The Rhode Island fluorescent ban was signed by the Governor on June 22, 2023. After Jan. 1, 2024, it will be illegal to sell most compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) in Rhode Island. A year later, the sale of pin-based and linear fluorescent bulbs will become illegal. More information on Rhode Island’s ban is here. The [...]

  A new white paper by Parks Associates and Cox Communities sheds insights into the greater adoption and desire for smart home devices among apartment and condo residents (aka multi dwelling units or MDU). Their research found that 83% of MDU residents with smart home devices were satisfied or highly satisfied with their apartment or [...]

  In April, 2023, I wrote about the evolving and escalating trade war between the U.S. & China. One of the developments was the U.S. and some of its allies banning the sale of advanced AI computer chips to China. On July 3rd, China retaliated with an announcement that it would impose export restrictions on [...]

  Amazon dominates retail e-commerce but not B2B e-commerce. Here is a closer look: Amazon dominates retail e-commerce with $431 Billion in sales projected this year. Amazon’s retail Ecom market share is 37.6%. In second place is Walmart with $73.5 Billion in retail e-commerce sales, 1/6 that of Amazon. Amazon’s top retail e-comm categories are [...]

  Have you noticed a decline in fireflies this Summer? I have, but so have scientists. Nearly 1 in 3 firefly species in the United States and Canada may be threatened with extinction, firefly experts estimate in a recent comprehensive assessment. Surveys abroad show declines from mangroves in Malaysia to grasslands in England. New research [...]

    By Clifton Stanley Lemon We humans are both cursed and blessed with an obsession with the future. It’s constantly amazing to me how much we crave narratives that predict the future and proceed to stick to them even in the face of direct and persistent evidence of their utter failure to predict. We’re [...]

  The textile industry appears to be well ahead of the lighting industry in terms of circularity, recycling old textiles into new textiles. Textiles are most commonly used within commercial and residential luminaires as shades and diffusers. Here are 14 textile recycling companies that could be sourced to increase circularity in the lighting industry: Blue [...]

Here is a quick summary of four acquisitions, and two closures announced in the second quarter of 2023: Acuity Brands Acquires KE2 Therm Solutions. Details here. LMPG Acquires Majority Stake In Vode Lighting. Details here. Renova Lighting Systems Acquired. Details here. Inventronics Acquires ams Osram European and Asian Digital Systems business. Details here. Deco Lighting [...]

    Over the past five and a half years, private equity (PE) firms have acquired more lighting manufacturers in the US & Canada than either publicly traded companies or private companies that are not controlled by a PE firm. This data was compiled by Merrimack Group, which specializes in advising lighting companies in mergers [...]