Fall River, MA., January 1, 2004 - The year 2004 marks
a century of innovation and achievement in the lighting industry for Lightolier.
Originally incorporated as The New York Gas Appliance Company in 1904
by Austrian immigrant Bernhard Blitzer, Lightolier is recognized today
as a leader in lighting that is both functional and attractive.
"Very few companies survive a century of dynamic changes and volatile
business cycles. Fewer yet, demonstrate the leadership, growth and success
that Lightolier has achieved. As the current generation of Lightolier
people we are truly proud of our company's achievements during its first
century," said Lightolier President Zia Eftekhar.
The 100-year story of Lightolier also tracks the path of the lighting
industry itself, the rise of modern architecture, and the changes to the
patterns of home life, work and leisure during the twentieth century.
A pioneer in the development of original designs and creative marketing
techniques, Lightolier was a well recognized brand of high-end residential
lighting by its fiftieth anniversary. Beginning in the 1950s, the company
focused on commercial and architectural products, producing waves of innovative
designs. These include early fluorescent designs, flexible decorative
lighting, Multigroove downlights (and their many descendants), Lytespan
track lighting, advanced office lighting, and microprocessor-based lighting
controls.
"Lightolier has taken the risks that come with innovation and leadership
for a century. Everyone in our industry owes a debt of gratitude to this
continuing 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, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
"Lightolier innovations have changed the lighting - indeed the very appearance
- of stores and other viewing spaces with flexible accent lighting. The
same is true of other lighting developments in working and living spaces,"
comments Dan Blitzer. Blitzer is writing the history of the company,
Lighting
That Makes a Difference - the First Hundred Years , which will be
published in print and electronic media in 2004.
Recent Lightolier efforts have applied advances in electronics and light
sources to the individual control of lighting equipment and to creating
smaller and more elegant fixtures. For example, iGEN, introduced in 2003,
provides total dimming flexibility and permits office occupants personal
control of the fixtures immediately overhead. "This year as we celebrate
a century of accomplishment, we will also reaffirm our commitment to enhancing
Lightolier's leadership position as it begins its second century," said
Eftekhar. In 2004, Lightolier will offer the company's largest product
introduction in its history. The centerpiece of its 2004 product releases
will be a comprehensive introduction of the next generation of HID downlighting.
Lightolier will celebrate its centennial with professionals and industry
partners at events around the country and at its headquarters, where the
Lightolier TechCenter SM is receiving a complete renovation.
Headquartered in Fall River, Massachusetts, Lightolier provides creative
lighting solutions for commercial, institutional, and residential lighting
needs. Lightolier is on the World Wide Web at
www.lightolier.com
. Lightolier is a Division of the Genlyte Group Incorporated, (Nasdaq:
GLYT), holds a 68% interest in Genlyte Thomas Group LLC, which is a leading
manufacturer of lighting fixtures and controls for the commercial, industrial
and residential markets. Genlyte Thomas sells products under the major
brand names of Capri, Chloride Systems, Crescent, Day-Brite, Gardco, Hadco,
Ledalite, Lightolier, Lightolier Controls, Lumec, Shakespeare Composite
Structures, Stonco, Thomas, Vari-Lite, and Wide-Lite in the United States
and Canlyte and Thomas in Canada. The Genlyte Group Incorporated is traded
on Nasdaq National Market System under the Symbol GLYT.
