good living. "After Sunset, Lightolier,"
was a memorable slogan, reflecting the fact that early electric lighting
was mostly used at night. A 1925 sales brochure, entitled The Charm of
a Light Conditioned Home , educated consumers about the value of good
lighting, subtly underscoring the benefits of Lightolier fixtures. By
the 1920s, Lightolier was already a well-known brand and recognized for
its leadership.
Throughout its formative years, Lightolier developed relationships with
the lighting dealers that were springing up around the country. Lightolier
helped them communicate and sell the benefits of good lighting and pioneered
the use of demonstration facilities. Today, Lightolier products are sold
into the home market through leading lighting showrooms and, commercially,
through lighting and electrical distributors.
Moses Blitzer succeeded his father in 1928 and headed the company for
the next four decades. His vision for Lightolier set out a strategy of
innovation, together with a people-oriented culture: "Do it first. Do
it better. Make a life while you make a living." It remains the touchstone
for the company today.
Introducing Innovative Products
After World War II, Lightolier entered the architectural lighting market,
setting the pace in lighting performance, design, and energy efficiency.
The company´s modern designs combined flexibility and a sharp sense of
style. Its Lytegem high intensity lamp was recognized by New York City´s
Museum of Modern Art for its permanent design collection. Lightolier introduced
the first track lighting in the 1960´s, creating a lighting fashion in
homes, stores and museums that endures today. Lightolier developed the
leading recessed downlights and pioneered their use in home lighting.
In the 1970´s, Lightolier pioneered high-performance fluorescent lighting
systems for office workspaces and schools. In 1986, the company entered
the lighting controls business with the first digital dimmers; energy
controls followed in 1991. Since the 1990s, Lightolier has emphasized
energy smart design throughout its products. Store lighting in particular,
both brighter and more efficient, has benefited from Lightolier´s innovations.
"Lightolier has taken the risks that result in a century of innovation
and leadership. Everyone in our industry owes a debt of gratitude to this
lighting leader as we explore new and better ways to light our world,"
said Dr. Mark Rea, Professor and Director of the Lighting Research Center,
Renesselaer Polytechnic Institute.
As it has throughout its history, Lightolier continues to introduce
new products annually. This year´s centennial introductions will be the
company´s largest ever, with over 3,000 products directed at both the
commercial and residential markets.
Lightolier Lighting - Today and Tomorrow
Today, Lightolier´s lighting systems can be seen in skyscrapers, museums
and resort hotels, including such noted structures as the Seagram Building,
Citicorp Tower and Museum of Modern Art in New York City; the Hancock
Towers in Boston; the Los Angeles Convention Center; Disney´s Dolphin
Hotel in Orlando; and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
As the flagship division of Genlyte Thomas Group LLC, Lightolier´s leadership
continues. "We are developing technologies that will transform lighting
by giving people more control over its effects," said Eftekhar. "In the
office, workers will be able to control their personal lighting space
directly from their desktop computer. At home, pushbutton dimming and
central control are becoming popular techniques. Lightolier´s proficiency
with energy efficient lighting is also leading us to develop products
that will better serve America's aging eyes."
Celebrating the Centennial
Throughout 2004, Lightolier will recognize the centennial in a number
of special ways. The company is renovating its innovative TechCenter lighting
demonstration and education facility. It is reproducing the Lytegem high
intensity lamp, a 1960s icon, for sale in design stores beginning in the
spring. The company will publish its history, Lighting That Makes a Difference
- The First Hundred Years, along with a commemorative video produced to
honor a century of lighting innovation and the people behind it. Observes
Eftekhar, "We are proud of our record of innovation and breakthrough products
that deliver better lighting. But our story is really about Lightolier
people - for five generations it has been their passion that has made
us the company we are today."
Lightolier offers a full line of lighting fixtures, including: track,
fluorescent, downlights, decorative and advanced dimming control systems.
Headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts, Lightolier is dedicated to
providing creative lighting solutions for both commercial and residential
lighting needs. |
