In a move that defies industry norms, Lester Sales Company has strategically chosen to represent MaxLite, a key player in energy-efficient lighting, across a significant eight-state territory, marking a bold departure from their Tier 1 account with LEDVANCE. This unexpected shift in alliances, was effective on 1 January, 2024, underscores a rapidly evolving landscape within the non-specification lighting market.
The new partnership, announced yesterday, is set to bolster MaxLite’s C&I business across Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Southern Illinois, and Eastern Missouri. This agreement was forged in swift negotiations that began in early November and concluded by Thanksgiving.
Lester Sales’ pivot from LEDVANCE to MaxLite is particularly notable given the current pressures within the lighting economy, where rep firms are often faced with the tough choice between maintaining larger, yet stagnating lines, or pursuing smaller, potentially faster-growing ones. While there is a practice of large companies pressuring reps to streamline their offerings, insiders tell me that this was not the case in Lester Sales Company’s decision-making process. Specifically, we are told, there was no pressure from LEDVANCE. The choice to align with MaxLite was a strategic move, leveraging an established knowledge of MaxLite’s product range to their advantage.
As Lester Sales wraps up their commitments with LEDVANCE at the end of January, their alliance with MaxLite is poised to expand both companies’ footprints significantly.
This partnership is indicative of a larger industry trend where strategic alignments are becoming essential for navigating the competitive terrain.