Below is the announcement which LIGHTFAIR sent this morning. Your humble editor has been tracking this story since we stumbled upon the announcement that AMC sold their business to IMC on 26 JUN 2018. Blackstone, the money behind IMC is also the money behind the Clarion acquisition of PennWell as we reported on 27 JUN. PennWell owns LuxLive, Lux Review, LEDs Magazine, Strategies in Light, and the LED Show.
ATLANTA, July 27, 2018—LIGHTFAIR® International, the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting tradeshow and conference, has announced that it will continue its management contract with International Market Centers (IMC) following the merger between IMC and AmericasMart® Atlanta (AMC).
LIGHTFAIR International is co-owned by the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD, www.iald.org) and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES, www.ies.org). The event has been co-owned, produced and managed by AMC (now part of IMC), which has managed LIGHTFAIR International since 1989.
“We are thrilled to partner with IALD and IES on the successful show they have built in partnership with AMC,” said Robert J. Maricich, CEO of International Market Centers. “LIGHTFAIR is at the forefront of the lighting industry and we look forward to partnering with them going forward.”
The LIGHTFAIR management team will remain in place and LIGHTFAIR International will continue under its current branding.
“As we prepare for the 30th edition of our show, we’re excited to continue to build on our success with the fresh perspective and deep tradeshow experience that International Market Centers brings to our collaboration,” said Marsha L. Turner, CAE, chief executive officer of LIGHTFAIR partner IALD.
In May of this year, LIGHTFAIR International hosted its annual event in Chicago and included 600 exhibitors, including 66 first-time exhibiting companies and 136 manufacturers headquartered outside of the United States. The expanded LFI tradeshow floor featured a product mix of 47 categories including controls, IoT (Internet of Things), decorative, alternative energy including solar power, software, site and roadway, digital signage, healthcare and hospitality. Additionally, the LFI conference curriculum offered 150 hours of education and 73 courses taught by 121 industry experts.
“Registration for LIGHTFAIR International 2018 topped more than 28,000, and registrants represented 85 countries,” said Timothy Licitra, executive director of LFI partner IES. “We’re looking forward to continuing to grow and innovate, leveraging our new partnership with IMC as we prepare for our 2019 show.”
The next LIGHTFAIR International will be held in Philadelphia May 19-23, 2019 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
ABOUT LIGHTFAIR INTERNATIONAL
LIGHTFAIR International is the world’s largest annual architectural and commercial lighting trade show and conference and is sponsored by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD). The event is produced by AmericasMart Atlanta. For more information, visit www.LIGHTFAIR.com.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL MARKET CENTERS
IMC, which Blackstone and Fireside Investments acquired in 2017, is the world’s largest owner and operator of premier showroom space for the furnishings, home decor and gift industries, with 20 million square feet of world-class exhibition space in High Point, N.C., Atlanta, Ga. and Las Vegas, Nev. The Company’s mission is to build and operate an innovative, sustainable, profitable and scalable platform for the furnishings, home decor and gift industries. For more information please visit www.imcenters.com.