Inter-lux to acquire Whitegoods as Linea Light invests
(USA) – US supplier to acquire all assets and IP for the integrated lighting brand from Whitegoods LLC, opening UK production facility and London design studio as Linea Light Group invests in Inter-lux.
Inter-lux is to acquire the Whitegoods brand from Whitegoods LLC whilst receiving investment from Italian-based Linea Light Group. Inter-lux has integrated design, engineering and manufacturing, as well as all sales and support services in their facility in Baltimore, Maryland.
Inter-lux manufactures and distributes quality lighting brands including Sattler, Linealight, Filix and Mike Stoane Lighting in North America through an established network of well-supported independent sales representatives.
The fortified relationship between Inter-lux and Linea Light Group will enable Inter-lux to accelerate the introduction and sales of its Partner Brand offerings.
DeVries says, “After a little over three years working with Linea Light, we have found that their goals are very well matched to ours. We will continue to grow market share with our existing Partner Brands by accelerating the introduction of new products and services from each of them, as well as expanding our sales and marketing activities to better service our network of professional sales organizations.”
Linea Light Group manufactures a wide range of commercial, residential and industrial lighting products from its multiple factories in northern Italy. “Our goal is to bring our products and services to the North American market. Over the last three years, we have been impressed with the performance of Inter-lux, and we are totally in support of the continuation of the Inter-lux hybrid model of the manufacturing and distribution of its partner brands.” contributes Nicola Vendrame, CEO Linea Light Group.
“As a result of this transaction, no changes in company leadership nor focus is anticipated apart from the changes that occur due to the growth of the company,” DeVries adds. “We will stay a focused, market-driven company dedicated to supporting our sales representatives and their customers.”
Whitegoods was founded in 2001 in order to address the need for minimalist, integrated lighting products that are easy to specify, install and maintain. All operations in the UK were shut down in December 2015, when the rights to the brand were purchased by Whitegoods LLC, a Maryland corporation.
Inter-lux has distributed and eventually manufactured the Whitegoods product line under license for ten years. During that time, the brand has steadily expanded and gained market share in North America.
In 2016, Inter-lux began exporting Whitegoods product internationally to meet the demands of both domestic and international design firms commissioning projects in the UK, Italy, Dubai, China, France and other countries.
Along with the purchase, the company has opened a design office in London led by Inter-lux Design Director and original Founder of Whitegoods, Douglas James and a production facility in Dorset, UK managed by Hamid Beheshti. The design studio will focus on product and promotional development while the Dorset facility will produce the Whitegoods brand for the UK and other international markets.
“Whitegoods was developed to address the need for simple and effective integrated lighting tools for the world’s most discerning specifiers.” states James, “The Design Studio allows us to continue to innovate the market through the refinement and expansion of the Whitegoods product line.”
CEO Mark DeVries states, “We are very excited to have reunited with a team of Whitegoods designers that includes Douglas James, the author of the Whitegoods language of light, as well as Thanh Tran and Andreas Anastasi, who are experienced Whitegoods designers. We are equally positive about the fact that they are located in London, the home of the brand.”
The production facility is already producing a limited range of the product line and will be expanding to produce all products within eighteen months.
“I am proud to be part of the new team spearheading the continued expansion of the Whitegoods product line. Whitegoods is a brand I strongly believe in and support.” states Beheshti, the former head of manufacturing for Whitegoods UK.
CEO Mark DeVries says, “The Whitegoods range has been in limited supply, outside of the US, for the past two years, so we are now very happy to be in a dedicated UK facility, producing in the market, to better service our UK and international customers.”
Whitegoods customers will be further supported by Chris Burridge, Director of Sales. Burridge has been Sales Director for Whitegoods for the past three years and has a long history of success in the lighting industry, with a great deal of expertise and experience with the range.
Burridge says, “The Whitegoods brand has a broad range of capabilities and I look forward to assisting our customers in helping them achieve spectacular design results.”
CEO Mark DeVries states, “The acquisition of the Whitegoods brand was a natural next step for Inter-lux. The ability to retain the design team led by Douglas will insure the integrity of the brand as we accelerate new products into the marketplace as Whitegoods re-establishes itself internationally. All new product, commencing with some very exciting introductions this year, will be designed on an international platform, which allows our customers to specify a product that will be certified for any world market, and be functionally and aesthetically the same.”
