January 2019 Lightovation Delivers More Buyers, New Products, and Big Excitement

January 2019 Lightovation Delivers More Buyers, New Products, and Big Excitement

 

 

DALLAS, TX – Lightovation—Dallas International Lighting Show, the largest residential lighting trade event in North America, extended its leadership position and deepened connections between buyers and sellers while welcoming a record number of attendees to its most recent show at Dallas Market Center. The January event saw an increase in attendance by retail decision makers over last year, including a 22% increase in new buyers attending from the U.S.

During the five day event, buyers representing leading retail showrooms from throughout the western hemisphere reviewed a comprehensive collection of new products including the latest designs and technology across more than 1 million square feet dedicated to lighting.

New and expanded showrooms included Eurofase, Sonneman, Varaluz, Kuzco Lighting, Alora Lighting, Fanimation, and Big Ass Fans. Nine new exhibitors and one expansion filled out the Spectrum shared showroom. In the Interior Home + Design Center, Visual Comfort Group increased its presence with an expansion in Taylors and a new Generation Lighting showroom.

“We are extremely pleased with the success of the must-attend global event for the business of lighting. Each January we create a dynamic intersection of commerce, innovation, and inspiration,” said Cindy Morris, president and CEO of Dallas Market Center. “While setting a new benchmark for attendance we also delivered the complete experience including thousands of new products plus inspiring events and the legendary Dallas showroom parties, nightlife and local restaurants.”

Said Robert Sonneman: “Dallas Market is for us the epicenter of our calendar. So everything starts for us in Dallas.”

Added Tony Zitoli of Eurofase: “The Dallas space is a good investment for our brand, and why we’ve expanded is because all the customers twice a year come together here.” Tony Zitoli, Eurofase

“It’s an amazing investment for us,” said Ron Henderson of Varaluz. “It’s the one place where you have the right clients, the right environment, and the right space to show off what we do.”

“The improving economy we felt throughout 2018 brought strong foot traffic to January Lightovation,” said Rick Wiedemer, Hinkley Lighting. “Lighting buyers were rewarded with an abundance of new product offerings. We were thrilled with the responses to our latest offerings of fashion, technology, and innovative programming for the ever-changing environment.”

Hinkley was one of two Lightovation winners of Dallas Market Center’s Visual Presentation Awards, which honor exceptional exhibitor displays on each floor. Hinkley earned the award for the Trade Mart’s third floor, while the fourth floor award went to Kuzco’s 24,000-square-foot expansion.

Headlining the hundreds of market events, showroom receptions, promotions, and seminars were keynotes inside the SMART Center, powered by Dallas Market Center and the American Lighting Association (ALA). The education portion of Lightovation kicked-off with a pre-show keynote presentation by marketing expert Leslie Carothers on maximizing ROI using digital marketing tools followed by a three-part workshop series on Google My Business, Facebook and Instagram. Additional seminars, coordinated by ALA, included three 90-minute discussions on linear light sources, selecting recessed fixtures and lighting controls led by lighting designer Peter Romaniello.

On Friday evening, the 30th annual ARTS Awards took place to a capacity crowd, awarding the home industry’s highest honor across more than 20 categories including Lighting Showroom awards to Elements at Home (East/Atlantic Region), Southern Lights (Midwest/Southwest Region), and Urban Lighting (West Region); the Green Award to Hubbardton Forge; and lighting manufacturing awards to Regina Andrew (for Portable Lamps) and Hubbardton Forge (for Lighting Fixtures). Also noteworthy at ARTS from a lighting perspective were Sales Representative winners Brad Krieger (for Midwest/Southwest Region) and Martha Graham (for East/Atlantic Region).

On Wednesday evening, the most notable networking opportunity was the all-industry Lighting After Dark party, which featured a luxury casino theme and transformed the Chaparral Room on the 38th floor of the Sheraton Dallas Hotel for hundreds of party-goers.

As the primary buying event for retailers of lighting and ceiling fans throughout North America, Lightovation delivered on product introductions across all styles and categories, interior and exterior. Among the product highlights at this January’s event were designer collaborations including the highly-anticipated line from famed TV personality Ellen DeGeneres and Generation Lighting as well as a Thomas O’Brien collection with Generation Lighting; Progress Lighting’s collection with interior designer and Bravo TV’s Million Dollar Decorators star Jeffrey Alan Marks; the collaboration between Mark D. Sikes and Hudson Valley Lighting appropriately named “Classics”; Corbett Lighting’s debut of its collection with multi-award winning interior designer and Million Dollar Decorators star Martyn Lawrence Bullard; and Kalco’s June Collection, which kicked off a new partnership with The Hollywood Reporter.

Working with the American Lighting Association special networking events were held including the Women in the Lighting reception hosted by Hinkley Lighting and the Cheers with Peers under-40 networking event hosted by Varaluz.

To make plans for upcoming markets, visit the Dallas Market Center website and download the Dallas Market Center and Lightovation Apps. Also, keep up-to-date on all information by visiting the Lightovation Facebook page as well as Lightovation Industry Discussion Group.

 

 

 

 

 

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