January 2019 Lightovation Delivers More Buyers, New Products, and Big Excitement
DALLAS – February 1, 2019 – 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.
Lightovation took place concurrently with Dallas Total Home & Gift Market, which also saw strong gains in traffic and sustained order writing. No other wholesale trade event in the U.S. offers the opportunity to discover more new products and best-selling lighting, along with home décor, gifts, holiday and floral, housewares and gourmet, and artisan products.
Looking ahead, make plans now to secure special rates in a new host hotel for the June show, the Hilton Anatole Hotel. Limited blocks rooms at a deeply discounted rate are available for retailers and sales representatives. In addition, nominate retail personnel who have never been to market before for the June 2019 Light Stars program, which enables top retail sales floor personnel to experience the largest lighting market in North America. Aside from rewarding hard-working and talented showroom employees, the Light Stars program enhances the perspective of the next generation of lighting retailing by exposing them to educational opportunities, display inspiration and a higher level of engagement with product introductions. Details are available here.
In partnership with Furniture, Lighting & Décor magazine, nominations are underway for the 10th annual Lighting Showroom of the Year Awards, honoring independent lighting retailers across North America. The awards presentation takes place in Dallas in June. Details are available here.
Dallas Market Center offers buyers from around the world the only complete marketplace of best-selling and unique products in temporary and permanent showrooms including the largest residential lighting trade event in North America; the largest and most successful open-daily design center; dominant trade events for gift, home décor, holiday and floral; and the nation’s most comprehensive apparel and accessories marketplace featuring the latest styles from East Coast and West Coast designers.
The marketplace serves retailers and interior designers from all 50 states and 85 countries and is located in the strongest economic zone in the country. In addition, more than 80 percent of Dallas Market Center buyers report that they do not shop other market centers.
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.
About Dallas Market Center
Dallas Market Center is a global business-to-business trade center and the leading wholesale marketplace in North America connecting retailers and interior designers with top manufacturers in home décor, furniture, gifts, lighting and fashion. Inside its dynamic, five million square foot campus, nearly 200,000 customers from all 50 states and 85 countries seek industry trends, business education and new products from exhibitors throughout the year via dominant trade events for gift, home décor, holiday and floral; the nation’s most comprehensive apparel and accessories markets featuring the latest styles from East Coast and West Coast designers; the largest residential lighting trade event in North America; and the largest and most successful open-daily design center. The marketplace is located in the strongest economic zone in the country. In addition, more than 80 percent of Dallas Market Center buyers report that they do not shop other market centers. 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 Dallas Market Center on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the Dallas Market Center blog.
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